A Year of Beauty- Photography Challenge- Year 2

[Samtian]

September/October is here so break time is over!

Time to start with some fundamentals. Photography has it's own set of "rules". Which of course are meant to be broken, but it's really helpful to know some basics. Starting with the rule of 3rds in composition. What you do is place your subject on one of the "imaginary" lines that cut a photo into thirds ( 9 sections). I do this rule often, but sometimes parents don't like it in their pictures and want the subjects centered. Included is images with the lines showing. Just basic set up so you can see it. One of the easiest ways to get something on one of the lines is to crop it down. When you crop an image you usually get the lines that show up, using those lines tells you where the "thirds" are, and just line your subject up with one of them. 

If you want to get really technical I encourage you to look up the Golden Ratio and learn about it. It has many names and it is way too mathematical for my brain to comprehend. To my knowledge I don't think I have ever taken a golden ratio image. I have golden triangle but not ratio. Check it out! photoworkout dot com/golden-ratio-photography/  

Hopefully you can see the lines...I should have thought it out and used a dark background. 

What a great first year we had!! Even if I dropped the ball sometimes! I decided to change things up this year with the themes. They will be a little more challenging this year.

2023-

April- DOF 2 images.

May- Flash/Artificial Light.

June- What you see vs. What I see

July- Break

August- Break

September/October- Rule of 3rds.

2022 challenges-

April- Lipstick

May- Eye Shadow

June- Primer/Foundation/Concealer/CC/BB

July- Highlighters

August- Brushes

September- Sheet Masks

October- Hair Care

November- Fragrance

December- Nail Polish

January- Blush/Bronzer

February- Candles/Wax Melts/ Diffusers

The challenge and "rules"-

1. Flat lays and staged photos only. I'll post examples below. But no faces or people allowed in your photos. (Though you can include photographs).

2. All photos you take must be your own. 

3. Post as many images as you want, you have a whole month to get creative with each theme. Post one, post everyday, doesn't matter.

4. Let's talk gear and products! Tell us about your image. List the products and colors, talk to us about your concept and how it came to be, taken with your phone or DSLR? 

Here are some helpful reads- digital-photography-school dot com/flat-lay-photography/  and digital-photography-school dot com/tips-for-getting-started-with-still-life-photography/

Here are some of my example images I've taken in the past-

Gucci Bloom Eau de Toilette with Jasmine, Tuberose, and Neroli 1 oz/ 30 mL 

Floral Street Sunflower Pop Eau De Parfum Travel Spray 0.34 oz/ 10 mL Eau de Parfum Spray 

[Saradestin]

Thank you so much @fatimamummy gorgeous! Aren’t the polishes pretty? I am so anxious to try them all!

[itsfi]

These are beautifully artistic @Saradestin! 😍 Love the set up of the polishes atop the boxes and the background. Such great natural light too! 

[Saradestin]

Thank you so much @itsfi beautiful! I was trying to show the names of the polishes for the December haul and nail threads but the end result came pretty beautiful with the geometric effect

[itsfi]

@Saradestin, that intention came through!! I love that about both these frames. They gave both form and function as well as being easy on the eyes! 😍 I’m so happy you shared these photos here. 

[Titian06]

@Saradestin - I love both of these pics! 🥰

[Saradestin]

Thank you @Titian06 ! You are so sweet! 🤗

[itsfi]

December Photography Challenge - Nail Polish 

Photo Details:

Spoiler

Product(s):	Veque Nail Polish (this collection was inspired by the San Francisco fog)
Camera:	iPhone X
Background:	Table / counter
Prop(s):	Tray/dish, Voluspa candle and faux foliage
Other Material:	N/A
View / Position:	Flat lay
Lighting:	Natural, indirect light on a rainy day filled with grey skies
Editing:	Adjusted for brightness to compensate for it being grey and overcast outside

[CynthieLu]

I love the colours you picked for the polishes in this picture, they all belong togeather so effortlessly 😀

@itsfi very lovely photo, well done!

[itsfi]

@CynthieLu, thank you. 😀 I have to give credit where it’s due and that’s to Veque for putting together such a cohesive collection of polishes. They really do work well together. It’s funny, when I saw them on the site, I thought they all looked so similar but taking the photo and then making the adjustments to compensate for the lack of natural light really highlighted both the grey undertones that tie the collection together and the varying base colors. 

[fatimamummy]

The colour of polishes, staging and prop choices all are beautiful @itsfi Very elegant and aesthetic 

[itsfi]

Thank you @fatimamummy! Your words are much appreciated and mean a lot. 💖

[Saradestin]

Such a gorgeous picture @itsfi ! I love how the polishes colors look so harmonious. Stunning!

[itsfi]

Thank you @Saradestin! 😁 The grey undertones in each of the polishes helped tie the collection and the look of the photo together. I'm more comfortable with flatlay shots but am getting better at trying other angles thanks in large part to this thread! 

[Saradestin]

This is such a great place to learn @itsfi ! There are amazing and artistic shots that are so inspiring, yours included!

[Samtian]

@itsfi Ooh this is so so pretty!!!

[itsfi]

Thank you @Samtian! I have jotted down a couple of different ideas I want to try for this month’s challenge. 📷 

[Samtian]

@itsfi I can't wait to see them! Eventually I'll get my act together 😄

[itsfi]

Nawh, you have your act together @Samtian. You’re busy busy with lots on your plate and free time is sometimes best spent getting some R&R. I get that. It’s a good thing.

These challenges have been excellent ways for me learn more and more about photography. Seeing others’ photos and hearing about how a shot came about has given me a lot to think about when setting up or thinking about a setup for a photo. It’s been a lot of fun! 👍🏼 

[Titian06]

Very pretty, @itsfi !  The polish colors are lovely!  I like the tray.  I have to admit, I was a little worried you wouldn't have products for this month's theme! 🤣

[itsfi]

hahahaha @Titian06! We can both breathe a sigh of relief that I found a few polishes for the photo shoot! 🤣 

Thank you! I found the tray at a restaurant supply store. If I'm tagging along with a friend, I inevitably find myself going off on my own to explore. lol. I mean, we're already there. Might as well see if there's anything else I might *need*, right?! 

[txcatx]

I love this challenge and am sad I didn't see it until the end of last month. I hope y'all do a photography challenge for next year, because I would love to join! It's been fun seeing all the creativity here.