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Learn the most important photo rule with John Ford and Spielberg
Have you seen The Fabelmans, directed by Steven Spielberg? There’s a great scene where young Spielberg meets the director John Ford.
Ford tells Spielberg to find the horizon in a photo and gives him the secret to making a good image.
But let’s not get stuck trying to follow rules and other people’s ideas! Test your own ideas. Follow your gut.
There’s nothing wrong with a horizon line in the middle.
Sometimes, a centered horizon works great, so try it!
When you are out shooting, take many photos of the same scene.
Move your camera up, down, and sideways—shoot from different angles.
Edit when you get home!
Make a nice coffee or tea when you get home, and pick your best shot. Get rid of the other ones.
Pro Tip: Always make sure your horizon line is straight. A slanted horizon can feel weird and look surreal.
Symmetry is calming. Symmetry gives us a sense of order. We love symmetrical things.
Don’t believe me? Next time you enter a room, pay attention to the placement of things. You’ll see that when a room is balanced, you’ll feel calmer than when it’s chaotic.
What is symmetry in a landscape photo? It’s when two opposite parts of the image have similar information, making it look balanced.
Look for symmetry in the landscapes. If you don’t see it immediately, move around and change the camera height until you find a good angle.
The idea is to find visual balance.
Take a look at the photo above. the first and second photos have more symmetry.
Look at the third photo. There is an empty space on the left side, which makes the image look unbalanced.
The only way to find perfect symmetry in a landscape is to photograph reflections on the water.
The water will create a mirror image of the landscape that is how you get a perfect symmetry in nature.
The best times to shoot landscapes are from just before sunrise until 8:30 am and later in the afternoon from 4:30 pm until sundown.
Your images will have more depth when the sun is at an angle. The lower the sun, the larger the shadows- that can make your photographs very interesting.
Don’t forget to get that gorgeous blue sky after sundown. You will have a short window because it only lasts for 15 minutes or so. So get your tripod out and be ready for it.
You will not find a natural landscape with the exact same thing on both sides of your landscape! But you can see objects or shapes on both sides, creating a symmetrical effect.
It’s not boring, per se. It’s predictable. We all do it without thinking, but placing the horizon line at the top or bottom of the image will create visual tension and make it look more exciting.
The midday sun makes everything look flat, the lighter areas will be too bright, and the whole image will have too much contrast.
When to shoot?
Shoot when the sun is rising and again in the late afternoon and until sundown. Don’t forget to shoot just after sundown because the sky will produce a gorgeous blue color that will make your landscapes beautiful.
Yes. Get a tripod, it would help avoid any shaking.
You can throw water on the ground and create a puddle to get a mirror image of your landscape. Lower the camera until you get a good image of the landscape and the mirrored image.
Focus before you shoot. Tap on the screen, and the camera will focus on you.
Clean your lenses with a soft cloth.
iPhone vs DSLR photography with Jim Richardson
Are you a Wes Anderson fan? He uses symmetry in all his movies. He creates all the symmetry in his movies, which is not quite possible in landscape photography. Nevertheless, his work may inspire you!
Wes Anderson‘s style explained.
Marguerite Beaty, Blogger, Photographer & Artist
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