Composition meaning in photography
What is Composition in Photography?
This is Chapter 2 of our multi-part tutorial, Composition in Photography, which teaches you how to compose photos that are as effective as possible. In this part of the guide, I’ll define composition and explain why it’s such a powerful tool for taking better photos.
NIKON D800E + 105mm f/2.8 @ 105mm, ISO 100, 1/640, f/3.5Table of Contents
The Definition of Composition
Each time you take a photo, you end up making conscious decisions about what items to include or exclude. You also decide how to arrange the objects that are in your frame. So, what is composition? It is simply the arrangement of the elements in your photo.
I know that plenty of people have more complex definitions of composition, but it strikes me that they’re only making things more confusing. In the end, everything you hear about composition boils down to the arrangement of the elements in your photo – and how that arrangement makes a photo succeed or fail.
Of course, capturing a good composition is far from easy. But that’s all the more reason to keep things simple when you can. If you’re struggling on where to even start when composing a photo, think back to the basics. Your photo has things in it; your job is to arrange them.
NIKON D7000 + 24mm f/1.4 @ 24mm, ISO 100, 1/1600, f/1.4The Strongest Way of Seeing
The next question is how to arrange the elements in your photo effectively – and the answer is to arrange them in a way that brings out meaning.
For example, imagine the following photography: A shadow is a line that leads to a vase of flowers; the vase is the same color as a clock on the wall; the hands on the clock point back to the shadow.
Doesn’t that sound like a deliberate photo? With just two tools – lines and colors – the photographer in this hypothetical case has managed to thread together different objects and give them more meaning.
One of my favorite quotes about photography is that good composition is “the strongest way of seeing.
” Who said that? None other than Edward Weston, among the best photographers of all time and a master of composition.
Emotion
Putting “the strongest way of seeing” into practice isn’t easy, but I believe it all comes down to emotion. Think of it like this: Your composition should complement your subject. If you’re photographing an intense, apocalyptic storm cloud overhead, feel free to arrange an intense, apocalyptic composition! Get their emotions on the same page.
If you’re not sure how to capture an intense composition, don’t worry. First off, this guide is 90% about answering that exact question. But second, it’s all surprisingly intuitive. In this particular example with the storm, an intense composition might be one where the horizon is along the bottom edge of the photo and the sky is filled with sharp, dramatic lines – things like that. You might go so far as to boost contrast in post-processing to make the effect even stronger.
Ultimately, I find it helpful to have the same two questions going through my head when I’m taking a photo: “What emotions are my subjects giving off? And how can I arrange my composition to give off those same emotions?”
NIKON D7000 + 24mm f/1.
4 @ 24mm, ISO 360, 1/50, f/1.4Structure
Your composition also determines the path of a viewer’s eye through the photo. Even though you can’t know the exact path a viewer’s eye is going to take, you can nudge things one way or another.
Do you want your viewer to pay more attention to the mountains in the background of an image? Look for lines in the foreground or sky that point toward them. Or, wait until the light at sunset shines on the mountain peaks with brilliant color. Do what you can to make the mountains a destination for your viewer’s attention.
I always find it interesting how our eyes flow through a photo subconsciously. For instance, we intuitively follow along the path of lines in an image, especially straight lines. Even more than that, we spend substantial time looking at subjects and jumping from each important subject in the photo to the next. (An “important subject in the photo” would be something like a person’s face or an area of high sharpness and contrast.
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I’m not just inventing these ideas out of thin air. Take a look at this detailed study that tracked how people’s eyes flowed through different works of classic art, and even compared how their eyes flowed after rearranging one or two elements. If you take the time to click on that study, you’ll see something that I find especially interesting: Even a small rearrangement almost always had cascading effects. For example, cropping out the dark, left-hand edge of a Rembrandt painting led people to spend more time looking at a wall in the background on the opposite side of the painting.
This is the power of composition. By changing the arrangement of some elements here and there, you change the photo’s entire structure – and therefore how a viewer’s eye flows through the image.
