Photo Composition Basics
A quick guide with examples from the National Scholastic Press Association’s
Best of the High School Press
(So yes, these are photographs taken by high school students just like you.)
Rule of Thirds
Break an image into thirds horizontally and vertically with imaginary lines.
Try to place your center of interest (or the subject of the image) at one of the places where the lines intersect, rather than in the center of the photo.
Hint: On most mobile devices, you can turn on your camera’s “grid” in the settings to help you utilize rule of thirds.
Leading Lines
Look around for lines in the environment where you are shooting.
There might be a hand rail, lines in a paneled wall, an outstretched arm or leg, the edge of a table, etc.
Position yourself in a way that the viewer’s eye follows the line to the center of interest in your image.
Framing
Use something in the natural environment to frame your subject.
It could be a window, the gap in a fence, a pair of trees on either side of your shot.
The center of interest should be in focus in the mid or background, while the frame may be out of focus.
Grounds
Every image has a foreground, midground, and background.
Pay attention to what’s in each ground of your composed shot, trying to include elements that tell the story on multiple grounds.
Lighting
Generally speaking, shoot with the primary light source behind you to ensure your subject is illuminated.
Natural light is better than artificial light, so find a window if you can, and shoot with it behind you.
For a silhouette effect, shoot your subject in front of your light source.
Hint: Reflective screens or even white poster board can be used to bounce light back onto your subject if shooting portraits.
Angle
Move your camera high above the action or low below the action to get a new perspective.
Shooting from above your subject can make it seem as though the subject is powerless, struggling or striving.
Shooting from below your source can give the subject a seemingly powerful or grand feeling.
Look around for places to go to get a perspective the average person wouldn’t be able to get (under the huddle, above the backstage area).
Distance / Zoom
Take the same shot from multiple distances.
Always shoot a wide, medium and tight shot before moving to a new position or location.
Shoot close ups and detail shots to help tell the story, especially in photo essays / photo stories.
Hint: Don’t use the zoom on your mobile device. Instead, physically move closer as needed.
Depth of Field
Depth of field describes how much of a photography is in focus.
A photograph with a shallow depth of field places the subject in the foreground in focus, while the background is blurred or out of focus.
Shallow depth of field works well for portraits or in situations where the background may be distracting.
Deep depth of field is when the foreground and background are all sharp and in focus.
Control depth of field using the aperture on a DSLR camera.
Pattern / Texture
Look around the environment in which you’re shooting for interesting patterns or textures.
There may be a brick wall, a row of lockers, or a row of birds sitting on a wire.
Sometimes looking for a twist in the pattern or texture makes an interesting shot, like the single duck swimming opposite the group on the lake.
Impact
Sometimes a photograph’s power comes from the emotions of the subject.
Look for great facial expressions, emotional responses, and moments that tell the story without words.
When shooting action (like at a sports game) pause to shoot reactions as well.
Reactions might come from the crowd, the coaches or players, the opposing team, etc.
Publication images reprinted from Best of the High School Press, a publication of the National Scholastic Press Association. Nspa.studentpress.org
See speaker notes for individual photo credits.
Three things we can control
APERTURE | Width of your lens opening |
SHUTTER SPEED | How fast your shutter closes |
ISO | Sensitivity to light |
APERTURE
Controls the depth of field (how blurry the background is)
Measured in f-stops
Low f/# = more light, shallower depth of field
High f/# = less light, more of background in focus
F-stop below f/2.8 can be VERY difficult to get subject in focus
Low f/# = easier to capture action in low light situations (e.g. gym)
SHUTTER SPEED
Controls how you capture the action
Too much light → increase the shutter speed
Not enough light → decrease shutter speed
Blurry action → increase shutter speed
ISO
Controls the camera’s sensitivity to light
Your goal = lowest ISO setting possible for your situation
ISO 100-125 outside, 250+ inside
Captions
First sentence
Second + sentence(s)
Example:
Junior Zohar Lipman awaits the pitch from Lincoln High School’s senior Casey Brown at the bottom of the ninth inning at the May 16 varsity softball home game. Lipman struck out on the pitch, ending the game — the team’s last of the season — 5-4 in favor of Lincoln.
And a few more things to think about...