Composition


HTML clipboardLets start out from the outset and declare, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to visual composition. There are however some useful guidelines that should be looked at. Remember you are free to use or reject any of these observations.


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1. Placing your main subject and horizons in the center of your  photograph is not always recommended. At the same time your subject shouldn’t be on the edges.

HTML clipboardTake note how the entry into this photograph is via the lower part of the image:- logs in the foreground. The eye then travels up to the main subject:- the boat. See how the boat sits in the top one third of the overall image. Photographs appear far more dynamic (active) when the horizon is not  located in the center. As photographers we have to make a conscious   effort to make sure we place the horizon where we want them to be. Otherwise they will always end up in the middle!
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Although this rural scene have some compositional similarities to the photograph above ( entry via the pumpkins in the foreground). The overall sense is one of tranquility. This has been achieved by placing the main subject, in this case the tractor and the path it is traveling along down the middle of the photograph.

The placement of the horizon is an important tool in visual composition. We ignore it at our own peril.


2. Divide your screen into thirds and place your main subject on one of the intersecting points. This point should also have the greatest contrast.

In our imagination we divide the view finder into thirds, both vertical and horizontal. Try and make a conscious effort to use these imaginary lines when you have horizontal lines such as the ocean and sky.

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Here we have an example of lake meets sky. By placing the horizontal line on the bottom thirds line the sky dominates. Had the camera been tilted down and the horizon line placed on the top third line, the lake would dominate the scene. Notice how the vertical thirds line is placed on the distant mountains, another point of interest in the photograph. 

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3. Keep it simple. Don’t overload your images with too much information. Divide your photograph into unequal portions.

HTML clipboardNotice how the ocean and sky have been divided. The sky dominates by virtue of the amount of space allotted to it. If we distribute the sea and sky evenly we create a far less dynamic image.

HTML clipboard4.Walk around your subject, take note how the  background foreground and lighting changes. If one spot doesn’t work look for another viewpoint . HTML clipboard Same house, however a change of  angle and a longer lens, can make all the difference.  

HTML clipboard Here again we can see how the same subject (the cabin) can be treated in totally different ways.  Take note of placement. The rule of thirds has been used to place all of the main elements within the frame.
HTML clipboard See how the eye travels back and forth from the gate in the foreground to the cabin in the background.



Note how the park bench in the foreground helps to create a feel of depth. The bench and house are placed on opposite intersections, as are the cabin and fence in the photograph above. There is a great visual attraction between these opposing points! 

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6. Give people on the move (running, riding) space to "move" into.

HTML clipboardWe already have the panning effect to suggest motion, now by placing the rider in the back third of our frame, we give the rider two third of the frame to "move" into.


As above we have  the panning effect to suggest motion, again by placing the rider in the back third of our frame, we give the rider two third of the frame to "move" into. As we are not always able to do this in the camera,  we do so with our editing software.

Have you noticed how these last two examples (bike & go-cart riders) have been placed on opposite sides of the web page?                             Why do you think this was done?

 

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In this image we can see what happens when we don't think about subject  placement.  How different is this photograph from the other examples? What about placement on the page itself?  

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7. Winding roads, paths and rivers should not run out of your frame. Use one of the intersecting thirds as a point of exit.

HTML clipboard Notice how the eye enters at the bottom of the creek, the shadow on the water attracts the eye, and then up the frame. The eye is attracted to the blond hair against the dark underside of the bridge. This being a point of high contrast. We then follow the creek as it disappears on the top third of the photo.

HTML clipboardYou can clearly see, the photograph on the left is well balanced, we have a good feeling of 3D. The rope on the boardwalk relates directly to the boat. The image is nicely divided into thirds. All this helps in making the image interesting and dynamic. The photograph on the right however is poorly structured, the horizon is in the middle of the frame, creating a tranquil if somewhat boring image. The lack of information in the sky creates a feeling of half a photograph

Terror in Bali.


This  image of the aftermath of the bombing in the nightclub district in Bali is constructed so as to convey maximum impact of the horror.  The flames in the foreground and their proximity to the camera grabs our attention immediately. When photographed using a wide angle lens and getting physically close, we are able to make the viewer feel as if they themselves are there on the spot. Photograph the same scene from a distance using a long lens, and the inherent nature of these lens will create a certain amount of visual detachment. This is why photojournalist when it is safe to do so, prefer to work up close to the action. Note the balance between the flames and the bombed out building diagonally across from it.

8. It is important to balance your background subject matter with an appropriate foreground, thus help create a sense of 3D. However the two should somehow relate to one another.   Foreground subjects can work as doorways into our photographs.


The following slide show demonstrate the importance of balancing foreground and background subjects within the frame. In some instances the foreground can act as a doorway into the main picture area. By strategically placing our picture elements within the frame, we are able to take the viewer on a journey from one point of interest to the next. 

Depth of field, motion, lenses lenght and composition, so do we now finally take the photograph? The answer is no! And why, because now we need to look at the final step Lighting.