NIKON D7000 + 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 55mm, ISO 640, 1/10, f/2.8Control
Photographers tend to forget that they have tremendous control over the size and placement of the different objects in an image.
And no, I’m not talking about moving around your subject in Photoshop after the fact. I’m not even talking about moving things around in a studio where you have full control over your photo.
Instead, any time you’re taking pictures, simply changing your camera position and focal length can have huge effects on the composition you get. Do you want a tree that’s bigger than a mountain? Done. Just walk up close and use a wide angle lens.
NIKON D800E + 20mm f/1.8 @ 20mm, ISO 100, 1/4, f/16.0Wide angle, standing up close.
Do you want an imposing mountain and a smaller tree? That’s just as easy. Stand back and use a telephoto.
NIKON D800E + 70-200mm f/4 @ 70mm, ISO 100, 0.6 seconds, f/16.0Telephoto, standing farther back. (This is the same tree.)
So often, I see photographers set up their tripod at eye level and never move it at all. They’ll do 100% of their composition by loosening the ballhead on the tripod, pointing the camera around, and then locking the ballhead when they’re satisfied.
I won’t say this method is doomed to give you bad photos, but it’s missing out on a huge part of composition! If your tripod stays in the same spot, you won’t be able to change the relative sizes or relative positions of the subjects you’re capturing. That’s a lot of creative tools down the drain.
So, as you read through the rest of this guide, I recommend reminding yourself of something from time to time: You have extraordinary control over a photo’s composition… and, therefore, a photo’s emotions. Use
Next Steps
Now that you have an idea of what composition is and why it’s so powerful, it’s time to look at the specific tools at your disposal to help compose better photos. So, click below to go to Chapter 3: Elements of Composition.
Take me to Chapter 3: Elements of Composition
Defining Composition in Photography & How to Learn It • PhotoTraces
Today, I will attempt to define composition in photography and the most effective way to learn and master it.
Have you ever wondered what transforms a photograph into a work of art? There are different aspects of a photograph, but unarguably, the composition allows the photographer to make a statement with his image.
To me, composition is one of the most difficult aspects of photography, as it cannot simply be taught. Learning the perfect way to compose an image is an ongoing journey for the photographer that may even take a lifetime.
Composition is a term that is used in all genres of art. It involves the organization of the elements in a work of art, be it a painting or a piece of music. If your artwork is well-composed, its viewer or listener can grasp its intended message and feel the emotion you wanted to convey with it. There are many established rules of composition, but the artist is free to break or transform them to express his idea in the best way possible.
Table of Contents
What is Composition in Photography?
Composition in photography can be defined as positioning and arranging the objects in the frame in such a way that the viewer’s eye is automatically drawn to the most interesting or significant area of the capture.
In landscape photography, we usually have the time to carefully compose our image before shooting since we work with immobile objects or slowly moving (such as clouds or the sun).
On the other hand, in street photography or photojournalism, composing is done in a matter of seconds. To reach this point, a photographer needs a combination of knowledge, practice, and a bit of creative courage.
Composition Defines Your Style
The photographic process has become increasingly automated, but composition is still something your camera can’t choose for you. That’s why I believe it’s the single most important aspect of a photograph.
Even a perfectly exposed and sharp image taken with a professional camera can “tell us nothing” if it’s not composed in an interesting or meaningful way. In fact, if composed well, your image may as well be blurred or underexposed. As long as these aspects contribute to your idea, they are perfectly acceptable and might even become the emblem of your distinctive style.
How do I master composition in photography?
Now that we understand the importance of composition in photography, the next step is to begin learning it.
As I have mentioned many times before, I truly believe that composition is one of the most difficult aspects of photography since it is hard to teach and often takes a long time to learn. Why? Its complexity comes from its subjective nature. In most cases, there is no right or wrong, and everything is open for interpretation.
What I also notice about composition is that there is no “AHA” moment. Very often, when you are learning something complex, after tackling it for some time, you just get it—in a single moment, everything becomes clear. With composition in photography, it is always a gradual process. Over time, you apply more complex concepts to your compositions, but it is always a learning process.
