Photography Composition

What is Composition? The arrangement of visual elements within the frame of a photograph.

If the elements are not arranged successfully within the frame….. Your photograph will not be successful.

Snap Shot: A casual record of a person, place or event. Purpose: to capture a memory

Why is this a snapshot?

What makes this a snapshot? How could this picture be improved?

Photograph: An artistic interpretation of a person, place or event. Purpose: To tell the viewer something about the subject.

What makes this a photograph and not a snapshot? The Photographer filled the frame with the subject so the viewer can see the city in which the clock exists in the reflection.

Balance: An equal relationship between two or more things.

Photographs do not need to be symmetrical to be balanced. However, the visual weight needs to be about the same on both sides.

Is this photograph balanced?

Positive shape: The area that is occupied by the object/subject.

Negative Space: The area that surrounds the subject.

What is the positive shape? What is the negative shape?

Basics rules about balancing positive and negative shape: There should be about the same amount of space taken up by positive shape as there is negative space. There should never be more negative shape than positive shape. Eliminating extra negative space will make the negative shape stronger. Filling the frame or zooming in on your subject will help eliminate too much negative shape.

What is wrong with this picture? Too much negative shape!

Rule of Thirds: A gridding system that divides the frame into 9 different zones.

What is the Rule of Thirds suppose to do? Help you with placing your objects correctly within the frame.

Rule of Thirds: Something should be in every zone. Do not place object directly in the center zone. Place objects within 1/3 of the frame.

Horizon lines should be placed on grid line.

You place the horizon line depending on what the focus of the photo is.

Dynamics: The movement of the eye as it explores a photograph.

Strong Dynamics: The eye travels from the primary subject to the secondary subject, then back to the primary subject.

Poor Dynamics : The eye gets stuck on one object or the eye is lead out of the photo or the eye does not know what to view as the primary subject.

Implied Lines: Imaginary lines that direct the eye.

Implied lines can help the dynamics of a photo.

Where is the implied line in this photo?

Weighting…. What happens when you place objects in different zones? The objects are center weighted. The photo is static or frozen.

When the objects are placed in the top zones of the photograph… the objects seem far away.

When the object is placed far to one side… There is a sense of movement.

When the objects are placed in the lower zones of the photo… The objects are well grounded, and possibly overwhelmed.

Remember, when you are taking photos, you need to…. Get in close: Fill the frame with your subject. Pay attention to negative space: Be sure there aren’t any distractions in the background. Edit your image: Find the right angle that eliminates distractions and includes good composition qualities. Watch your edges: Make sure no distractions are in the very edges of the frame. Keep horizontals horizontal and verticals vertical: Do not take diagonal photos. Include an environment: Give the viewer some clues about the subject.

Get in Close…

Pay attention to negative space…

Edit your image (before you take the photo)…

Watch your edges….

Keeps verticals vertical and horizontals horizontal.

Include an environment….