Photography Composition

Thinking about what you want to Photograph

&

How to Photograph it!

The only rule in photography is that �there are no rules!����However…

There are are number of established composition guidelines which can be applied in almost any situation, to enhance the impact of a scene.

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Once you are familiar with these composition tips, you'll be surprised at just how universal most of them are.

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You'll spot them everywhere, and you'll find it easy to see why some photos "work" while others feel like simple snapshots.

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Rule of Thirds

Imagine that your image is divided into nine equal segments by two vertical and two horizontal lines.

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Try to position the most important elements in your scene along these lines, or at the points where they intersect. Doing so will add balance and interest to your photo.

Balancing Elements�

Placing your main subject off center, as with the rule of thirds, creates a more interesting photo, but it can leave a void in the scene which can make it feel empty.

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You should balance the "weight" of your subject by including another object of lesser importance to fill the space.

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Lines

When we look at a photo our eye is naturally drawn along lines.

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By thinking about how you place lines in your composition, you can affect the way we view the image, pulling us into the picture, towards the subject, or on a journey "through" the scene.

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There are many different types of line

- straight, diagonal, curvy, zigzag, radial etc.

Each can be used to enhance our photo's composition.

The arrangement of multiple lines and curves lead the viewer’s eye to your center of interest.

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Vertical lines emphasize the depth and draws the eye upward whereas the horizontal lines lead your eyes into the photograph to the center of focus.

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Form & Shape

• Form and shape are areas or masses which define objects in space. Form and shape imply space. They simply cannot exist without space.

• There are various ways to categorize form and shape.
• Form and shape can be thought of as either two dimensional or three dimensional.
• Two dimensional form has width and 3D

height.

• Three dimensional shape has depth as

well as width and height.

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2D

• Form and shape can also be described as either organic or geometric.
• Organic forms typically are irregular in outline, and often asymmetrical. Organic forms are most often thought of as naturally occurring.
• Geometric forms are those which correspond to named regular shapes, such as squares, rectangles, circles, cubes, spheres, cones, and other regular forms.

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However not all made objects are geometric, they can be irregular, and not all naturally occurring objects are irregular, they can be geometric.

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Textures

Capturing the textures of the objects being photographed adds a tactual aspect to it. All types of textures generate interesting patterns when observed carefully. You can observe textures everywhere.

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Light is the major factor when portraying textures as the subject. Use harsh and hard light to bring about the effect of rough and irregular surfaces and prefer to capture regular and smooth textures in soft light.

Symmetry and Patterns�

• We are surrounded by symmetry and patterns, both natural and man-made.
• They can make for very eye-catching compositions, particularly in situations where they are not expected.
• Another great way to use them is to break the symmetry or pattern in some way, introducing tension and a focal point to the scene.
• Anything which repeats itself forms pattern.
• You can observe patterns in each and every aspect of nature.
• Symmetry offers organized and well balanced proportions to an image.
• When portraying patterns as the subject, try to fill the entire frame with the patterns to emphasize its effect.
• Exclude the background clutter, zoom-into the lines, curves or textures and isolate them from the rest of the scene.

Symmetry

Patterns

Viewpoint�

• Before photographing your subject, take time to think about where you will shoot from.

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• Viewpoint has a massive impact on the composition of our photo, and as a result it can greatly affect the message that the shot conveys.

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• Rather than just shooting from eye level, consider photographing from high above, down at ground level, from the side, from the back, from a long way away, from very close up, and so on.

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Background�

• How many times have you taken what you thought would be a great shot, only to find that the final image lacks impact because the subject blends into a busy background?

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• The human eye is excellent at distinguishing between different elements in a scene, whereas a camera has a tendency to flatten the foreground and background, and this can often ruin an otherwise great photo.

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• Thankfully this problem is usually easy to overcome at the time of shooting - look around for a plain and unobtrusive background and compose your shot so that it doesn't distract or detract from the subject.

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Depth�

• Because photography is a two-dimensional medium, we have to choose our composition carefully to conveys the sense of depth that was present in the actual scene.
• You can create depth in a photo by including objects in the foreground, middle ground and background.
• High Apertures gibe to the greatest depth in your photos.
• The human eye naturally recognizes these layers of objects and mentally separates them, creating more depth in the image.

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Natural Framing�

• The world is full of objects which make perfect natural frames, such as trees, archways and holes.

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• By placing these around the edge of the composition you help to isolate the main subject from the outside world.

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• The result is a more focused image which draws your eye naturally to the main point of interest.

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Cropping�

• A photo can lack impact because the main subject is so small it becomes lost among the clutter of its surroundings.
• By cropping tight around the subject you eliminate the background distractions, ensuring the subject gets the viewer's undivided attention.
• Lower apertures also create a blurred effect in the areas that are not being focused on.

Word of Advice!

• Take your time when you shoot.
• Make sure you explore all ends of what you are trying to capture.
• Photography gives everyone the ability to visually express what they see through their eyes in their own way.
• Try to capture moments that are rare
• Enjoy and take in the moments you photograph!