The Rule of "Does it Look Cool"

Photo website on SquareSpace: www.squarespace.com/brendanvanson
My Camera Gear: bit.ly/BvSGear
There are a lot of photography rules. In fact there are a lot of rules of composition in all forms of art. But the most important rule of photography is the "rule of does it look cool?" I mean, if a photograph looks awesome, what does it matter if it follows the guidelines? The whole goal is to create things that look beautiful. So go out there and just focus on making cool photos.
Vlog chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:10 Praia da Luz
5:50 Mavic Mini Drone Review
7:00 Photo composition tip
11:00 The rule of "does it look cool"
12:30 Photo #3

Пікірлер: 80

  • @BrendanvanSon
    @BrendanvanSon3 жыл бұрын

    What's one "tourist" spot you avoided for years but then ended up LOVING as a photographer? For me, it was Venice.

  • @quirkypurple

    @quirkypurple

    3 жыл бұрын

    I visited Chania after watching one of your vids there in Crete. Fell in love with the place. Greece, in general, was one places I didn't originally really feel the want to go, and I thought Crete might be a touristy place. It's got many tourist but nice tourist and nice, safe atmosphere. And the place wasn't spoiled by rampant over-commercialisation for tourists. It retained some charm, some authenticity. So, I'll always remember this channel for that introduction. It was a great holiday. Brought the drone and there were massive waves breaking in Chania. Saw a local fighter jet, just a nice place to photograph and be in. Greek people, food and culture is so nice, going to visit more islands. Love it.

  • @pablogonzalez8304

    @pablogonzalez8304

    3 жыл бұрын

    Aren't all tourist spots good to make pictures of especially if you may not visit it again. One place I wish I had more of a photographic bug would have been Djibouti back in 94 because chances are I will never go back there but you know what they say never say never

  • @harveytrop1637

    @harveytrop1637

    3 жыл бұрын

    Golden Palace in Bangkok; if you wander a bit off the main tourist routes, there's some great statuary and temple views.

  • @CornishMotorcycleDiaries

    @CornishMotorcycleDiaries

    3 жыл бұрын

    Capetown

  • @andyblessett1282

    @andyblessett1282

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@harveytrop1637 Been there, done that....you're not wrong 👌

  • @harveytrop1637
    @harveytrop16373 жыл бұрын

    A great quote from Ansel Adams, "Ask yourself: Does this subject move me to feel, think, and dream?"

  • @vcasqu
    @vcasqu3 жыл бұрын

    That smaller beach you are at in min 3:30 is exactly where I spend my summer vacations. When you get calm see, is like paradise. I kid you not.

  • @sharronferreira6420
    @sharronferreira64203 жыл бұрын

    That tool cabinet is a great idea! Hubbie has been wanting to get one, so might just buy him one for Christmas, before he makes the space he wants to put it in, and then say I’ll “use it” in the mean time haha 😆

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    Hahaha, genius

  • @spiffokeen
    @spiffokeen3 жыл бұрын

    I appreciate the way you tell us what you’re trying to do before you do it. You have such an honest approach and I love it. I also love this: “I guess I shouldn’t judge a book by the fact that it’s a tourist destination” -BVS

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    Haha, it's needs to be a meme. Lol

  • @theresarice7289
    @theresarice72893 жыл бұрын

    I have the red version of that toolbox with another piece on top that I use as my bead box. It's great

  • @JohnDrummondPhoto
    @JohnDrummondPhoto3 жыл бұрын

    I just went on Google Earth and you have photo opportunities galore around Praia da Luz! To the east you have Rocha Negra (Black Rock), a lava flow outcropping. There's a viewpoint from the road above, and you can shoot from the surrounding beach (in low tide, I presume). Man, if I ever get to Lagos... Also, invest in a remote shutter cable. Pressing the button even lightly invites camera shake that will blur your image.

  • @sharronferreira6420
    @sharronferreira64203 жыл бұрын

    Love both photos!