Here are the simple steps to start learning composition:
a.
Analyze work of artThe first thing I’d advise every starting photographer is to look at a lot of art. Not just photography but, if possible, every other type of visual art. Start out with the classics but pay attention to what your contemporaries do as well.
Related: Composition – Repetition, Pattern & Rhythm
Analyze the images that strike you the most. What makes them so powerful? The point of view? The positioning of the main object of interest? Or the use of geometric lines perhaps?
b. Do not be afraid to imitate
Then go out and try to reproduce the things you liked the most in your own photographs. Don’t worry; it’s perfectly okay to imitate your favorite photographers in the beginning. Everyone does it.
c. Learn rules of composition
Try to master the classical rules of composition at first – the rule of thirds, for example. It’s important to know these rules before you begin to break them to create more interesting or striking images.
d. Practice, practice, and practice…
As with everything, practice is key. Shoot whenever possible. Don’t just shoot objects that are obviously interesting. Shoot boring objects as well. With an interesting composition, even a photograph of a fork can turn into a work of art.
e. Share your work and get feedback
And then, of course, show your work and ask for feedback. In the digital world of today, this is easier than ever. Join photography forums or dedicated Facebook groups and ask the other members to evaluate your photographs. Don’t be afraid of criticism – you need it in order to improve your technique.
Composition and Landscape Photography
Many rules and guidelines of composition can help you accelerate and make more sense of the whole process.
You have probably come across various tutorials that list the rules of composition, such as the golden triangles and spirals, a rule of odds, balance, leading lines, patterns, color contrast, symmetry, filling the frame, framing, creating depth, and so on.
As a beginner, reading such a long list of rules often feels like your head is about to explode. You do not know where or how to start. When you try to randomly use the rules of composition, it rarely works.
I want to bring a bit of structure to the process of learning composition by applying my favorite 20-80 rule here. The rule states that in any process, 20% of forces or work is responsible for 80% of the results. The goal of any learning process is to identify and tackle that 20% first.
First of all, I believe that landscapes are the best subjects to start learning photography composition. Why? Because you have more control over the elements of the scene compared to street photography, wildlife, or even family photography.
There are two ways of addressing composition:
- The first way is when you frame the shot.
- The second is when you crop the photo during the editing process.
I am sure you have heard many times before that “you have to get everything right in the camera.
” I completely agree with this statement, but in reality, this goal is not always possible to achieve. For me, it is always a two-step process. I try to get the best-framed shot possible, but I always have the option to tweak or adjust it later in Lightroom.
When you start learning composition, it is very difficult to immediately get it right in the camera. You are overwhelmed by other aspects you have to address, like exposure, focus, and additional camera settings that distract you from addressing the overall composition.
Do not be afraid or embarrassed when this occurs. Try to get the composition right when you crop your photos during editing. I believe the best way to start learning the proper framing and composition is in Lightroom. You can take your time and experiment in the comfort of your own home. You can see what does and does not work by trying different versions of the same photo.
Then, you can apply this knowledge the next time you take photos.
Today, I am only going to list three concepts of composition that will drastically change your photography.
Rule #1 – Level Your Horizon
It seems like such a simple and obvious rule, but nothing ruins the composition of a landscape more than a crooked horizon. This is something that is imprinted in our brain and in our subconscious—that the horizon has to be horizontal. When we see a photo with a horizon line that is even slightly crooked, our brain simply refuses to accept it.
However, it is not always possible to get your horizon straight when you are shooting, but you can fix it later in Lightroom. Lightroom even has an AUTO function that adjusts the horizon for you. In 90% of cases, it does an amazing job. If it does not work, it only takes seconds to adjust it manually.
But, we all know that rules are meant to be broken. So, if you intentionally want to make the horizon crooked, make sure that it is obvious that it was done intentionally.
Rule #2 – Rule of Thirds
The Rule of Thirds is the fundamental concept of composition in photography. To use the Rule of Thirds, you mentally or visually divide the scene into nine equal parts and place the subject of your photo on one of the intersecting points or lines.
