Picture Correct Overlays

Greetings fellow photographers, As a photographer, there are a lot of things we have to consider when taking photographs. One of the most important ones is composition. A photo with good composition is attractive and appealing to the human eye. It’s what will get your work recognized. When it comes to composition, there are a lot of rules you can follow. One of the most popular ones is the rule of thirds. However, today we’re going to introduce you to a different rule: the Fibonacci spiral, also known as the golden ratio.

What is the Fibonacci Spiral? The Fibonacci spiral is a composition guide that creates a perfectly balanced and aesthetically pleasing photograph to the human eye. It stems from the mathematical principle of the golden ratio. The golden ratio is 1.618:1, and this number is based on spirals we see in nature, such as those in ocean waves, flowers and plants. A lot of famous works of art, such as the Mona Lisa, follow the golden ratio; with the Fibonacci spiral, you’ll be able to apply it to your photography too. Here are five tips on using the Fibonacci spiral for better compositions.

1. Place Your Subject on the Spiral End Above is the Fibonacci spiral used for photographs. You should ideally try to place your subject at the very end of the spiral for the best composition. If you really want to dig into it, try placing important details at points where different lines intersect at the end of the spiral. You can also place the details anywhere in the smallest boxes. The spiral works by focusing the viewer’s eye on the end of the spiral and then leading them outwards to the whole scene. So it’s an excellent technique to use when you have a single subject in a wide-angle shot or a single focal point in a landscape. 2. Don’t Stick to One Angle The great thing about the spiral is that it works from all angles. You can mirror the original spiral, flip it upside down or place it in any direction and it will work! Many beginners think you can only use the spiral in one way, but that isn’t true. A great tip is to pay attention to the scene you’re capturing and look at things other than your subject. Are there elements around your subject that you want to bring into the photograph, too? If there are, choose the spiral angle, which should include them. 3. Look for Natural Curves When it comes to the golden ratio in pictures, the Fibonacci spiral is not the only way to compose photographs. The phi grid is another way to incorporate the golden ratio. The phi grid is best suited for photographs with many lines in them, while the spiral is excellent for scenes with natural curves. So before using the spiral, check to see whether the scene you’re shooting has any natural curves. Natural curves can apply to anything: clouds often have natural curves, trees could be curved or even someone’s cheekbone can count as a natural curve! If your scene is full of straight objects or lines, though, don’t try to force them into the spiral, and consider using the phi grid instead. 4. Use the Rule of Thirds to Help You The Fibonacci spiral is a bit complex to remember, we know, and you’re not expected to remember it either! However, most cameras don’t have the spiral as a built-in grid overlay option. Instead, what they have is the rule of thirds. Luckily, you can use the rule of thirds to help you. Turn your rule of thirds overlay option on and place your subject on the intersection of the lines. Now move your camera slightly, so your subject is a bit farther out than the intersection. A good tip is to take many photographs, adjusting your focal point to be in a slightly different place each time. Doing so will help a lot with our next point! 5. Edit, Edit and Edit Getting a perfect composition right off the bat is nearly impossible, especially because you don’t have the spiral with you when you’re taking photographs. To get the perfect golden ratio, you have to rely on editing.

Fortunately, most photo editing software (like Lightroom Classic and Photoshop) have tools built specifically to help you get the perfect golden spiral composition. In Lightroom Classic you’ll find the golden spiral under the Crop Guide Overlay when in cropping mode. In Photoshop, you can access the overlay tools when in crop mode and cycle through the overlays by pressing the letter “O” on your keyboard.

When you click this option, a spiral overlay will display over your image, and you can move it around to ensure the fine details of your picture are at the small end of the spiral. Once you do that, you’ll get closer to having the perfect Fibonacci spiral composition. If you’d like to learn more on how to compose your photographs effectively, you may want to study chapters this in-depth guide while it is 62% off for a sale this month. For further training: The Understanding Composition Guide Have fun with it, the golden ratio and composition can be easily practiced around the house. Sent with 💌 from PictureCorrect

by Chris Kenyon, 23 December 2023

Merry Christmas to all

All at Pennant Hills PHPC wishing you all a happy and safe Christmas and New Year, thank you for being part of our great club and look forward to seeing you all in 2024.