  • @phynx2006
    @phynx20063 жыл бұрын

    I feel those people on the surfboards were hoping for a miracle, the sea looked a little calm🏄‍♂️, beautiful shoreline though. Can't wait until the day we can travel again 👍👍✈

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    Haha the sea was super chilled. But on those floaty beginners surf all you need is a little push.

  • @bradzaruba9686
    @bradzaruba96863 жыл бұрын

    This was just a "fun" video with some lovely shots. I really liked the last one.

  • @AlexMcKean
    @AlexMcKean3 жыл бұрын

    That’s a really perspective to have. It’s so important to love the image before going into too much depth of other composition rules. Great video Brendan!

  • @hugoparente1908

    @hugoparente1908

    3 жыл бұрын

    I love Praia da Luz. Pick a low tide and go left by the glifs.

  • @Boros777
    @Boros7773 жыл бұрын

    As you said: theres often a reason touristy places are touristy - if you can get them without the tourist masses they can be quite stunning, imho...

  • @PedroKin

    @PedroKin

    3 жыл бұрын

    that's where sunrises come into play the best :D

  • @CopperStateAerialPhotography
    @CopperStateAerialPhotography3 жыл бұрын

    Hey Brendan, Great video. I've kind of always shot all my stuff with this thinking. I don't so much worry about all the settings, just make sure the shot looks good to my eye with both my drone videos and stills.

  • @joshuaschwalbe2962
    @joshuaschwalbe29623 жыл бұрын

    I love seascape photography for excactly the reason you pointed out as well, you never really know what you'll get. I think you got some great shots with some nice dynamic. And man, I admire you walking around in a T-Shirt! Getting cold in Germany...

  • @snapshot_texas
    @snapshot_texas3 жыл бұрын

    Amazing video and images as always look forward to seeing how that tool box turns out when done please show what you ended up with.

  • @JohnHPettigrewFujishooter67
    @JohnHPettigrewFujishooter673 жыл бұрын

    Just started watching, the Landy looks cool for sure!

  • @scotty4418
    @scotty44183 жыл бұрын

    Enjoyed the episode BvS, cool images and loved the drone footage. Great news about the studio and look forward to seeing more of it soon in future videos

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    Should be vlogging about the new studio in about a week!

  • @kevwarrilow45
    @kevwarrilow453 жыл бұрын

    That last shot is a winner Brendan - very nice :)

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Kev!

  • @patrickschmidt6593
    @patrickschmidt65933 жыл бұрын

    Hey Brandon, next time you visit Luz turn to the right as you are looking at the sea and follow the road. Soon you will enter a dusty path along the cliffs. You will find some really awesome cliffs, which are really photogenic along the way.

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the tip! Will try it at some point.

  • @JohnHPettigrewFujishooter67
    @JohnHPettigrewFujishooter673 жыл бұрын

    You are gonna have some nice prints for your gallery. Thanks for sharing.

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks John, appreciate it

  • @Melissa_939
    @Melissa_9393 жыл бұрын

    Yes these pics def looked cool! As a Dutchie, I've got rocky coast envy

  • @briestockwell5402
    @briestockwell54023 жыл бұрын

    Cool that you went to that popular location anyway!!

  • @derbagger22
    @derbagger223 жыл бұрын

    I was in Acadia National Park last week. I missed my first sunset because I was late getting up there. The next two sunsets had heavy clouds. My first sunrise I missed because my car's battery died, the next I missed the best possible shot because the summit parking was overfilled and the last morning was rainy. The rest of the time, I just didn't try to plan but just went looking for great shots. Got a bunch that just look cool... In general, I try not to plan too much.

  • @markrapien
    @markrapien3 жыл бұрын

    Love this "rule"! Taking an image doesn't really cost all that much since everyone typically has 32+ GB SD cards now so plenty of space and if you get home and it doesn't look as cool as you thought no harm but you will rarely get the opportunity to recreate the image.

  • @pauloviegas7957
    @pauloviegas79573 жыл бұрын

    I visited Lagos for a couple of shots not so long ago and i ran by your (future) shop. Hope to visit you there soon!

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    Hope to see you there!

  • @tjsinva
    @tjsinva3 жыл бұрын

    Actually got a notification for this in Windows. Simultaneous tweets work too. Rock on!