Using the Rule of Thirds, you, as an artist, help a viewer navigate the scene by giving visual cues of where to start and where to go from there. You help a viewer identify the most important parts of the scene.
For example, by placing the horizon on the top line of the Rule of Thirds Grid, you tell the viewer that, in this particular composition, the land is more important than the sky, and it is where they should focus their attention.
The Rule of Thirds is the best way to start learning composition in photography. Personally, I prefer to use a variation of the Rule of Thirds—the Golden Ratio Grid. The Rule of Thirds is the simplified version of the Golden Ratio, which originates in the concept of the Fibonacci Spiral.
Since using the Fibonacci Spiral can be overwhelming, it is much easier to look at it as a Phi Grid or the Golden Ratio Grid.
The difference between the Rule of Thirds Grid and the Golden Ratio Grid is very subtle, but I find that the Golden Ratio Grid helps me create more effective compositions.
You can use either since the concept stays the same: align the most important objects of your scene along the lines and intersecting points of the grid, resulting in a more meaningful composition.
Now for some practical steps on how to use the grid.
Almost every camera on the market has an option to use visual guides; all you have to do is activate it. On Sony mirrorless cameras, it is called the Visual Grid, and by activating it, you will have the Rule of Thirds Grid overlaid on the camera’s LCD and EVF. I have it enabled at all times as it helps me with framing when I am shooting.
In Lightroom, you have many more Visual Grid options to help you improve the composition of your image when cropping the photo.
Rule #3 – Simplicity
This is the best way to start approaching composition—try to simplify it as much as possible. Identify the most important subject or part of the scene (the focal point) and try to isolate it by excluding the clutter around it, so the viewer has no other choice but to concentrate all his attention on it.
The composition below is very simple; it has only three elements: the sky, the field, and the lighthouse. To simplify it, I erased unnecessary distractions like electric poles and wires next to the lighthouse.
Prince Edward IslandIdeally, you want to use all three rules I listed above in the same composition. Make sure the horizon is straight, identify the main subject of your composition, align it along the grid, and ensure the scene is not cluttered with unimportant objects (see shot below).
If you learn and master the three rules of composition outlined here, you will be able to produce pleasing and meaningful compositions and will be ready to apply more complex artistic concepts to your photography.
Practical Steps for Learning Composition in Photography
Today, I’d like to share with you an unconventional way that you can accelerate your understanding of composition using Lightroom. Not only will you find that Lightroom can help build your knowledge of composition, but you’ll discover it can also help you gain confidence in your photography.
Because of my work on PhotoTraces.com, I use multiple channels to publish my photographs, starting with my blog. Once my images are posted on the website, I then publish them on popular social media sites such as Facebook, G+, Pinterest, and Instagram. I also create an additional version for print.
By now, you are probably wondering: “Does he realize that publishing sites like Facebook, Instagram, and even blogs have their standard image sizing?” Yes! If my original photograph has a landscape orientation with an aspect ratio of 3 x 2, posting to Instagram requires a 1 x 1 square, while Pinterest requires a vertical image.
For print, I may decide I want a panoramic version plus a smaller 4×6 photo.
While creating multiple versions of a photo to ensure consistent and meaningful composition does take time, the process is incredibly valuable to better master and understand the importance of composition in photography.
Real Life Scenario Exercise
During a trip to Hawaii’s O’ahu Island, I took this photo just after sunrise and knew almost immediately that the scene had great potential as a feature on my blog and perhaps even in my portfolio.
Knowing that a regular landscape composition is 3 x 2, I purposefully took the shot wider in order to leave myself plenty of room and freedom to create a number of different versions for publishing across multiple channels. Because my Sony a6000 has a 24 Mpx sensor, I have more than enough pixels to trim and even aggressively crop my photographs during post-processing.
With this image, I started with my Landscape Collection and applied one of my favorite presets from Travel Pro Kit Collection, Escalante.
