What you Learn:

• Composition: An in depth look at many examples of composition with a group discussion highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the examples shown. up for discussion is:

  Rule of Thirds or Symmetry

  Shape and Form

  Balance by Shape or Color

  Figure and Ground

  Leading Lines and Perspective

  Selective Focus

  Frame Within a Frame

  Lighting and Chiaroscuro

• Framing the Image:
  A major part of composition, it is also worthy of consideration. To frame an image is to select a particular thing to highlight while excluding other things. Be it a literal representation of the world, a symbol/metaphor standing in for something else what is included/un-included can completely alter the context of an image and thus its meaning.

• Seeing Light
  A discussion of the two main qualities of light: Specular & Diffuse. Specular light, like sun light creates a sharp shadow and is perfect for showing texture when raked across a surface. Great for objects and architecture but problematic for portraits. Diffuse light creates a very soft shadow with smooth highlight rolloff, ideal for skin tones and highly reflective objects. We consider how and when to use both.

  The importance of the direction of the light source: frontal, raking and backlighting is discussed.

  The technical, emotional and aesthetic effect of light and how use it effectively to create the image in your minds eye.

• Cultural Symbols:
  Everything can be interpreted differently. A picture of an item is a stand-in for the item. It can also be seen as something else, a feeling or a metaphor. When viewing a picture we start by recognizing items in the image and we name them, we see a pick-up truck in front of a tree with a cloudy sky behind. What we see in our minds and the language we use to describe items are symbols, mental stand-ins for the objects. Everything we understand about an image is based on the symbols. Symbols are interpretations. We build our understanding of the world from a sphere of interconnected interpretations. The culture we live in has agreed upon the importance of some symbols, cultural symbols that are important.

• While decoding the image we add interpretations for our past experience to understand what the image means to each of us. We create stories from what we know.

• Post-Production
  A closer look at Light Room Classic and how to use it to make global changes and local changes via AI based masking.