PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION

Photographic composition is the pleasing arrangement of subjectwithin the picture area. Creative photography depends foremost on the photographer's ability to see as the camera sees because a photograph does not reproduce a scene in the same was as we see it. The final photograph is only a smallpart of the larger scene and creates a two dimensional imagee.

When we look at a scene we see selectively the important elements and more or less ignore the rest. In addition, our mind corrects for focus and lighting characteristics. Your camer sees and records everything in the viewfinder. This often the reason that our pictures don't reflect the image as we saw it. Background and foreground clutter will intrude into our print because we didn't pay attention to them at the moment. Add to this, the characteristics of wide angle lens, flash, or telephoto lens and the final iamge will differ greatly from what we imagined when taking the photograph.

Good pictures are seldom created by chance. To truly capture the photograph as we saw it we need to understand the basic principles of composition. How objects are arranged in a picture will affect how the final viewer will perceive the message of your photograph. When you have developed a good understanding of photographic composition, you will produce photographs that capture the movement, life, depth, shape, and form as you saw it before taking the photograph.

These photography composition skills are developed by learning the principals and putting them into practive. Every time you take a picture, look throughthe viewfinder or the display on the back of your camera and learn to really "SEE" as the camera will see. Consider the way each element will be recorded and how it relates to the overall composition. You must become thoroughly familiar with the camera and learn how the operation of each control alters the image. Experiment with the camera and look at the results carefully to see if they meet your expectations.

With experience and knowledge, you begin to "think through your camera" so you are free to concentrate on composition. Devote serious study to the principles of good composition. As you view images from any media analyze the image to see what is good about this photograph or video image. There are no hard-and-fast rules to follow that ensure good composition in every photograph. There are only the principles and elements that provide a means of achieving pleasing composition when applied properly. Some of these principles and elements are as follows:

Center of interest Subject placement Simplicity Viewpoint and camera angle Balance Shapes and lines Pattern Volume

Lighting Texture Tone Contrast Framing Foreground Background Perspective

As you study these principles of composition, you should soon come to a realization that some are very similar and overlap one another a great deal.

CENTER OR POINT OF INTEREST

Each picture should have only one principal idea, topic, or center of interest to which the viewer's eyes are attracted. For portraits this is often the eyes, facial plane, or maybe the hands. Other elements within the picture must support and help drive attention to the CENTER OF INTEREST.

A picture without a dominant center of interest or one with more than one dominant center of interest is puzzling to a viewer. Subsequently, the viewer becomes confused and wonders what the picture is all about. When the picture has one, and only one, dominant "point of interest," the viewer quickly understands the picture.

The specific topic, idea, or object to be portrayed must be set in your mind as you prepare to take a picture. When there is nothing in the picture to attract attention to a particular area or object, the eyes wander throughout the scene. The center of interest may be a single object or numerous ones arranged so attention is directed to what is the most important part of the picture. ie: The message

When the center of interest is a single object that fills most of the picture area or one that stands out boldly, such as a white sail against a background of dark water, attention is attracted immediately to it. As may be expected, not all subjects are as simple to arrange or as bold and impressive.

A photographer usually has at their disposal many factors or elements that can be used and arranged within the picture area to draw or direct attention to the primary idea of the picture. Some of these elements are lines, shapes, human figures, tone, and texture.

People attract attention more strongly than almost any other subject matter and unless they are the main object of the photograph should probably be kept out of the picture; for example, a photograph showing a person standing at some distance in front of a building may leave the observer wondering whether the person or the building is the point of interest. When people are included in a photograph as a way to compare size or as filler avoid having them making eye contact with the camera. People looking at the camera draw the viewers attention from other componenets of the image. When people are not the key subject and their gaze is directed away from the camera the viewer will tend to look at what has that persons attention.