Once I was satisfied with how the image looked, I then focused on composition by setting the Crop Tool’s overlay options to Golden Ratio. While Thirds is the most popular option among photographers, I have personally found consistent success in creating more balanced compositions using the Golden Ratio.
To save time, you can even scroll through the various overlay options by hitting the “O” on your keyboard until you find the overlay you want to use.
After setting the overlay to Golden Ratio, I locked the aspect ratio at 2 x 3.
Then, I created my first version of the photograph by tightening the composition.
Version 1 – Aspect Ratio 3 x 2Once satisfied, I used Lightroom’s Snapshot function to save the image using the name “3 x 2.”
Moving to the next version and so forth, I ultimately end up with six different snapshots in my Snapshot Panel.
Version 2 – Aspect Ratio 1 x 1 (Instagram)Version 3 – Aspect Ratio 2 x 1Version 4 – Aspect Ratio 4 x 3Version 5 – Aspect Ratio 16 x 9Version 5 – Aspect Ratio 3 x 4 (Pinterest)It’s important to note that you can use Lightroom’s Virtual Copy function as an alternative to Snapshot; however, I find that Snapshot keeps Lightroom much more organized, which is a key component in ensuring efficiency during post-processing.
With my snapshots finished, I reviewed each individual version to ensure the results were what I wanted. Then, I began publishing.
Composition in Photography | Conclusion
Although there are many articles and tutorials on mastering composition in photography, regular practice is the best and only way to learn. Start by incorporating the exercise above into your regular routine by creating an Instagram version and a Pinterest version for each photo you edit.
Try to employ three concepts of composition we learned earlier: Straight Horizon, Rule of Thirds, and Simplicity. Once you get into the habit, I promise you’ll see a world of difference in your understanding and mastery of photography composition.
Articles Related to “Defining Composition in Photography & How to Learn It“
Composition in photography. Rules and examples
Composition is responsible for the integrity of the frame and subordinates the elements of the photograph to each other and to the idea of the artist.
The compositional solution in the fine arts is subject to the creative task of the author. First of all, the photographer answers the questions “What do I see? Why this photo? How to convey an idea to the viewer? And only then the author decides how to use such basic elements of the composition of the frame as space, lines, shapes or figures, movement and rhythm, textures, light, color and focal point. Thanks to this, he can control the mood of the viewer, draw his attention to important objects in the image plane, and hide “minor elements”. The language of composition is a set of many rules for how to tell a story on a plane, but we will only talk about the most important ones.
You can learn more compositional techniques at such courses by Dmitry Bogachuk as:
1. Online photo course “Composition in photography. Stage I.
2. Online photo course "Colors in photography".
3. Online photo course "100 tricks of art photography".
1. The rule of the "golden section" - the rule of thirds
It was described by the mathematically great Leonardo da Vinci. You could hear about this rule at school, in a mathematics lesson. Remember this drawing?
The golden ratio is the division of segment C, in which the entire segment C is related to the greater part of B, as the greater part of B is to the smaller A. The formula for this expression is: C: B = B: A \u003d 1.618 . This number is also called the golden number. Luca Pacioli, a contemporary and friend of Leonardo da Vinci, called this ratio "divine proportion". And the term "golden ratio" was introduced by Martin Ohm in 1835. This ratio of segments can also be transferred to the plane of the photograph. This grid can often be seen in the viewfinder of cameras.
At the intersection points and lines of this grid, it is customary to place important objects or lines of the photographed image.
For example, align the horizon line with the bottom grid line if you want to emphasize the sky. As in this photo with a lone pine tree on top of Demerdzhi...
Place the hero of your plot (tree, person, flower, building) on one of the four active points of the grid of thirds. Using the rule of thirds, you can focus on important objects in the frame.
2. FORMAT Rule
Will your next frame be horizontal or vertical? Decide this before pressing the button. The frame format will determine the subject. If you are shooting a tall tree or a full-length person, turn the camera vertically. Often we see photos in standard formats, with an aspect ratio of 4:3, such as landscape or horizontal format.