A few quotes to keep you amused.

Photographers are the only people who don’t get arrested for flashing in public.

I only watched fifty shades of gray to learn about white balance.

Have a friend who is a photographer, couldn’t shutter up (sounds like a particular club member).

It’s not out of focus, it’s intentional and artistic (have to remember that one for next years judges).

We all have a photographic memory but some are a bit short of film.

The quickest way to make money from photography is to sell your camera.

Have a great break and come back refreshed and inspired.

Chris

by Chris Kenyon, 20 December 2023

Photo Pills Seascape Photography Guide

Free download from PhotoPills with 150 page guide to Seascape photography, does include references to PhotoPills but packed with information and advice www.photopills.com/articles/seascape-photography-guide   

If you can’t open by simply clicking on the link then right click then “open hyperlink”

Chris

by Chris Kenyon, 20 December 2023

Maitland International Salon of Photography

For those interested the Maitland International is open for entries, please refer to

https://maitlandsalon.myphotoclub.com.au/

by Chris Kenyon, 11 December 2023

Results for 2023 FCC Interclub

Hi All, please find a detailed breakdown of our results from the FCC Interclub 2023. A big congratulations to everyone. We have achieved our best results ever with a high number of Acceptances.

Results for Pennant Hills Photographic Club Inc are as follows:

Competition	Title / Photographer	Results	Score
Open Colour Digital 2023Your club entry’s total online score is: 90 .
Open Colour Digital 2023	Spiral Staircase / Omid Mazloomi	Accepted	12
Open Colour Digital 2023	Mardi Gras / Jonathan Holliday	Accepted	11
Open Colour Digital 2023	Dragon Fly / Janne Ramsay	Accepted	9
Open Colour Digital 2023	Phoenix in New York / Prasad de Silva	Accepted	9
Open Colour Digital 2023	The Snakeman / Janne Ramsay	Accepted	9
Open Colour Digital 2023	Loves Light Cobar / Tony Strasser		8
Open Colour Digital 2023	Curved Stairway / Don Dickins		8
Open Colour Digital 2023	Taste Dig / Philip Weir		8
Open Colour Digital 2023	City Street / Don Dickins		7
Open Mono Digital 2023
Open Mono Digital 2023	Waiting In the Rain for a Bus / Don Dickins	Accepted	11
Open Mono Digital 2023	Lighting Up / Philip Weir	Accepted	10
Open Mono Digital 2023	The Roof / Omid Mazloomi	Accepted	10
Open Mono Digital 2023	Man in Robe / Don Munro	Accepted	10
Open Mono Digital 2023	What’s Inside / Philip Weir	Accepted	10
Open Mono Digital 2023	River Scenery / Reena Cheng	Accepted	9
Open Mono Digital 2023	Sydney Opera House Outside / Judy Ly	Accepted	9
Open Mono Digital 2023	Skylight / Jonathan Holliday		8
Open Mono Digital 2023	Balcoln Avenue / Don Dickins		7
Open Mono Digital 2023	Lines / Larry Armstrong		3
Nature Digital 2023
Nature Digital 2023	Gulfoss One / Chris Barlow	Accepted	10
Nature Digital 2023	Grubs for Lunch / Nancy Morley	Accepted	10
Nature Digital 2023	Suckling Between Play / Nancy Morley	Accepted	10
Nature Digital 2023	Northern Lights / Chris Barlow	Accepted	9
Nature Digital 2023	Barking Owl / Ruth Penman	Accepted	9
Nature Digital 2023	Lorikeet Feast / Richard McMullen	Accepted	9
Nature Digital 2023	New Borns / Larry Armstrong	Accepted	9
Nature Digital 2023	Hairy Caterpillar / Don Dickins		8
Nature Digital 2023	Teal / Prasad de Silva		8
Nature Digital 2023	Pink Flannel Flower / Sue Crowe		7
Creative Digital 2023
Creative Digital 2023	Experiment in images / Philip Weir	Accepted	11
Creative Digital 2023	Crash Landing / Don Dickins	Accepted	8
Creative Digital 2023	Help is on its Way / Philip Weir	Accepted	8
Creative Digital 2023	Cape Hillsborough / Janne Ramsay		7
Creative Digital 2023	Glass Ball Reflection / Judy Ly		7
Creative Digital 2023	Luna Park Hair Raiser / Graeme James		6
Creative Digital 2023	Rolling The Glass / Nancy Morley		6
Creative Digital 2023	Historic Buildings Parramatta Park / Graeme James		6
Creative Digital 2023	Burwood After Dark / Judy Ly		6
Creative Digital 2023	Wineglass Bay / Janne Ramsay		6
Australian Landscape/Seascape Digital 2023
Australian Landscape/Seascape Digital 2023	Knobbys Beach / Michael Frost	Accepted	10
Australian Landscape/Seascape Digital 2023	Lamington Sunset / Sue Crowe	Accepted	10
Australian Landscape/Seascape Digital 2023	The Giants Above / Nancy Morley	Accepted	9
Australian Landscape/Seascape Digital 2023	Reflections near Blowhole / Omid Mazloomi	Accepted	9
Australian Landscape/Seascape Digital 2023	Early Morning in Perisher / Janne Ramsay	Accepted	9
Australian Landscape/Seascape Digital 2023	Megalong Valley / Larry Armstrong	Accepted	8
Australian Landscape/Seascape Digital 2023	Snowgum / Tony Strasser	Accepted	8
Australian Landscape/Seascape Digital 2023	Lockhart River / David Mellefont	Accepted	7
Australian Landscape/Seascape Digital 2023	Coila Bay / Ruth Penman	Accepted	7
Australian Landscape/Seascape Digital 2023	Camel Rock / David Mellefont		6
Open Colour Print 2023
Open Colour Print 2023	Uni Spiral / Chris Kenyon	Accepted	12
Open Colour Print 2023	Sunset Strip Menindee / Elaine Holliday	Accepted	11
Open Colour Print 2023	King of the Mardi Gras / Elaine Holliday	Accepted	10
Open Colour Print 2023	Modern Architecture / Omid Mazloomi	Accepted	9
Open Colour Print 2023	Desert Storm / Robin Levin		8
Open Colour Print 2023	Left and Right / Chris Kenyon		8
Open Colour Print 2023	Seiler / Graeme James		8
Open Colour Print 2023	Best View In Town / Robin Levin		8
Open Colour Print 2023	Boat Race / Graeme James		6
Open Colour Print 2023	Peace Lily / Larry Armstrong		6
Open Mono Print 2023
Open Mono Print 2023	Circular Interior / Don Dickins	Accepted	11
Open Mono Print 2023	Granny having a Cup / Philip Weir	Accepted	11
Open Mono Print 2023	Egg Fork / Jonathan Holliday	Accepted	10
Open Mono Print 2023	Still Life Tulips / Don Munro	Accepted	10
Open Mono Print 2023	Take Me to the Church / Elaine Holliday	Accepted	10
Open Mono Print 2023	Grassy Headland / Elaine Holliday	Accepted	10
Open Mono Print 2023	The Lennox Parramatta / Graeme James		9
Open Mono Print 2023	Two Trees / Don Dickins		9
Open Mono Print 2023	Third Eye / Don Munro		8
Open Mono Print 2023	Heading for Shore / Nancy Morley		8
Open Nature Print 2023
Open Nature Print 2023	Mount Buffalo / Chris Kenyon	Accepted	12
Open Nature Print 2023	Flannel Flower / Don Dickins	Accepted	10
Open Nature Print 2023	Splendor in the Grass / Larry Armstrong	Accepted	10
Open Nature Print 2023	Covid Like Fungi / Don Dickins	Accepted	9
Open Nature Print 2023	Hungry Darter / Prasad de Silva	Accepted	9
Open Nature Print 2023	Stripping Bark / Larry Armstrong	Accepted	9
Open Nature Print 2023	Coming Home / Tony Strasser		8
Open Nature Print 2023	Zebra Finches / Tony Strasser		8
Open Nature Print 2023	Road Kill / Max Pegler		8
Open Nature Print 2023	Beside the River / Nancy Morley		6
Drone/Aerial Photography 2023
Drone/Aerial Photography 2023	Arizona / Richard McMullen	Accepted	14
Drone/Aerial Photography 2023	Streams of Gold / Jonathan Holliday	Accepted	14
Drone/Aerial Photography 2023	Flames of Tyrell / Elaine Holliday	Accepted	14
Drone/Aerial Photography 2023	Salt Junction / Sonia Conn	Accepted	12
Drone/Aerial Photography 2023	Rolling Waves / Nancy Morley	Accepted	12
Drone/Aerial Photography 2023	North Curl Curl Rock Pool / Elaine Holliday	Accepted	11
Drone/Aerial Photography 2023	Netting / Jonathan Holliday	Accepted	9
Drone/Aerial Photography 2023	Kati Thanda One / David Mellefont		7
Drone/Aerial Photography 2023	Lady of Lake Wakatipu / Sonia Conn		6
Drone/Aerial Photography 2023	Olgas Uluru / Menno Kipper		4

