Ghost like color; its just a mirage.

Classic Norman Rockwell at Buck County Library.

photo credit: erin MC hammer

Clever idea. High key exposure makes it pop.

photo credit: *clairity*

So beautiful subtle shading.

photo credit: belgianchocolate

Good case for having a telephoto lens.

photo credit: audreyjm529

Ready to trumpet the new day.

photo credit: Swami Stream

What makes this is the background darkness, back and yellow are strong contrasting colors. This was no accident; notice the mid ground flowers are well lite.

photo credit: miyukiutada

Good focus control.

photo credit: miyukiutada

Really good natural lighting to bring out the depth perspective.

photo credit: tanakawho

Very dynamic, all the angles. Looks like liftoff.

photo credit: Randy Son Of Robert

I love the reflections in the sphere; and the copper wire just draws your eye around and around.

photo credit: stephcarter

Interesting that the wall also is a pink shade. Cropping definitely makes this picture. Plus a fine model.

photo credit: bestfor

I wonder if those are olive trees? Near Buisson Buisson on the River Dordogne, France.
Nice place for a picnic.

photo credit: Pacdog

The angle makes the bottle look heroic, like the Colossus of Rhodes.

This painting by Dali projects that idea.

photo credit: Randy Son Of Robert

photo credit: fazen

I would not mess with a cat with eye like that.

photo credit: kevindooley

photo credit: Hamed Saber

photo credit: Marcus Vegas

photo credit: krisdecurtis

photo credit: kalandrakas

photo credit: Noah Bulgaria

photo credit: ?ick Harris

What makes this picture is the wispy clouds; remnants of fully formed cloud just like these former functional phone booths. Maybe these are Tardis from the set of Dr. Who. Too much time travel. -;)

photo credit: orangeacid

photo credit: Sukanto Debnath

photo credit: pasotraspaso

photo credit: extranoise
photo credit: Hamed Saber

photo credit: *L*u*z*a*

photo credit: David.R.Carroll

Your portrait of a friend or colleague does not necessarily have to show their face – it’s a great tip if they’re really shy. Other features – such as the way they dress, their hands or item they value – may tell you as much, maybe even reveal more.

For this portrait, the hands decorated with henna (done while attending a wedding of Indian families) were obviously highly photogenic in their own right. But the addition of bright flowers not only gives the hands something to do, the elements complement each other.

Full portrait

A normal portrait would obviously set the flowers competing with the face for attention: you can work with one or the other, but rarely with both. One option we tried was to show the hands holding the flowers against a plain background. But the hands were not in a comfortable position.

Close up

We tried close up views with a wide-angle as well as from a greater distance with a longer lens setting to decide on the best distance to photograph the subject. This shot clearly has too much going on that’s not helping the thrust of the picture.

Vary background

It is best to shoot subjects with very delicate textures and subtle tones in subdued lighting. The neutral background of the dark tank top is perfect for the flowers, so it was clear we should concentrate on that. And the hands are looking better too, but with the arms, bangle and ring all in view, and there’s still too much going on.

Small changes

Ask the model to alter position – of her hands, to re-arrange the flowers – but to do so slowly and steadily so that you do not capture motion blur. Meanwhile keep photographing: the hands will look most natural when not held stiffly in position while you take the picture. Even the most experienced photographers can’t be sure the exact best composition the moment it occurs. Sometimes I can tell – the composition ‘sings’ or rings like a bell. At other times, I am surprised at what I missed at the time of the shoot. Moral: keep shooting.

Final choice

Our final choice used simplified flowers – only two, and both the same colour – cropped tightly on the hands which were raised higher on the body than in the other shots, so there was a better angle on the wrist. The result was a nice pyramidal structure – stable, composed, symmetrical.

And this time, I knew I had it in the can: I fired off 12 shots – almost all identical – within 8 seconds.