But photographs can be of any format: square, round, triangular, and even arbitrary, irregular shape. The format carries information about the boundaries of the image, as well as a semantic load. Walking among the skyscrapers, I want to show the viewer their height.
Then I will choose a narrow, vertical, non-standard format. The image format will enhance the perception of the plot.
Or, for example, a square format. The square is a very static shape. Still lifes are often enclosed in a square. Not only do the still life scenes have a calming effect, but the square format also enhances the feeling of peace and stability. Always think about what format is right for your story.
3. Rule of balance and symmetry
Spots and meanings should be balanced in a photograph. If a lot of meaning is concentrated in one small part of the photo, you need to find something else in terms of meaning and place it in the opposite part of the frame in order to balance the plot.
Symmetric plots are built on the equilibrium rule. Symmetry is always pleasing to the eye. Often the composition of landscape and architecture is based on symmetrical reflections in the water.
4. LEADING LINES.
Use natural lines to guide the viewer's eye across the photo to an important subject.
A.L. Yarbus in the book “The role of eye movements in the process of vision” showed that the human eye sticks to bright spots, letters, faces, and moves along contrasting lines. It is these leading lines , real or imagined, are the route for the viewer's eyes in the landscape. The lines in the frame will have a different sensual load.
- Horizontal - lines of constancy, peace, serenity.
- Vertical - lines of strength, stability, power.
- Curves - an s-shaped line in the composition of the landscape will add movement, grace, liveliness.
- Diagonal - These lines evoke a sense of movement, energy and can add depth to a frame. Ascending and descending diagonals are considered as lines of development and decline, resistance and ease, departure and return.
5. DIAGONALS. Diagonal lines are a great way to convey perspective and movement in a photo.
6. FRAME (framing).
Use natural frames such as windows and doors to frame the "hero" frame.
7. CONTRAST between object and background.
Any contrast between the subject and the background will enhance the beauty of the picture: textural contrast, color contrast, scale contrast. Find a tone-contrasting background for the hero of the photo.
8. PLAN SIZE.
Fill the frame. Get closer to your subject. A close-up is one of the easiest ways to get rid of the garbage in the frame and make it clear to the viewer who the hero of the frame is.
9. GEOMETRIC shapes in the composition of the frame connect objects into a single whole and therefore enhance the impression.
Find such an angle when the eye sees three basic figures in the frame - a square, a triangle, a circle and their derivatives - an oval, an ellipse, a trapezoid, a rhombus.
10.
RHYTHMS, patterns, repetitions, textures. Repetitive details bring aesthetic pleasure to our eyes. But ideally, repetitions should be broken up with a contrasting object.
11. PLANS. The depth of the visual field is built by selecting objects in the foreground, middle background.
12. NEGATIVE SPACE.
Leave free space in front of the object for its speculative movement. Remember that movement progresses from left to right. From left to right, the hunters in the cartoons go to the forest, and from right to left they return home.
13. ANGLE. An unexpected angle will always attract attention! Try to shoot in a new way, not like others.
14. SIMPLICITY is pleasing to the eye.
Simplify the geometry of the image, remove all unnecessary if possible. The photographer, like a sculptor cutting marble, must remove from the frame everything that can distract the viewer's attention from the main object.
Ancient Chinese artists noticed this and began to draw very concise landscapes with black ink.
10 Rules for Composition in Photography by Steve McCurry, world-famous National Geographic photojournalist
Cooperative of Photography video shows how photographer Steve McCurry uses the rules of composition when shooting portraits or genre photography. Here he illustrates the rules of composition using portraits as an example. For example, he states: “Center the dominant eye in the portrait. Position the dominant eye in the center of the photo. This technique gives a special expression to the eyes that follow you.
Learn more about composition techniques in the Composition in Photography online photography course.
Violating the rules of composition…
He substantiated in great detail the methods of artistic violation of the rules of composition in his book The Mythology of Composition in Photography (download in the public domain) Andrey Zeigarnik, a photographer and researcher of the impact of a photograph on the viewer.
