Ansel Adams

[Ramsden]

Hello

I was recently pointed to the late Ansel Adams work on photography, and I'm half way through Book 1 on the Camera.  What a great writer he was with a wonderful way with words.

So here's my take away from today on P54 on lenses - he waxes lyrical about being experimental and getting a "feel" for the effects of depth of field and other optical properties. But the quote to discuss is 

"Try to develop a sense for the way the lens acts in three dimensions, as well as in relation to two dimensional 'framing'.

And as I used to say with my academic hat on:

Discuss (please). 

Ramsden

[normadel]

What do you want to know?

He's talking about depth & depth of field, as well as up/down and sideways. That's three dimensions.

[JFG]

Hello Ramsden,

I agree with normadel, however to expand on what she said:  Ansel Adams' quote highlights a crucial aspect of photography: understanding how a camera lens interacts with the scene you're capturing. When he talks about the lens acting in three dimensions, he's referring to the depth and spatial relationships within the scene. This includes how foreground, middle ground, and background elements relate to each other and create a sense of depth.

On the other hand, two-dimensional framing deals with how the elements are arranged within the rectangular frame of the photograph. It involves composition techniques like the rule of thirds, leading lines, and balance to create a visually pleasing image.

By combining both perspectives, photographers can create images that not only have strong composition but also a sense of depth and dimension, making the photographs more engaging and dynamic.

What kind of photography interests you?