elements of composition in photography. elements of composition in general, good photographs result...

Elements of Elements of CompositionComposition

in Photographyin Photography

Elements of CompositionElements of Composition

In general, good photographs result from careful attention to some basic elements of composition, together with appropriate lighting and an interesting subject.

There is, however, no “right way” to take a photograph. 3 photographers recording the same scene may create equally appealing photos with entirely

different composition.

Guidelines – Not RulesGuidelines – Not Rules

Even though the following principles have emerged for good composition-and they seem rather clear-they should always be considered guidelines, not rules.

Composition is an art, not a science

Fill the FrameFill the Frame

1. Move up close to Fill the Frame

– The biggest mistake that beginning photographers will make is not getting in close enough

– Move yourself closer or use the Zoom

Fill the FrameFill the FrameThis is my daughter, Alexis, at the age of 2. (She was excited to have her hair in pig-tails.) Notice that I didn’t include the whole chair or even her whole body. The focus is on her upper body and her pig-tails. That was the whole reason for the photo.

Fill the FrameFill the Frame

This is Alexis, age 2, playing in the backyard. Notice how I filled the frame and focused in on just her with the water sprinkler. I didn’t show everything in my backyard.

Fill the FrameFill the Frame

Fill the FrameFill the Frame

My Niece Abby

Center of Visual InterestCenter of Visual Interest

2. Compose around a Center of Visual Interest

– Compose your photo around your theme

– Does the shot fit the theme? – Stay away from multiple centers

of interest! Look for a SINGLE Center of Visual Interest

Center of Visual InterestCenter of Visual Interest

Where is the single center of interest? Some people say the road, and some people say the motorcycle. Too much stuff will make your photo look busy.

Center of Visual InterestCenter of Visual InterestThink of each shot as having a theme or

a common idea throughout.

Center of Visual InterestCenter of Visual Interest

Simplicity Be sure that only the things you want the viewer to see appear in the picture. If there are numerous objects cluttering up the background, your message will be lost.

Center of Visual InterestCenter of Visual Interest

What does your mind focus on here? Most people say the center

of interest is the cookie/chocolate

chips. The milk in the background is there to help add to the theme

of the cookie. But it does not over power the center of interest

(cookie).

Center of Visual InterestCenter of Visual Interest

Your answer is hopefully: NO. The background is too cluttered for a single center of interest. To improve this photo, the photographer would have to zoom in more and

focus on the upper bodies of the players and the ball. This would eliminate the crowd in the background plus help you see the players’ faces better.

Effective use?

Proper Subject PlacementProper Subject Placement

3. Observe Proper Subject Placement

– Take the time to position your subjects.

– Take the time to move the camera to position the objects within the frame

Rule of thirds Lead the subject

Rule of ThirdsRule of Thirds• In Rule of Thirds the total image area is divided vertically and horizontally into three equal sections.

• Although it is often best to place the center of interest somewhere along the two horizontal and two vertical lines, generally, composition is even stronger if the center of interest falls near one of the four cross-points.

Rule of ThirdsRule of ThirdsDivide these photos vertically

and horizontally into thirds and you will see that the center of

interest is at a cross-point.

Rule of ThirdsRule of Thirds

Sometimes you can get a neat effect by using objects/buildings to create “real” lines for Rule of Thirds as well.

Rule of ThirdsRule of Thirds

In this photo, there are actually 2 centers of interest (the horse’s head and the girl’s head). But this photo works well with the 2

areas because the photographer put them each in a cross-point.

Leading the SubjectLeading the Subject• Looking Space – give your subject room to look or

move in your photograph

• Generally, when a subject is moving in a particular direction, space is provided at the side of the frame for the subject(s) to "move into." This is referred to as leading the subject.

Leading the SubjectLeading the Subject

This is a picture of my daughter and I (taken a few years ago) playing along the Missouri River. You notice that we have room to look or move in the photo. This is another example of “Leading the Subject”.

