Picture This

Patterns

Staff  |  May 7, 2013  |  First Published: Apr 1, 2013

Our Picture This! assignment this month was Patterns, a subject near and dear to every photographer’s heart and eye. The challenge is to frame the scene so that the flow of the pattern is reinforced, or at times interrupted, in a visually surprising way. A pattern can be repetitive in terms of subject and rhythm, or it can be composed of diverse textures and forms that, through composition, become unified. Color, shadow and highlight, and creative use of depth of field all work together to create an effective image. Readers sent in images that covered nature, architecture, landscape, manufactured goods, and a wide variety of structures from all around the world. This was one of our most popular topics in terms of the number of submissions we received, so it was tough to narrow them down to the photos you see here.

Backlit Bottles
The strong rectangular forms of the background serve as a perfect foil to the rounded, colorful array of bottles in this photo made by Tom Williams. Exposure with a Nikon D5000 and a Nikkor 18-55mm lens was f/5.6 at 1/125 sec at ISO 400.
© Tom Williams

Palouse Region, WA
Sandra Wittman made this view of the Palouse from Steptoe Butte with a Canon EOS 7D and a Canon EF 28-135mm lens. Exposure was f/11 at 1/125 sec at ISO 200.
© Sandra Wittman

Hot Air Balloons
Allan J. Carrano made this photo at the Freedom Weekend Aloft celebration in Simpsonville, South Carolina. Exposure with a Canon PowerShot SX150 IS was f/5.6 at 1/200 sec.
© Allan J. Carrano

Random Sun Reflections
Bill Witmer converted this shot of sun reflecting off moving water bubbles to black and white with Photoshop Elements 8. Exposure with a Canon EOS 50D with a 100mm Canon lens was f/22 at 1/3 sec.
© Bill Witmer

Building, Havana
An apartment complex in Havana becomes an abstract composition in this photo by Stanley E. Harris, Jr. Exposure with a Canon PowerShot S2 IS was f/4 at 1/1000 sec.
© Stanley E. Harris, Jr.

Lake Ripples
Diane Schroeder wrote: “From our house I could see my daughter sitting on the dock, toes in water, enjoying the novelty of the newly melted lake.” Exposure with a Nikon D700 and a Nikkor 28-300mm lens was f/14 at 1/800 sec at ISO 400.
© Diane Schroeder

Barn Door
This composition seems simplicity itself, yet vibrant colors and numerous patterns emerge from the doors and siding. Julie A. Christiansen made this photo with a Nikon D70 and an exposure of f/5.3 at 1/125 sec.
© Julie A. Christiansen

Geometric
Photographed in Ksar Ghilane, Tunisia, by Jim Mitchell, the image uses color, tone, and shadow to create an abstract pattern that could be subject to many interpretations as to its size, position, and identity. We’re still debating as to what it might be. Exposure with a Nikon D300 and a Nikkor 18-200mm lens was f/8 at 1/640 sec.
© Jim Mitchell

School of Sargo
Matthew C. Fischbach made this photo at “one of the best dive sites in San Diego.” Exposure with a Canon EOS 20D and an EF 24mm f/1.4L lens, with camera in a casing, we assume, was f/4.5 at 1/320 sec
© Matthew C. Fischbach

Fences in Winter
Marco Rocca wrote about this shot made in the Italian Alps: “To protect skiers from avalanches, wood fences have been installed.” He made great photographic use of the protective fencing with a Nikon Coolpix P7000 and an exposure of f/8 at 1/400 sec.
© Marco Rocca

Half Empty Glasses
The reflections, colors, and forms have great visual interplay in this photo by Bruce Casale. Exposure with a Canon EOS Rebel T2i and an 18-55mm lens was f/3.5 at 1/40 sec at ISO 800.
© Bruce Casale

Shoreline
Susan L. Kiesel made this photo on a peninsula on Big Moose Lake in the Adirondacks in New York. Exposure with a Nikon D7000 and a Tamron 18-270mm lens was f/7.1 at 1/250 sec at ISO 250.
© Susan L. Kiesel

Window Shade
This elegant composition has a certain quietude thanks to the color, tone, and treatment of light. The photo was made by Richard M. Seltzer with a Pentax K30 and an 18-55mm lens.
© Richard M. Seltzer

Greek Shadow Dancers
Tom Speropulos made this photo while attending his cousin’s family gathering. The shadow patterns formed by linked hands makes this photo of the dance universal. Exposure with a Nikon D70 and a Nikkor 18-200mm VR lens was f/10 at 1/250 sec.
© Tom Speropulos

Geometry of Zen
Marv Goldschmitt made this photo at the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Concord, Massachusetts, with a Canon EOS 7D and a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens and a 1.4x extender.
© Marv Goldschmitt

Picture This! – Our Next Assignment
Shallow Depth Of Field
There’s nothing quite like the use of shallow depth of field to bring out all the details in the main subject, and to create a painterly backdrop to enhance the remainder of the frame. Having the foreground form echoed by the out-of-focus background only adds to the visual effect.

This photo of an aspen in the Taos Ski Valley was made with a Canon EOS 5D and a Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 lens with an exposure of f/7.1 at 1/2000 sec with a spot reading on the white bark and a +1 EV exposure compensation.
© George Schaub

Please Read This
It is important that you read and follow these guidelines. We need to follow this procedure because of the large volume of images we receive. If you have any questions, please e-mail us at: editorial@shutterbug.com.

1) Images sent to us cannot be returned. You retain complete copyright over the images, but do grant us permission to print your image(s) in the magazine and on our website, www.shutterbug.com.

2) Because images are not returned please send a quality print or duplicate transparency. We will not accept or view images on CD, ZIP, or any other electronic media.

3) Images will be selected on the basis of content and technical quality. Please mark your outer envelope with the topic of the month (for example, “Wide View”).

4) Enclose a short caption with the image stating camera, lens, film and exposure, plus location. If you are submitting an image with a recognizable person we must have a model release or signed permission from that person to reproduce their image in the magazine and on the website.

5) Please submit no more than three photos for consideration (4x6 up to 81/2x11).

Send your image and information to:
Picture This! Shutterbug Magazine,
1415 Chaffee Dr., Suite #10, Titusville, FL 32780.
Deadline For Submission: May 15, 2013
Images will appear in our August 2013 issue

Our Next Topic: Shadow Play
Deadline For Submission:June 15, 2013.
Images will appear in our September 2013 issue

Please note: We receive hundreds of submissions for Picture This! each month and want to be sure we properly identify each image we publish. Please put your name and all camera, exposure information on the back of the print or attached to slides when submitting. Also, please include your e-mail address in case we need to contact you.

Want to see images selected for past Picture This! assignments? Go to www.shutterbug.com and click on Picture This! in the “More Articles…” box on the homepage.

Please note: If you submit images with an enhancement through software beyond contrast, exposure, and simple saturation adjustments please indicate the software and “filter” used to attain that effect.—Editor

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