hey guyz, it's been a while since i typed on here... well not really but yea. I was busy with tests and such but i was wondering... i'm taking photo 1 rite now and i wanna make a picture "wonderful" or "extrodinary" to the majority of people. i'm focusing on using a black and white film... since that's the film required in this course. but i wanted to ask you on which subject and how to make that subject a beatiful picture. also fyi i'll be using 2 cameras. one's a Nikon F65. and a Nikon... something i forgot but it's a point a dn shoot camera about a 10-20 year old <---- from my parents. ugh...
well i'm off!
<('.'<) <( '.' )> (>'.')> <---------- do the kirby DANCE!!!!!

If you're a good photographer then subject is not important (up to a point). If you're not a good photographer then go to Alaska and photograph some water+mountains.

lol! That's some tough advice. ^_^

If you're a mediocre photographer like me though you'll find some type of subject / angle / aproach that you feel strongly about and can relate to. I'm sorry for not being better help than that. Myself I can't shoot really good city shots or portraits, but I'm a sucker for a certain type of close-up / macro style natures shot.

More important than subject is how you use it to create a visual tension, as I put it, (I don't even know if there is such a term) in the composition. There are some easy rules that you can follow regarding this. The most important and perhaps easiest I use is the rule of thirds. Basically don't shoot (/ crop) so the subject is in dead center. Use an off center focalpoint that draws the main attention. If you take it litteraly you should have this focalpoint about 1/3 from the top (/bottom) and 1/3 from (one of) the side(s).

A centered composition can be very nice if you are good or have some luck but if you want an easy way to improve your photography the obove is a simple advice to follow. Don't be too exact though. Use your natural sense of balance to adjust this.

What I do when I shoot an object is to try and find the basical graphical elements that is hiding "beneath the surface". Ok this is a bit vague... Just ask if you think you want to know more and I'll try and elaborate but I think it will not get any clearer... ^_^ What it's is about is to see how the eyes will follow the lines in the subject.

One last thing i'd like to point out that can vastly improve the quality of a shot is to use short field of depth. A photo oftenly wins quite a lot if only the subject is in perfect focus. Just a partial focal plane on the subject is just fine as long as it enhances the selected elements you find interesting. Having full clarity in the foreground on the subject and in the background makes the photo look flat and uninteresting I think. If you think about it's only the object you focus on with your eyes in real life is perfectly clear...

I hope I didn't entirely miss the point of your question. I can't give you a good advice on selecting a subject I'm afraid. That's such a personal matter. I realise though that what I descibe in my little text above is easyest to apply on natures photography and macros... Not so strange since it's what I do best myself. It's my firm belief though that you can use the same basical set of rules for most kind of photography. I hope some one else can give you some more solid advice and perhaps also go deeper into the mysteries of lightning. I'm not so good at describing that.

Oh, and be sure to post some of the result here will you? ;-)

wow! ty guys for these advices! They'll help me photograph better. And i'll be going to Europe with my family over the summer and i hope to take a lot of good pictures there! well i gotta go to school. ttylg