Composition Techniques

Composition deals with the arrangement of subjects & directing the viewer’s eye through your image.

Elements of Art & Principles of Design

By utilizing the Elements of Art & Principles of Design in combination with some basic techniques for composition, you create beautiful images.

Composition Techniques

Cropping & Content Choices

Framing the subject Using Backgrounds Spot Pattern Contrast of Light & Dark Creative Lighting Hard or Soft Lighting Contrast of Sharpness Strong center of interest

Point of View Perspective S-Curve Cropping Rule of 3rds Simplicity Get Closer Triangular Composition

Cropping & Content Choices Are you going to show the whole

scene or a part of a scene. Sometimes the detail shots give as

much info as the whole scene. Only keep what you need.

Choose what will be at the edges of your picture space. Also, crop out the unimportant things. Shoot tight when possible to focus greater attention on the important things in the image area.

Portrait or Landscape View The picture at the left is a typical snapshot at a beach shot

using horizontal composition – or a Landscape view. However, it’s too far away from the main subject and the space on either side of the girl seems to over power her and it’s difficult to see her face.

By zooming in on the girl and turning the camera, the image is much improved. This is now a vertical or portrait view. This works better with the shape of the subject – she’s vertical, so a vertical composition works better for her.

Horizontal-Landscape View Vertical -

Portrait View

Framing the Subject

Where you choose to crop into your scene

Also objects in the foreground can frame subjects in the background

Rule of Thirds

Places important subjects at the 1/3 lines horizontally or vertically or both.

Keeps things out of the middle which can become boring.

Placement of Horizon Line

Place the horizon line either in the upper or lower third of the image area.

Backgrounds Have the background work

with the foreground for added impact

Or…have the background be less important

Click at the right to go to the image. It’s a great example of an image where the background really works with the foreground subject.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sibemolle99/4308973828/in/gallery-pottengermn-72157623211980987/#/photos/sibemolle99/4308973828/in/gallery-pottengermn-72157623211980987/lightbox/

Avoid Mergers Avoid things sticking out

of the heads of your subjects.

Avoid color mergers so the subject doesn’t get lost in the background.

Example: A dark haired model on a dark background can present problems unless you add light to either the hair or the background.

Spot

Consider a spot of light

Consider a spot of color

Either will draw attention to your subject.

Pattern Any repeated shape becomes a pattern

Contrasts of Light & Dark

Strong contrasts of light & dark can be very dramatic

Lighting - Hard or Soft

Hard or soft light can change the entire mood of your subject.

Contrast of Sharpness

Having some things sharp and some things out of focus can help you direct the viewer’s attention and avoid distracting from the main subject

Point of View

Vary your point of view so that you are not looking at things from eye level all the time. Consider high and low vantage points.

Perspective & Depth

Try creating a sense of depth in your image by using the converging lines associated with perspective.

Leading Lines - S Curve

It could be a leading line that leads the eye back in space.

Cropping Choose where to place

things in the frame…what will be at the edges? Will you create tension or move closer to something. The cropping can add to the mood of the subject.

Cropping can simplify your forms.

Look carefully at the frame and the corners of the viewfinder. Do you need all that background? Can you get closer to the subject or zoom in?

Simplicity

Probably the most important “rule” of composition.

Try not to have distracting elements in the picture.

Get Closer Often, beginning

photographers are afraid to get close to their subjects.

Being closer helps limit distracting elements and strengthens your composition.

Geometric Compositions

It can sometimes help to arrange things in geometric shapes such as circles, triangles, hexagons. Sometimes they just happen and sometimes you make them happen.

Below is a link for book for portrait composition

http://books.google.com/books?id=bwritLFycM0C&lpg=PA40&ots=a6M7wcf1DS&dq=geometric%20composition%20photography%20portrait%20groups&pg=PA44#v=onepage&q&f=false

Strong Center of Interest or Focal Point

You need a strong subject to have a dynamic photo.

If your viewer can’t find the subject, they won’t bother to look for stay with your image any length of time.

You have a nano-second to capture a viewer’s attention in a magazine page.

Use Diagonals Setting your subject matter on a

diagonal will almost always make for a more dynamic picture. Even if this is an invisible diagonal that draws your eye between two points. Move around the subject and look for a diagonal. Diagonals command attention and draw the viewer’s eye.

Break the Rules

There are many things we have not discussed here.

Experiment Play with new ideas Do the opposite of what anyone says

and see what happens.