Nothing says tailgate like PVC pipe and 110 ft of rope.

When I first started this project, I had a very simple idea: Bring a camera to my friend Kay's Kentucky vs. MSU tailgate. But I forgot to factor in the fact that Kay, a crazy mathematics and equine science double major and chemistry minor with no impulse control, was the one in charge.

So instead of close ups of food, group pictures, and action shots of corn hole, I am telling the story of how Kay built a swing in the backyard using 110 ft. of rope and a PVC pipe she found on side of the road during her walk home.

But before I go any further, I want to go over the factors I considered for this project:

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Light

Using light in photos is really important in setting the atmosphere. Lighting can take a photo from dreamy to nightmarish. It creates texture and shadows to give viewers visual guidance.

Perspective

I think the most important thing to remember when trying to use perspective is to take a lot of pictures. Shooting the subject at different angles will help you balance the overall picture!

Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds can be a little tricky to conquer because you have to line everything up in your head before you shoot. However, once you get the hang of it, using the Rule of Thirds makes it so easy to take your photos to the next level. They can help pull more focus to the subject and emphasize other elements of the picture that are important. Not only that, but thinking about the Rule of Thirds before you take a picture makes you ask yourself, What is my point of interest in this photo?

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An Idea is Born

Photography Principle(s) Used: Light, Perspective, and Rule of Thirds

Kay, adoring the tree that will soon be home to her new swing, while she holds the rope

I wanted to use this photo to introduce Kay, our the leading lady of the story. The light coming through the trees helps to frame Kay, so her facial expression stands out better in the photo. The bright light also helps to make the photo feel less heavy and more energetic, which coincides with the lighthearted nature of the story! I chose to use a downward angle for this shot because I wanted to exaggerate how much bigger the tree was than Kay. But she was so excited about the project, I knew it was important to get her in a shot above the shoulders. By following the off center, far right, vertical line of The Rule of Thirds, the viewer's eyes are also to the tree. It's placement helps to make it seems sturdier and stronger.

There's More Than One Way to Hang a Swing

Photography Principle(s) Used: Light

Jake attempting for the 45,000 time to get the rope on the right branch

Now we introduce our supporting character, Jake, and the main conflict: Getting the stupid rope over the right branch! The brick was not Jake's first attempt to get the rope to the right branch. Other honorably mentioned candidates were a Styrofoam ball and needle, duck tape and rock catapult, and a stool balanced on a chair that was balanced on a bench. I choose the best picture to exemplify light, but this is just one of many. I kept trying to capture that magical golden-hour "flare", but the sun-haze on the left side of the photo was as close as I could get with overcast weather. The haze on the left side of photo, once again, helps to draw more attention to my subject (Jake) whose position will then point the viewers to his focus (the tree).

The Veterinarian's Knot

Photography Principle(s) Used: Light, Perspective, and Rule of Thirds

Kay and Jake trying to figure out how to tie a surgeon's knot in the swing

Even though this photo isn't from a super dramatic angle, it gives viewers an important insight to the story. Kay and Jake spent so much time putting the rope through the PVC pipe, tying, untying, and re-trying knots. However, if you were watching them put the swing together from the front, you could never really understand how hard it was for them to do all that. Plus, I think the shadow inside the pipe adds some depth to the overall photo and gives viewers more insight to what the base of the swing is made of. I also used the Rule of Thirds to draw more focus to Kay's hand, making the perspective look a little more dramatic and active. Even though Jake is blurred out in the back, the lighting helps to create bright highlights and shadows on the house behind him in order to help his form stand out.

Level 4: The Final Knot

Photography Principle(s) Used: Rule of Thirds

The crew tries to level out the swing

When I saw my friends lifting the swing in the yard, I knew instantly it would make a great Rule of Thirds photo. You can practically see the grid from the lines that the swing and the shed make in the background! Overall, the placement of all the elements helps the photo to balance itself out and focus more on the people than on the swing itself.

A Swing is Born

Photography Principle(s) Used: Light

Thomas bravely volunteers to try the swing out first while on-lookers gaze in shock as he doesn't break all his bones

After watching Jake and Kay slave over this swing, everyone was a little hesitant to try it out. But Thomas took the leap and jumped right on! After he gave it try, everyone else felt like it was safe for them too! This was another one of the pretty-light shots I got! I think the bright background helps to highlight the white of the subject's shirt, the swing, it's ropes, and the shed behind him. Even though the light is minimal, it does help to frame in the green color of the trees and balance out all the other whites in the picture.

A Bug's Eye View

Photography Principle(s) Used: Perspective

Thomas trying really hard not to give me a concussion

This was the most fun I had shooting a photo. I actually felt like a real photographer because I was bent over backwards while Thomas was swinging over me. This shot was worth the risk though, because this perspective is more energetic than a wide shot or a front shot would've been. Besides, I tried to swing too. And I think this photo and its perspective really emphasize how unstable (but fun) this DIY is.

The Tailgate

Photography Principle(s) Used: Rule of Thirds

The tailgate group photo I promised everyone

What group of college girls can resist a nice camera and the perfect photo op? Certainly not my friends, and they made me keep my promise of group pictures. Once again, I really could see the Rule of Thirds here before I even took the picture. The tree and the shed make really nice focal points that help to frame the subjects.

The Swing Next Door

Photography Principle(s) Used: Perspective

The view of Kay's swing from our friend's house (her neighbors)

I'm so happy I get to end my story on this photo. It's actually another story within a story. Kay lives next door to our other friends and at the end of tailgate, we left Kay's and headed over to their house. On the way over, I noticed the fence was knocked down in the perfect place to take a picture of the new swing! This picture and perspective mean a lot to me because it's the view my friends see in their backyard every day. I know we'll all cherish these photos and enjoy remembering this day in the future!