Rules of Composition

The “RULES”

• Rule of Thirds

• Simplify the Scene

• Fill the Frame

• Landscape/Portrait

• Quality of Light

• Cropping/Backgrounds

• Diagonals/Leading Lines/Shapes

• Depth of Field

• Give Space to Move

• Framing

• Symmetry and Patterns

• Perspective

• Motion/Freeze

• Work the Scene

Who Made the Rules?

• If you look hard enough, you can find many more rules.

• But why are there so many rules.

– Many taken straight from the masters of art.

– It’s been proven that the rules of composition work in most cases…..

• But, they shouldn’t be called “Rules”, they are merely guidelines.

Rule of Thirds

• This is probably the most well known of the compositional guidelines.

• It says that an image that has it’s focal points/subjects at or around the “Thirds Points” are more pleasing to the viewer.

Simplify the Scene

• An image that follows this rule will have a single focal point AND little or no other distractions.

• Having too much going on in your frame can mean the person who's looking at it just keeps searching for a point of focus and soon gets bored of looking when they can't find one.

• It’s fine to have more than one point of interest, just keep in mind: “if everything in the image is important then nothing is important”. – In other words don’t make your images too busy.

Fill the Frame

• Images that follow this rule don’t have a lot of open or negative space.

• While open or negative space can make for a pleasing image, it must be done with purpose and it should be composed in a way that makes the image more compelling for the viewer.

Cropping

• Cropping can be helpful when

– There are distracting elements near your subjects

– Including too much in your photo may draw interest away from your subject.

– A wide angle shot causes your subject to get lost in the image.

• Cropping may be accomplished In-Camera, or in Post Processing

Watch your “Background”

• How many of you have seen a fantastic shot, only to be disappointed when you get the image onto your computer only to see a dog taking a dump in the background.

• It’s easy to become caught up with the subject of your photo only to forget to check the background.

• Solutions: Move; Wait for the Scene to change; Zoom in/Crop etc.

Landscape or Portrait

• Your camera has a native 4:3 aspect ratio.

• The normal way to hold the camera is in “Landscape”

• Turning it 90 degrees puts it in “Portrait”

• Some scenes will look better in one orientation or the other.

• HINT – When you shoot an image you really like, turn your camera 90 degrees and take another shot.

Quality of Light

• The quality of light is a whole course unto itself.

• However, there are a few basic things we all need to know as photographers with respect to light and how it affects our images.

• Direct; Open Shade; Angle/Direction; Specular or even.

Diagonals/Leading Lines/Shapes

• Our eyes are unconsciously drawn along lines in images. • So use lines (by the way, they don’t have to be super

straight) to direct the viewer to a focal point, or to merely pull them thru the scene.

• You can position various focal points along your line or just have one main area focus at the end of your line that the eye will settle on.

• Shapes can be used in a similar way, for example positioning subjects in the form of a triangle. By doing so you create balance in your shot as well as subtly guiding the eye.

Depth of Field

• Skilled use of DOF can be used in several ways to help your images.

– Can draw the viewers eye to your subject

– Can be used to “fuzz out” an unflattering background

– Can be used to create Bokeh for an artistic effect in your backgrounds

Give your Subject Space to Move In

• Some compositions require that you give your subject space “to move in to”.

• For example, images of: – Cars

– Birds in Flight

– Runners

– Galloping horses….

• By leaving some space in the frame for these moving objects “to move in to”, you help emphasize or reinforce motion.

Framing

• Frames in a photo can add impact and interest.

• Frames accomplish a number of feats in your composition. – They can isolate your subject,

– Drawing the eye directly to your subject,

– They can hide unwanted items,

– They can give an image depth and,

– help create context.

• Your frame can be Natural or Created.

Symmetry and Patterns

• Filling your frame with a pattern that repeats can give your images more impact.

• Photos that include symmetry in them such as street lights or trees lining either side of a street, or a series of arches can also be used to guide the eye to a focal point.

Perspective

• The Angle; Height; Orientation; Distance all impact the outcome of your photos.

• If you’re one who generally takes all your photos from a standing or near standing position, experiment. – Lie prone

– Get on a chair or Ladder

– Tilt your camera

– Get in super close to your subject

Motion/Freeze

• Selective us of shutter speed can add impact to an image:

• Freezing the motion of a humming birds wings requires a very fast shutter, and/or use of a flash

• Panning with a slower shutter speed can emphasize motion. – It has the added benefit of keeping your subject

relatively sharp while blurring other elements.

Work the Scene

• Many people will walk up to a scene, snap a photo and move on.

• This is a lost opportunity.

• Take time to walk around the scene to look for:

– Interesting angles and compositions,

– Changing Light,

– Scenes within the scene

In conclusion

• There are numerous “Rules of Composition”, many more than we reviewed today.

• Though they’re called “Rules” you should never feel compelled to follow them if you see a shot that interests you. – But it’s very helpful to know at lease a few of them.

• A famous photographer Edward Weston had this to say about the rules of composition. – “Consulting the rules of composition before taking a

photograph is like consulting the laws of gravity before going on a walk”