Composition defined 1. constituents: the way in which something is made, especially in terms of its different parts 2. arrangement: the way in which the parts of something are arranged, especially the elements in a visual image the artist’s masterly composition of a group portrait 3. putting together: the act or process of combining things to form a whole, or of creating something such as a piece of music or writing 4. ARTS artistic creation: something created as a work of art, especially a piece of music Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library © Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Good Composition is a key element of good photographs yet is something that is hard to define. Instead of looking at composition as a set of ‘rules’ to follow– Think of it like a chef making a dish. He doesn’t use every ingredient he has in his kitchen. He chooses the ones that make his recipe taste good. Likewise a photographer rarely uses all of the ingredients of composition in the making of an image. Lets look at five of the ingredients (or tools, or elements) of composition to use in photography. They’re not ‘rules’ – just things to consider when setting up a shot. by Darren RowseDarren Rowse Read more: photography#ixzz1Ec8VEVeEhttp:// photography#ixzz1Ec8VEVeE 5 Elements of Composition in Photography

There are patterns all around us if we only learn to see them. Emphasizing and highlighting these patterns can lead to striking shots – as can highlighting when patterns are broken. Patterns

Symmetry can be predictable. Depending upon the scene – symmetry can be something to go for – or to avoid completely. Symmetry can be a striking image - pick a strong point of interest experiment with both in the one shoot to see which works best. Symmetry

The clever use of ‘texture’ photos can come alive and become almost three dimensional. Texture particularly comes into play when light hits objects at interesting angles. Texture

The depth of field that you select when taking an image will drastically impact the composition of your image. It can isolate a subject from its background and foreground (when using a shallow depth of field) or it can put the same subject in context by revealing it’s surrounds with a larger depth of field. Depth of Field

Depth of field

Lines can be powerful elements in an image. They have the power to draw the eye to key focal points in a shot and to impact the ‘feel’ of an image greatly. Diagonal, Horizontal, Vertical and Converging lines all impact images differently and should be spotted while framing a shot and then utilized to strengthen it.DiagonalHorizontalVerticalConverging lines Such as roads, waterways & fences placed diagonally are appealing to look at. These are just some of the elements of composition to consider in photography. They will help you reflect your own style and personality Lines or linear elements

Lines