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    Nice!

  • @EricVelascoTrochez
    @EricVelascoTrochez3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the vid Brendan. Always looking forward to view what’s next in your adventures. Looks like a great place to visit. Maybe someday I’ll be able to go to Portugal to visit your studio. 👍🏼 as far as the place I avoided was Venice Ca. Very touristy. @velaphotoz

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    Venice is cool, too though! I love it.

  • @rickponcheri1366
    @rickponcheri13663 жыл бұрын

    You talked about the rule of does it look cool and mentioned that the leading lines may run the wrong way. Do you ever take these images with advertising in mind; that is the leading lines could point to negative space where an product or add would be placed? This may make the images attractive to advertisers.

  • @vcasqu
    @vcasqu3 жыл бұрын

    By the way, have you visited Burgau? 6kms away from Praia da Luz. Beautiful!!!

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    It's on my list for this coming week actually!

  • @michaelventarola7100
    @michaelventarola71003 жыл бұрын

    Great photography. Love your pictures. Have you ever thought about showing how you post processed the images you take in these videos?

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yup. I've done it a couple times actually. But I don't do all that much to the images do it gets a bit boring haha

  • @michaelventarola7100

    @michaelventarola7100

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@BrendanvanSon thanks. Your pictures are so nice. I wish mine could be more like yours. Thanks

  • @tucameireles8841
    @tucameireles88413 жыл бұрын

    Nice! It's really good when we can do things in our time, right? Btw, do not forget me! hahaha

  • @simonwilliams2109
    @simonwilliams21093 жыл бұрын

    just as well you patched up the soft top on the truck!!! :-)

  • @graemedarling2852
    @graemedarling28523 жыл бұрын

    Rules are for breaking = creativity :) If your bound by rules......

  • @revoland
    @revoland3 жыл бұрын

    We can compete whos car's dashboard is dustier :D

  • @AndrewWaltonPhotography

    @AndrewWaltonPhotography

    3 жыл бұрын

    I was thinking the same thing...

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    Haha. I think I'll win every time.

  • @infrarouge75
    @infrarouge753 жыл бұрын

    Hello. Could you tell me where 'r you find the bleu tool box plesead? I'm looking for one like this

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    I honestly don't even know what brand it is. I got it at a local hardware store.

  • @nigelwest3430
    @nigelwest34303 жыл бұрын

    Will you be upgrading to the R5 ?

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    Probably not. I'm broke, haha

  • @michaelglass8546
    @michaelglass85463 жыл бұрын

    What tripod are you using in this ? Obviously 3 legged thing just curious which one thanks!

  • @pablogonzalez8304

    @pablogonzalez8304

    3 жыл бұрын

    didn't look like Tommy boy

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    That's Bucky!

  • @michaelglass8546

    @michaelglass8546

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@BrendanvanSon thanks!

  • @TaavP
    @TaavP3 жыл бұрын

    5s in the video and iI have 1 question. where did you buy that toolbox? Store or online?

  • @pablogonzalez8304

    @pablogonzalez8304

    3 жыл бұрын

    not Home depot

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    At the store!

  • @TaavP

    @TaavP

    3 жыл бұрын

    Which one? Something like Leroy merlin? I'm thinking about buying one of those for the studio stuff too

  • @sofotographic
    @sofotographic3 жыл бұрын

    That's why they call it a beginner's drone dude

  • @roberttangen3508
    @roberttangen35083 жыл бұрын

    Many times the reason a place is popular is because it has something beautiful or very interesting. Rarely do places become popular because they are butt ugly

  • @blkhoury4
    @blkhoury43 жыл бұрын

    The title of this video seems dangerously close to brand infringement. 🤣

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    Haha. I'll put the lawyers on alert.

  • @byoregon1
    @byoregon13 жыл бұрын

    For a sunset at a “tourist spot”, that place looked pretty empty. Guess the tourism industry hasn’t much recovered, huh?

  • @BrendanvanSon

    @BrendanvanSon

    3 жыл бұрын

    It's just off season. And, it's all a very "British" beach. Most of the Brits are home.