1. Composition is Key What makes a GREAT photograph?

2. Composition placement or arrangement of visual elements in art organization of the elements of art according to the principles of design means 'putting together' and can apply to any work helps achieve a sense of unity within an artwork work of art is said to be aesthetically pleasing if the elements within the work are arranged in a balanced compositional way

3. Good vs. Bad? biggest difference between a good photograph and a mediocre one is the composition what one person finds pleasing, someone else will not – composition is largely a matter of personal taste, so technically there is no right or wrong composition…

4. Good vs. Bad? a photograph that communicates its message (says what you want it to say, says it clearly, and interests its viewer) – is an effective composition how you arrange a scene in your camera will determine the effectiveness of your picture and contribute to how well the message is conveyed there is more to good composition than the placement of elements, but that is where we’re going to start

5. In every photograph you take… you decide where the boundaries of that photo will be (cropping) you choose the viewpoint or perspective you move or rearrange people or objects you move yourself and decide where to place point of interest

6. Rule of Thirds aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would Compositional rule in the visual arts image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections

7. Rule of Thirds Examples

12. Consider… Where am I intentionally placing my points of interest? What are the points of interest in this shot? Breaking the rule can result in some striking shots… once you’ve learned it, experiment with purposely breaking it to see what you discover. Keep the rule of thirds in mind as you edit your photos later on… cropping and reframing images so that they fit within the rules.

13. Practice 3. Get a ruler and measure the sides and divide by 3, drawing lines with a marker to create a 9 square grid. 1. Choose a magazine to find photographs you might like. 2. Find 3 pictures that the composition uses the Rule of Thirds successfully. 5. Tape, glue or staple your images into your sketchbook. Sketchbook DUE: Finish your Rule of Thirds Sketchbook assignment by the end of class! ** Worth 10 points ** 4. Repeat this for all 3 images.

14. Practice Homework: 40 image contact sheet experimenting with Rule of Thirds… take pictures of anything you’d like. Tips: Try taking pictures of the same subject and compose using the Rule of Thirds and going against it. Contact Sheet DUE: Monday, September 12 th