Leading LinesLeading Lines• Lines direct the viewer’s attention to the center of visual

interest.• In addition to moving our eyes around the frame, lines

can suggest meaning in themselves.

Follow these curved lines up to the old farm house. Without these curved lines, the photo would be a boring photo of an old house. The lines add interest to your picture.

Using LinesUsing Lines

Horizontal lines=stability, openness

Vertical lines=power, height, restriction

Curved lines=grace, beauty S-lines= gracefulness, leads

eye to center

Horizontal Lines = Horizontal Lines = OpennessOpenness

Vertical Lines = Power, Vertical Lines = Power, HeightHeight

Curved Lines = Grace, Curved Lines = Grace, BeautyBeauty

Below is a photo using a curved line to help follow your eye around the flower pot to the plant.

The above photo was taken at a park on a play set. You can see how your eye follows the curve of the play set leads your eye down to the girl sitting on the ground.

S Lines = Gracefulness, S Lines = Gracefulness, Leads eye to centerLeads eye to center

Horizontal and Vertical LinesHorizontal and Vertical Lines?confusing??confusing?

This photo looks way too busy and confusing. Don’t combine vertical, horizontal, or curved lines together into 1 photo. It is distracting and starts to hurt your eyes.

FramingFraming5. Frame the central subject matter

– Use objects in the foreground to frame your shot

– Adds “depth” to the photograph– Framing a scene holds attention within the

shot and keeps viewers' attention from wandering or being distracted from the center of interest.

Frame Central Subject Frame Central Subject MatterMatter

Note in the photo above how framing a shot with foreground objects adds depth and dimension.

To show a common example, leaning tree branches at the top of a scenic shot breaks up a bright sky and acts as a visual barrier or “stop point” for the top of the frame.

FramingFraming

Mikala - dpchallenge.com

FramingFraming

PerspectivePerspective

6. Use visual perspective

– Look for Creative Angles – Take an ordinary photo and

make it unique through the camera’s perspective

– Move yourself and your camera to a different position to look for a different perspective

PerspectivePerspective

Visual PerspectiveVisual Perspective

Visual PerspectiveVisual Perspective

Visual Visual PerspectivPerspectiv

ee

VisualVisual

PerspectivPerspectivee

RepetitionRepetition7. Repetition of shapes can draw a

viewer into the photograph

My nephews, Jacob and Isaac

RepetitionRepetition

Repetition can be found in colors, shapes, objects, etc.

RepetitionRepetition

RepetitionRepetitionIt can often be the break in

repetition that makes an effective photograph

Thelsel – dpchallenge.com

Other Things to Watch ForOther Things to Watch ForA. Avoid Mergers = adjust

your shot! – Tonal mergers

Too much of same color – Dimensional mergers

Light post out of subjects head – Border mergers

Subject cut off by frame, Car shot, but can’t see wheels

Tonal MergersTonal Mergers

Tonal mergers result when important objects in a scene appear to blend together and lose their identity. This is because the objects are of similar tonal or color values, or because of lighting problems. Note in the above

photo that the butterfly gets lost in the yellow flower.

Tonal MergersTonal Mergers

A common example of dark hair blending into a dark background. Try to separate the child's hair from the background…

Whenever separate elements in a scene merge

together in this way you have a tonal merger.

Dimensional MergersDimensional Mergers

Dimensional mergers are when an important single center of interest runs together with an object in the background such as a tree, lighting fixtures,

street signs, etc.

Border MergersBorder MergersBorder mergers occur when a subject matter is cut off by the edge of the frame — at an inappropriate point.

A shot of an individual cropped at the calves looks awkward. Cropping off 1 foot or hand in a shot gives a similar result.

A shot of a woman in a strapless dress cropped just above the top of the dress gives the illusion she is "topless."

Time for you to Time for you to COMPOSECOMPOSE

some GREAT some GREAT photographs!photographs!

Attached to this lesson is a separate Word document that clearly outlines the lesson goals,

and required photos for this assignment.

It would be beneficial for you to print the Word document to bring with when you take pictures.