“Into many shooting and composition rules: golden section rule, figure eight rule, dynamic symmetry rule, shot balance rule, diagonal rule, free space (air) rule in front of the object, desired direction of movement rule (from left to right), “come closer” rule " etc. there are a huge number of examples that refute these rules, ”says Dmitry Chernyshev in the book“ How a person sees ”(download).
“Remember! Composition is important, but rules are made to be broken. The most important thing is to have fun and shoot in your own style,” says Steve McCurry.
10 myths about the rule of thirds in the article • Learn composition and English at the same time
Tavis Glover talks about a graceful violation of the rule of thirds and suggests using root rectangles in frame composition, i.e. more complex grid. This is what Annie Leibovitz uses to create her harmonious group portraits.
You will also be interested in the article "Composition in photography: advice from Drew Hopper"
Composition in photography | Photography for beginners
Composition in photography is the construction and sequence of visual techniques that realize an artistic idea.
We can say that the composition is the ratio and relative position of the parts.
A great many books and textbooks have been written about composition, both in photography and in general. Of course there are obvious things, but there are also controversial ones. It can be said without a doubt that without knowledge of the basic compositional techniques, it is simply impossible to take a decent photo. The sense of composition is innate, like an ear for music. Like hearing, it can be developed. But if this feeling is not there, then most likely you will have to come to terms with the idea that in photography you will only be a mediocre artisan. Below I will describe the main components of the compositional solution of the image.
To convey space in a photograph, it is necessary to know and use the laws of linear and tonal perspective.
Linear perspective
Linear perspective: parallel lines tend to converge at one point, objects and objects of the same size seem smaller to us the farther they are from us.
The linear perspective of the image primarily depends on the choice of the shooting point. This is the height at which the camera is installed, the distance to the object and the shooting direction. In addition to this, the focal length of the lens affects the transmission of perspective. Remember, a wide-angle lens stretches the perspective, while a long-angle lens compresses it.
Linear perspective and the rhythm of repeating objects complement each other: seem to you ambiguous and doubtful; do them with the same vagueness, otherwise they will appear at the same distance in your picture ... .. do not limit things that are distant from the eye, because at a distance not only these boundaries, but also parts of the bodies are imperceptible. Further, Leonardo writes that distant objects acquire a bluish tint and brighten. Photographs, like paintings, are created on a plane. And the illusion of the depth of space can be conveyed by tonal perspective. The most expressive shot with a pronounced tonal perspective will be a shot in fog.
In this case, the darkest object will be placed in the foreground. The next shots are softer, and the objects in the background have almost no detail. The interaction of a smooth transition between objects, so to speak, a tonal gradient, just creates the illusion of depth in a photograph.
Tonal perspective due to a rather strong fog
Shooting angle
It is important to convey space in the photograph is the presence of different plans of the subjects. Most shots can be divided into three shots: front, middle and back. One-dimensional plots are almost always devoid of volume of space. A darker foreground will emphasize the depth of space in the photo.
For example, when shooting in foggy weather, when there is no direct non-diffused light to help bring out the volume, the presence of a foreground or multiple shots will create depth in the picture.
An open aperture, that is, a small depth of field, often helps to separate shots.
This technique will be more pronounced if you use a telephoto lens.
Shooting point
When shooting, the choice of shooting point is very important. If we assume that the light falls on the subject, then at different rotations the object will either be more recognizable, or its texture will be revealed. In fact, the shooting point determines the object and its properties.
Accent in a photograph
Accent is a way to focus the viewer's attention on the main subject or important detail through its location in the frame, through color or tonal emphasis. In combination with other rules of composition, this technique further enhances the emotional impact. These methods are often used in advertising photography.
The essence of black and white photography
Black and white photographs have an amazing inner strength that color photographs often lack.
The attraction of black and white photographs is that they move further from the reproduction of reality than color ones. The world in black and white is unusual for human eyes and is already displayed in a certain symbolic form.
However, most people take color photographs. It has to do with the human perception of the world and images. It's easier to look at a color image than to think about how a certain color turns into a gray tint. The mass appearance of color minilabs has led to the fact that most filmmakers have forgotten how to shoot on black and white film, or never did it because of the laborious development and printing at home.