Award Certificates: You can generate award certificates to save or print out from the website click here.

Acceptance scores

Open Mono Print 2023 : 10
Open Colour Print 2023 : 9
Open Nature Print 2023 : 9
Open Colour Digital 2023 : 9
Open Mono Digital 2023 : 9
Nature Digital 2023 : 9
Creative Digital 2023 : 8
Australian Landscape/Seascape Digital 2023 : 7
Drone/Aerial Photography 2023 : 8

Whether an entry has been awarded an acceptance is determined by the acceptance score set for each competition. After the first round of judging the top scoring images in each section were reviewed by the judges to determine the awards.

A catalogue showing all awards and acceptances will be available on the website soon.

by Janne Ramsay, 5 December 2023

Results for competitions in Poster Competition

There were 3 entries that were rated the highest by our judge(s).

Members can view all images and comment on them by following this link
View / Comment entries in Poster Competition

click here to see a pdf catalog of all competition results

1929 Buick Don Dickins – First Poster Competition	Flames at Tyrrell Elaine Holliday – Second Poster Competition
Abandoned grader Jonathan Holliday – Third Poster Competition

by Don Dickins, 5 December 2023

Results for competitions in Poster Competition

There were 3 entries that were rated the highest by our judge(s).

Members can view all images and comment on them by following this link
View / Comment entries in Poster Competition

click here to see a pdf catalog of all competition results

1929 Buick Don Dickins – First Poster Competition	Flames at Tyrrell Elaine Holliday – Second Poster Competition
Abandoned grader Jonathan Holliday – Third Poster Competition

by Don Dickins, 4 December 2023

Results for competitions in Comp 12 Print and Projected Image

There were 12 entries that were rated the highest by our judge(s).

Members can view all images and comment on them by following this link
View / Comment entries in Comp 12 Print and Projected Image

click here to see a pdf catalog of all competition results

Blue vase Elaine Holliday – First Open Colour Large Print	Take me to church Elaine Holliday – First Open Mono Large Print
Mardi Gras Jonathan Holliday – First Open Small Print	The Taste Dig open Philip Weir – First Digital
Uni Spiral Chris Kenyon – Second Open Colour Large Print	Granny having a cuppa Philip Weir – Second Open Mono Large Print
Foggy Morning Kate Fujii – Second Open Small Print	Phil Weir Prasad de Silva – Second Digital
Seiler Graeme James – Third Open Colour Large Print	Circular Interior Don Dickins – Third Open Mono Large Print
Time to Bloom Chris Kenyon – Third Open Small Print	STEAM PUNK GENT Don Dickins – Third Digital

by Don Dickins, 4 December 2023

Last Meeting for 2023 Images of the Year, Poster sized image & Christmas Party

Don’t forget next Monday night is the last meeting for 2023, bring some nibbles or drink, the church wont permit alcohol.

Reminder for those doing poster sized prints minimum size is 40.6 X 50.8, please hard back your prints as they are difficult to display and handle if unbaked.

See you Monday Night

by Chris Kenyon, 29 November 2023

Print & Projected Images Of The Year –

Just a reminder that all entries in the final competition for the year on the 4th of December Print & Projected Image of the Year MUST be as originally presented during this years competitions i.e. additional image manipulation is not permitted

This is a competition to determine the best images presented throughout the year.

Chris Kenyon

by Chris Kenyon, 22 November 2023