How to align your shot- One easy step for taking stunning fall photos

Hi, my name is Leanna and I'm the Marketing coordinator for Aspen Crossing. Today I'm sharing my trick for taking great pictures. 

Autumn is absolutely the most beautiful time of the year. What an opportunity to take some stunning photos of your home, yard or loved ones! The technique I'm going to share is one that I learned in my photography class years ago, I like to call it the "Railway Crossing" technique. I call it that because I can't remember the real name of it and it always reminded me of a road meeting up with a train crossing. If you do know the name, please let me know!

Looking at these two pictures of sunflowers, most of us would have taken Picture A, centering the focal point in the middle.

Picture A

Picture B

The "Railway Crossing" technique is a way of centering a photo in a completely different way. Imagine every shot with 4 lines over it, dividing the picture into 3 parts horizontally and vertically. If you can't imagine it, just take a look below (It's like a road meeting up with a train track). In Picture B I've decided to center the sunflower not in the middle, but where one of the vertical and horizontal lines cross (shown by the blue circles). You can also use the vertical and horizontal lines to place a horizon, a tree or anything that could run along those lines. This is just a very simple example, so let's take a look at some more complicated photographs.

Take a look at this picture of Captain stretching just outside of the Gift Store, imagine the 4 lines again. You can see that I've focussed his head in the bottom left line crossing, with the high part of his back in the top right crossing. I've also lined up the edge of the wagon wheel with the left vertical line and the top of the two hay bales with the two horizontal lines. If you took this picture and accurately measured the lines, they would't be perfect, but as you can see, they would be pretty close. Next time you're out taking pictures see if your camera has a setting to see these lines when you look through your lens. The one part of this photo that I don't like, is that your eye is somewhat focussed to his butt instead of his head. That's because your eye is naturally drawn to that top right crossing- remember that when your taking your pictures!

In this picture I could have easily placed the Aspen Crossing caboose and speeder exactly at the bottom right crossing. Instead, I made sure that they were just outside and I lined up the center of the trees with the left vertical line- making the trees the focus of my photograph.

Take a look below for some more examples of the "Railway Crossing" technique I used while taking pictures at Aspen.

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All Aboard... The Next Dinner Theatre Season!

Aspen Crossing Theatre (ACT) is an intimate evening including an original show and a delectable three course served dinner  featuring Aspen Crossing’s famous Prime Rib! The performances and dinners take place in an authentic 1887 Pullman train car.  All the shows revolve around the train in a beautiful rural setting located only 40 minutes southeast of Calgary on Hwy 24.

The fourth season of Aspen Crossing Theatre begins Sept 19 with The Perils of Pauline.  Set in 1935, the murder mystery show takes place as a movie crew arrives to film one of the first talking pictures.

When I  asked Gail Whiteford, Artistic Director for Aspen Crossing Theatre, she said,“I think people are really going to have a good time at our season premier, “The Perils of Pauline,”.  It is a very interactive murder mystery comedy.  “The actors are from the local community and Calgary and love to play with those audience members who want to play with us.” During the evening the audience will witness a series of unfortunate events, which will lead to an untimely death or two. Audience members will play the role of ‘detective’ and solve the crime,” explains Whiteford,.

“People really enjoy the authentic and cozy environment of the dining car,” said Donna Biggar, manager of Aspen Crossing. “The dining car is so unique and elegant, not to mention equipped with a choice menu. The rail car can hold an audience of fewer than 40. So people need to be sure they book their tickets in advance.”

Aspen Crossing Theatre’s fourth season starts this Sept. and wraps up Mar. of 2013. The season also includes:  The Perils of Pauline, a mystery comedy; Loco Motive, a thriller; Troop Train, a Remembrance day drama; Rudolph Express, a Christmas murder mystery comedy; Love in Training, a Valentine’s day comedy and Emerald Engine, a St. Patrick's day murder mystery comedy. There is something for everyone’s tastes this season at Aspen Crossing Theatre.

Tickets are $65-75, including dinner and show. Visit www.aspencrossing.com or call 1(866)440-3500 for more information, tickets, or location.