With the advent of digital technology, color photography remained popular. But to this day there are photographers who not only shoot in bw, but also do it the old fashioned way in an analog way. 9
Composition rules
- There must be one story center.
So, the plot center is the main part of the image, it carries the main semantic load.
The plot center can be located in one place more or less compactly. For example, in a full-length portrait, the subject center is the face of a person; in a close-up portrait, the center will be the eyes.
Another scene center can be divided into several parts located in different places of the picture. It is important that these parts have semantic interaction - opposition, comparison or enumeration.
Composite center
We show a quarrel in the picture. A bench across the frame, the two are sitting on different sides, closer to the edges of the bench, turning away from each other (looking in different directions). The plot center will be two figures, He and She. They are one center, but spaced apart on different sides of the frame.
Beautiful reflection in the water. Building in the spring park. The story center will be based on the beautiful reflection of objects. After all, the object itself and its reflection will be one plot center, although there is no geometric union between them.
The subject center can occupy the entire area of the frame, any one-shot with rhythmic repetitions. Imagine a birch grove filled with parallel tree trunks.
Take another look at your shots, especially early ones, and try to find the subject center. There is a chance you won't be there. This will be the best explanation why the snapshot failed. That's why it seemed to you that something was wrong with the frame.
Remember that there should be only one story center, and it should not have any competitors. All objects of the composition, claiming to be the plot center, will be superfluous in the frame. They will distract the viewer from what you wanted to show. Such pictures can be cut in half and get two photos with their subject centers.
It is important not to clutter up the image. It should be concise. A lot of random details adversely affect the disclosure of the main plot. At the same time, these details may not interfere with the plot center, but believe me, they will interfere, they will distract the viewer's attention and may prevent him from focusing on the main thing.
Various technical tools help us get rid of unnecessary details in the frame. For example, with a telephoto lens or an open aperture, we can blur the background, while blurring the details that interfere with the perception of the picture. Using a wide-angle lens will allow you to fill the frame with the main object, that is, take up most of the image plane. In this case, small details of the background will be depicted very small.
Equilibrium in photography
The trick of compositional balance is that there are no instructions and recommendations that will tell you everything once and for all. Basically, you will have to rely on an innate sense of composition. But some knowledge is still useful.
- In each frame, two types of balance must be observed. The first is the balance on the spots. To analyze an image with this method, simply defocus it. On the image (it will be devoid of content), you will get a lot of spots of different brightness, while they must be balanced.
The second is the balance in terms of the semantic particles of photography. Do not forget to take into account the direction of views and movement of the objects being shot, the location of the linear particles of the frame and the ratio of the areas of the objects.
— We are walking on the ground, not floating in weightlessness , all objects lie on something, stand, etc. For our perception, depicted people and objects standing or lying on some kind of surface are the norm. If a person is depicted in full growth, it will not be permissible to cut off the shoes with the border of the frame. You can not hang buildings in the air if it does not fit into the frame.
- You need to be very careful about the image of verticals and horizontals in the frame. They cut the composition, especially if such an element crosses the frame from edge to edge. Due to its naturalness, the horizon line in this regard is not so dangerous, but you should not place it in the middle of the picture, it is better to shift it down or up.
In general, depictions of the horizon line should be avoided, replacing it with details or smooth transitions of colors and textures.
There are exceptions to each of the above tips, but they should only be used consciously and with the firm goal of achieving creative intent. The rules must be remembered and brought to automatism.
Image Cropping
Cropping an image, or cropping unnecessary portions of a frame, is a process that aims to achieve a flawless or most advantageous compositional solution. Cropping accompanies us at almost all stages of creating a picture. The main mistake of beginners is to include only the plot center in the frame, or vice versa, when the maximum amount of detail is placed in the frame. Of course, you need to strive to completely fill the frame, but do not overdo it and do not litter the picture.
The rule of the golden section in photography
One of the basic concepts of composition is the so-called golden section, discovered in Ancient Greece.
