Very few people refer to him but I find his photos and knowledge to resonate with me. Thanks for posting.

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

6 ай бұрын

Interesting that you say that. Feininger was one of those photographers who influenced me very much in my youth. Unfortunately, some of his books, that I used to have, have disappeared over the years ...

Great video

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

2 ай бұрын

Thanks a lot!

Excellent Tips and Guidelines!!!!!

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

Жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it, but of course I can't take credit for those tips ...

Very good to know and well explained. I wonder why this is not taught more?

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

Жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it. Well, Feininger is better known to have said something along the lines "Beware of all rules in photography". And personally I would say he is right there ...

Thanks for sharing 👍

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

Жыл бұрын

You are welcome! Glad, you liked it.

Interesting rules, thanks for presenting them. These are good rules or principles and seem to me to add to the unity of the photograph. The diagonal line into the corner appears to split the photograph in two. In your example it exaggerates the way the building leans over backwards. In the first example the cropping of the tree tops is what I would do and the photo becomes more serene and less amateurish. In your second example, giving space between the nose of the plane and the edge of the photograph gives room for the plane to move. Having a curve touching the edge is going to distract the eye and lead it out of the photograph. Cheers.

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

9 ай бұрын

Thank you very much for your comment. My sentiments exactly.

For me, the subject usually needs space in the frame to breathe - and the second example fails in that dramatically (pre-adjustment). In the first example, if the tree-tops have some merit for the composition, they can be accommodated, but if they look undecided as to whether they have a role to play or not, they need to go. Regarding diagonal lines running into corners - i'm sure there must be situations where that's the perfect solution, and others where it fails. I sometimes have a problem with it in my own shooting, and often the choice is determined by what else needs to be in the frame, what lenses i have, and what position i can get myself into - so trying to balance elements to get the best of the possible shots available. Thanks for the video - Lkd&Subd from New Zealand.

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

11 ай бұрын

Thank you very much for your thoughts and insights. Very much appreciated!

As with any photographic "rule" I think justifiable exceptions can be found, depending on the subject matter and intent of the image. And these exceptions are to be found in Feininger's own work, too.

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

11 ай бұрын

Agreed. And that's why Richard feynman said: "If there is an exception to a rule it's not a rule. ;-)

I would think of these rules more like "tips" or "suggestions", not as hard "rules". The first one (about the small white areas at the edges) is sound advice, and one reason why photos for print should be prepared with 5% Black as the lightest value (as far as I'm aware of; there were/are other, more technical reasons). The second one (curves being far enough from or distinctly cut by the edges) I would also consider sound advice - unless this rule is broken for effect, perhaps in an abstract image, but then it would need to exactly touch. The third one (straight lines not ending in the corners) is often given, not only by Feininger; like the second one, I would consider it sound advice for most cases, but as ever, a rule to be broken for effect. All three rules seem to have practicality in mind (at least to a certain degree), as all three try to avoid problems in print production (the precision needed to keep things exactly in place at the edges and in the corners). Regarding the first quote about gear: He's right! I'll keep my Leica IIIf nonetheless … 😁

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

Жыл бұрын

Intersting thoughts. That 5% black as the lightest value indeed comes from traditional offset printing. And I fully agree, that there are no hard and fast rules in photography (or in the visual arts in general). I prefer to call those rules "orientation aids in the jungle of composition possibilities". But, alas, that's a bit long and cumbersome ...

@c.augustin

Жыл бұрын

@@hoffmann-photography-Syke Yes, "orientation aids in the jungle of composition possibilities" puts it quite precisely, but it's not very handy … 😁 A point of interest regarding Andreas Feininger might be that he's not only an architect, but also the son of the painter Lyonel Feininger (of Bauhaus "fame"), and that his father is quite famous for architectural paintings - which I find much more interesting than the photos of his son (even though his New York architectural photos are impressive). I should take a closer look at both. The book you've shown is no longer in print, and that's a shame!

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

Жыл бұрын

@@c.augustin As far as I know Andreas Feininger also studied at the Bauhaus for some time. And I fully agree, his father's paintings are quite interesting.

The first rule I don't get that much. You can always have a black frame. Also, he broke this rule himself. The 2nd and 3rd rule make sense. I agree with him there. (I remember a photo book on cars from the 60s and 70s I ordered once. None of the images showed a whole vehicle! It was supposedly artistic. I returned the book - ha ha)

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

Жыл бұрын

Yes, true, the first rule is probably outdated nowadays. But on a white background without a dark frame it does look a bit strange.

The first two rules - yes. The third rule - perhaps.

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

8 ай бұрын

Well, I actually don't like when a line ends in the corner of a picture, so I'm with Feininger. But there are indeed a lot of people who deliberately do it, and that's fine with me. Thanks for your comment.

I have to disagree with the 3rd rule. I think this is a personal preference though it could be linked to how our individual brains interpret uniformity and patterns. I have never heard of this photographer, have you thought about doing a short video about him and his work?

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

Жыл бұрын

Many people disagree with No. three ... Feininger is actually one of the influential photographers of the 20th century and the son of Lionel Feininger, a well known painter. Good idea to make a video about him. I'll ponder that.

I wonder why Ansel Adams,the Seats and others hated Feininger so much.

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

10 ай бұрын

I didn't know that. Can you elaborate a bit?

Correction. The seats has to be the Weston's. Some digital idiot in my "smart" phone correcting me.

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

10 ай бұрын

He he, been there, done that ...

I never understood the purpose or the reason for “rules” in art at all. I’m a geekie engineer type and never went to any art school. The round examples in particular (2nd rule)… yes, the first example felt awful and the other alternatives felt much better. I don’t understand how a “rule” helps me or how I should use it. The third example is interesting because the two choices differ in how they affect me. The line going into the corner stimulates the analytical side. I would say that it is more “exciting” or stimulating - more “interesting”, more likely to spark a conversation. The other choice with the line not going into the corner is more calming, more pleasant, more relaxing, more “normal”. I would pick one or the other depending upon what affect I wanted. In a corporate board room, I would pick the first. In a living room, I would pick the second. So… I’m lost when, where, how, and why “rules” should be used.

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

Жыл бұрын

I'm with you here. And Feininger would have been the first to agree. Except, well, for those three "rules" to which he has never found an exception. But of course, there may be exceptions ...

Can't agree with the last one. I don't think the trapezoid in the corner (of your version) is a clean and nice at the line going diagonal into the corner. However, as with all artist things everything is personal taste and that changes over the years also.

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

Жыл бұрын

Many people disagree with number three. Personally, I'm with Feininger on this one ;-)

Feininger first states "Be suspicious of all the rules of photography" and then goes on to define rules you should pay attention to 🤡 ??

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

Жыл бұрын

Well, yes, what shall I say? 😎😎😎

It's simple. If your composition doesn't work don't waste time taking the picture.

@hoffmann-photography-Syke

11 ай бұрын

True, but I often only notice that the compostition doesn't work after I have taken the photo ...