This Week in the Digital Photography School Forums (21-27 Nov ‘10)

Happy Thanksgiving to our friends in the US who celebrated this week! As you filled your plates, you might have given a thought to our Fill the Frame assignment. Well, there aren’t any full plates from our winners this week, but they all did a great job of filling the frame with their subjects. This is a great compositional technique that helps when you want to really focus on the subject and eliminate a distracting background. Our winner this week was CaroleKnits’s Yarn. This shot had great colours and it almost looks like the yarn is about to fall out of the screen. Our first runner up was Evil_Banana’s “Framed”. Well, this one definitely fills the frame, and the other interesting thing about this one is how the frame is used as a way to compose the shot as well. It was a fun and interesting shot. Our final runner up was Dusty5150’s “Mittens”. This one doesn’t fill the frame quite as much as the other ones, but there is no doubt at all what the subject here is. The bright coloured mittens contrast nicely with the more neutral background. Well done everyone!

We also started a new assignment this week, and it’s Repetition and Patterns. Repetitions and patterns can be found pretty much anywhere. The trick with it is to use the patterns and repetition to make the image interesting to your viewer, which is a little more tricky. As always, a quick reminder of the rules. First, your photo must have been taken between 17 November – 1 December 2010. Second, your post must include the words “Assignment: Repetition and Patterns” and the date the photo was taken. Finally, your EXIF should be intact, and it’s helpful if you can include some of the main information like camera, lens, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc. Next week we’re heading back to the topics that require a bit more interpretation with Breakable. Although we aren’t doing another composition-based topic this year, it’s worth keeping the last few assignments in mind as you move forward with the next ones.

Is the Crop Factor the Same as Digital Zoom?: Sometimes terms get confusing, especially if you’re moving from a point and shoot camera to a DSLR. You might be familiar with the term digital zoom, but how does that compare to the crop factor? If you’ve ever wondered what the difference between these two terms are, head over to the forum to learn.How Do You Start Making Money with Photography in the Digital Age?: So, your friends and family are telling you that you take great photos. Everyone keeps telling you that you should sell them. But how do you actually make any money when it seems like everyone and their dog has a digital camera? Come share your tips on how to get started making money from your photography.New Photographer Do’s & Don’ts When Creating a Web Presence: Lots of photographers have websites. And because of that, often times new photographers want to follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before them. But how do you create a good website that looks professional? Come check out the tips in this thread and add your own.

Nicole is a DPS Forum moderator and keen photographer from New Zealand. See her blog and Flickr account.

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