SUBJECT PLACEMENT Sometimes good composition is obtained by placing the center of interest in the geometrical center of the picture; it is generally not a good idea to place it there. Too frequently it divides the picture into equal halves and makes the picture uninteresting and difficult to balance. By dividing the picture area into thirds, both vertically and horizontally, and locating the center of interest at one of the intersections of the imaginary lines, you can usually create a feeling of balance to the composition (fig. 5-5). For a more indepth discussion on this topic check out the rule of thirds discussion on this website.
Notice how these subjects are all off center but with the turn of their head they balance the photo and draw you into the image. are directed back into the image. The result is better use of white space, composition and balance. As you take photographs or crop them for printing keep this option in mind. When these images were cropped the white space on the sides was used to balance the composition. Look at both versions and see which is more appealing to you. In each of these examples the person is not being photographed head on but have their head pointing either to the left or the right.           What you are seeing is the natural tendency for a person who is viewing a photograph to follow the persons eyes or direction of travel. If the subject is not looking toward the camera the eyes are drawn to where the subject is looking. Think of it as giving the subject of your image some space to look into. By leaving the open area, or white space, it also gives the viewer a chance to be drawn into the photo. Whenever you are taking photographs you should always remember that you in the story telling business. Your job is to turn a one dimensional object into something that tells a story and provides the look of depth and illusion.
In photographic composition there are two general guides for determining the best location for the center of interest. The first is the principle of thirds. The other is dynamic symmetry. In the principle of thirds, the intersection of lines that divide the picture area into thirds are marked by O’s. These intersections are good locations for the center of interest in most photographs. Notice we said THE center of interest. Remember, have only one center of interest to a picture-keep it simple. The principle of dynamic symmetry is a similar idea. A good location for the center of interest is found by drawing or imagining a diagonal line from one corner to an opposite corner. Then, draw a second line perpendicular to the first from a third corner (fig. 5-6). The intersections of the lines are the location for the center of interest.

SIMPLICITY

Simplicity is the key to most good pictures. The simpler and more direct a picture is, the clearer and stronger the message. key points to consider when addressing simplicity are:

• Select a subject that lends itself to a simple arrangement; for example, instead of taking pictures of an entire area that would confuse the viewer, zoom in and compose around the important element(s).
  
  
• Use different camera angles. Look at your subject from different angles. Move around the subject and study it through the viewfinder. Pay special attention to the foreground and background. Step up and kneel down and study how that impacts the final image. Look for anything in the foreground or backgroun which will distract the viewer's attention away from the primary subject.
  
  
• Strive to have our photography tell one story. While most every photograph is composed of numerous small parts and contributing elements, none should attract more of the viewer's attention than the primary subject. The primary subject is what drew you to the picture to begind with. All other elements in a photograph are there to support the primary subject. Pay attention to the details of the image.

VIEWPOINT AND CAMERA ANGLE

The proper viewpoint or camera angle is also a key factor. Repositioning your subject within the viewfinder frame and changing the camera viewpoint or camera angle are two simple ways of controlling composition. Again, looking the the pictures above you will see how having an off center subject aids in composition.

As a side note, always keep in mind where your auto focus camera is focusing. You may need to learn how to lock your focus.

Taking pictures from a different viewpoint or camera angle can often add excitement, or even bring out an unusual aspect of a subject into the viewers focus. Most of the subjects you photograph are three-dimensional and should be photographed from an angle (to the right or left of and/or from higher or lower than the subject) that allows the viewer to see more than one side of the subject. Always study the subject from different sides and angles. Walk around the subject and look at it from all viewpoints.

The terms viewpoint and camera angle are often used in conjunction with one another and sometimes used interchangeably. They can also have different meanings depending on how they are applied. "Viewpoint" is the camera position in relationship to the subject. "Camera angle" is the angle in which the camera lens is tilted; for example, a picture of sailors marching, made from ground level with the camera held horizontal with reference to the ground, may be referred to as a "low viewpoint" (or camera position); however, when this picture is made, again from ground level, but with the camera pointed up, it may be referred to as a "low camera angle." Likewise, a picture made from an elevated or high position, with the camera again held horizontal with reference to the ground, or even pointed straight down, can be referred to as a "high viewpoint"; however, if the camera is not held horizontal to the ground or pointed straight down, but pointed at some angle between horizontal and vertical, the camera position could be referred to as a "high camera angle."

When taking portraits you will often want a higher camera angle for larger people. The reason for this is that a higher camera angle will de-emphasize their body and emphasize their face.

