How we can work with a golden ratio and put emphasis on the main topic of the picture

The golden ratio is really excellent tool – sometimes we can change by using it the main topic of the picture as well. Let you show me two pictures – actually it is just one – edited.

 If you take pictures where is everything important placed right in the middle of the picture and don’t try to keep a ´golden ratio rule´ then it is a big pity. Cos then you could lose concentration of your viewers – it is so easy and so straightforward and there is not space for thinking. And it is not space for playing with the main motive.

There are two pictures – one of them is taking for main motive the village between the mountains and the second marks the mountains and the village is just a ´second motive´.

You can see where the ´golden ratio´ Is placed and ´divide´ the picture?:-)

The main motive of  this photography is ´a Village in the valley´

Great story about the Journey to the West - the plucky Sun Wu Kung is celebrating this Year of Monkey in Soho. Don´t miss it!

Me with a Monkey King  - Sun Wu Kung - the best monkey ever ;-)     Photo by: Bo Zhao

From my childhood I have really loved the old Chinese legend The journey to the West. It is based on true story from years 629–645 about Monk - in the novel called Tripitaka - who was wandered for a sacred scrolls of Sutras from the Tang empire to India. There were the Monkey King - who was gifted by magic power but was very independent and cheeky 

  

How you can get your photo on the excellent level? Old secret of Leonardo da Vinci and many other artists: GOLDEN RATIO

This picture (of myself :-) ) is created by the rule Golden ratio
- you can compare with the picture of  ratio bellow.  Photo by Hoai Le Thi

Indeed – this is an old secret of many artists used across times.  Yes: It looks maybe a little bit complicated. But don´t be worry – you can catch it and within get your photos on a higher level. That´s one very useful rule which is called GOLDEN CUT or GOLDEN RATIO.

It is expressed by math – so maybe it is a reason why it looks so complicated – especially for us – who have never been great in Math J

There is official description of Golden ratio (Uaaaa!!! This sounds creepy for me… - sorry for that – but if we are talking about Golden ratio we have to say that J ):

Two quantities are in the golden ratio if their ratio is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities. The figure on the right illustrates the geometric relationship. Expressed algebraically, for quantities a and b with a > b > 0.

O.k. and now - I am going to continue in a normal language… 

The best place for celebrating st. Valentine´s day is… Where your heart already is …

Petřín - the Czech  - Bohemia - Montmartre :-) Photo by wiki

Lot of people think the most romantic place all over the world is... Paris! Indeed. One half of story in Casablanca – great film with Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogard – is talking and remembering about Paris. Another one - Something gotta give - with amazing Diane Keaton, Jack Nicolson and Keane Revers is about great wish ´spend Christmas in Paris´. Or what about Sex and the City – there is indeed one very important plot of this story filmed again... in Paris. And I could going on with counting films or other occasions about ´Romantic place = Paris´. What it was my great surprise when some people was starting to say to me they were in Prague (capital of the Czech Republic – my country – what is placed in the middle of Europe – exactly geographically and for this reason is called ´the heart of Europe´) and think that it is very romantic place and then some of them said exactly ´Oh, Prague is more romantic then Paris´. I couldnot believed. But I have had no comparison cos I have never been in Paris...  until last month.

How to take a great pictures: What is better – DSLR camera or mobile phone? Great camera is an amazing thing, but does not make a professional from you

Jakub - one of my students
at Photo and Video courses - with DSLR Camera.
But be honest - he is very good cameraman on the end of the day.
He don´t like DSLR Camera - he prefer big VIDEO camera
- this camera is very ´small´ for him. He said: "Oh, this is just like
a a toy. This is the reason why
I am not a photographer but prefer be a cameraman." :-)

Are you crazy about photography? Do you have just mobile and last time have been considering to acquire DSLR Camera (Digital Single-Lens Reflex) and get more professional pictures?  Why not – but! Just remember one thing: An equipment doesn´t make professional pictures – still is up to you! Just the attitude and talent make professional look from your pictures. That s all….

Yes, of course – if do you have  a professional camera – do you have more options and  you can use more technical ways what could help you making better your pictures… But  this is just….  Something like a cherry on the top of  cake…

What do you really need is a great eye! Your own eye... Look around you and notice interesting people, situation, things, landscape…. – be able  to notice small story around you and be able to capture them. Expression in the eyes of the people they are….. surprised, happy, sad, annoyed…  Or some absurd and interesting, extraordinary or just ordinary things…..  Make a good composition, a point of view, etc. This is the most important one! Making a great and strong – powerful atmosphere inside your picture…. 
The picture what is telling a story… This questions are very important - more important then ´taking pictures by mobile or DSLR Camera´. The answer is here: ´If you are great and gifted photographer you could take a wonderful pictures by mobile as well. In the moment you can feel your pictures are great and you are really passionate photographer then the moment for DSLR Camera is here... But if you would like start taking pictures by DSLR Camera before you take some practice and be passionate photographer by mobile (or normal - digital compact camera)