Eye-Level Shots

With the camera held horizontal, eye-level shots are usualIy made at a height of about 5 1/2 feet, the height from which the average adult sees, and with the camera horizontal. With the camera held at eye level but pointed up or down, the camera position changes and you have either a low or high camera angle, respectively.

Low Viewpoint and Low Camera Angle Low viewpoints and low camera angles can add emphasis and interest to many ordinary photographs. A low viewpoint can be used to distort scale or add strength to a picture or to emphasize certain elements within the picture. A low camera angle is achieved when the camera angle is located below the point of primary interest and pointed upward. Low angles tend to lend strength and dominance to a subject and dramatize the subject. Low angle shots are used when dramatic impact is desired. This type of shot is very useful for separating the subject from the background, for eliminating unwanted foreground and background, and for creating the illusion of greater size and speed (fig. 5-7).

High Viewpoint and High Camera Angle High viewpoints and high camera angles help orient the viewer, because they show relationships among all elements within the picture area and produce a psychological effect by minimizing the apparent strength or size of the subject (fig. 5-8).

 

BALANCE

Balance in photographic composition is a matter of making pictures look harmonious. Each element in a picture has a certain amount of value in respect to all the other elements. Every tone, mass, shape, tree, rock figure, building, line, or shadow contributes a certain amount of weight that must be arranged correctly in the composition to give the impression of balance. The subject placement within the picture area is the factor that must be carefully considered.

Composition is kept in balance by two different methods: symmetrical, or formal, balance and asymmetrical, or informal, balance.

Symmetrical, or Formal, Balance Symmetrical, or formal, balance in a photograph is achieved when elements on both sides of the picture are of equal weight (fig. 5-9A). The idea of formal balance can be related to a seesaw, When there are two equally weighted objects on the seesaw and they are equidistant from the pivot point, or fulcrum, the board will be in balance. Pictures with formal balance may look static and unexciting; however, they do present an air of dignity. Formal balance does not always mean a picture has to the seesaw in perspective. The forces or weights are be symmetrical. Symmetrical pictures, in which both presumed to be approximately equal; but, the imaginary sides are exactly the same, are produced only when you pivot point is set deep into the picture space. With this want a special effect; therefore, they are not often variation to symmetrical balance, a more interesting produced. A variation of symmetrical balance deals with photograph is usually created (fig. 5-9B).

Asymmetrical, or Informal, Balance

Asymmetrical, or informal, balance is usually much more interesting than symmetrical balance. In asymmetrical balance the imaginary central pivot point is still presumed to be present; however, instead of mirror images on each side of the picture area, the subject elements are notably different in size, shape, weight, tone, and placement. Balance is established by equalizing the element forces in spite of their differences.

Asymmetrical balance is introduced when the presumed weight of two or more lighter objects is equalized by a single heavier object placed on the other side of the imaginary pivot point (fig. 5-10). Asymmetrical balance is more difficult to achieve than symmetrical balance, because of the problem of establishing relative weight values for dissimilar elements within the picture area as well as presenting some form of stability.

 

Aspects of Balance

There are many other factors to consider in order to make pictures appear balanced. Some of these are as follows:

• An object far from the center of the picture seems to have more weight than one near the center.
• Objects in the upperpart of a picture seem heavier than objects of the same size in the lower part of a picture.
• Isolation seems to increase the weight of an object.
• Intensely interesting objects seem to have more compositional weight.
• Regular shapes seem to have more weight than irregular shapes.
• Elements on the right side of an asymmetrical picture appear to have more weight than elements of the same size on the left side of the picture.
• The directions in which figures, lines, and shapes appear to be moving within the picture area are important to balance; for example, a person may be walking in a direction, or his eyes may be looking in a direction, or the shape of some element creates a feeling of movement. When the feeling of direction is present within a scene, it tends to upset the balance if judged on the size of the subject alone.

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Photo Critique:

The following collections of photos are photos submitted by aspiring photographers being taught by Art of Art's Photography If you are looking for affordable portraits, weddings, or special event photography please check out his website. If you are looking for inexpensive educational books please visit the website he uses for his local and web education. Art's Photography School