WHAT MAKES A GOOD PHOTOGRAPH?

Composition

Composition

The selection, placement and arrangement of subjects within the picture area

Means “putting together”Organization of the elements of art (line,

shape, form, color, etc) according to the principles of design (balance, contrast, etc)

an image is said to be pleasing if the elements are arranged in a balanced compositional way

In every photograph you make..

You decide where the boundaries of the photo will be (either in camera or in post by cropping)

You choose the viewpoint or perspectiveYou move or rearrange people or objectsYou move yourself and decide where to place

the point of interest in the viewfinder

Good or Bad Photo?

One of the biggest differences between a really good photo and a mediocre one is the composition

What one person finds pleasing, someone else will not – composition is often a matter of personal taste

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 image and contribute to how well the message is conveyed

Major Principles of Composition

SimplicitySingle theme/subject

Tension/movementMultiple elements

Simplicity

Eliminating distracting and unimportant material

Simplifying the visual elements satisfies viewer’s need to identify the main subject (point of interest)

Simplicity is a matter of organizing your subject in a clear, concise manner

Ways to achieve simplicity:

Move closer, include only necessary elements (ex)

Change lenses – telephoto to zoom closer (ex)Use shallow depth of field (ex)Change point of view (ex)Choose darker background (ex)Remove objects if possible (ex)Move subject if possible

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Move Closer

Move Closer

Move Closer

Move Closer

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Change lens to telephoto

Change lens to telephoto

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Shallow depth of field

Shallow depth of field

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Change point of view

Change point of view

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Choose darker background

Choose darker background

Choose darker background (with zoom)

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Remove objects

and move closer

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Tension/Movement

Arises from the feeling of movement and interplay among the visual elements – ex: comparison, contrast, positioning, etc

Creates a variety of messages depending on how elements are organized or balanced against each other

Produces the picture’s tone and makes it interesting ex: gentle, forceful

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Gentle tone

Flat horizontal line leading to a drop of water, non-distracting background

Forceful tone

Contrasting thick heavy man-made form with the thin fragile lines of nature

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Techniques for tension/movement:

Create motion with wide angle lens (ex)Use diagonal lines (ex)Combine thick and thin lines (or other

contrasts)(ex)Through use of color (ex)Frame your subject as disproportionately

small (ex)

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Wide angle

Wide angle

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Diagonal lines

Diagonal lines

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Combine thick and thin lines

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Through use of color

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Frame your subject as disproportionately small

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Techniques to help see creatively and compose better photos

True seeing is not a function of the camera. How you arrange your subject is the real creative act.Fill the frame (ex)Define the horizon (landscapes) (ex)Apply rule of thirds (ex)Vertical vs horizontal (ex)Skew the point of view (ex)Frame the subject (ex)Silhouette the subject (ex)Break the rules (ex)

Fill the frame

Fill the frame

Fill the frame

Fill the frame

Fill the frame

Fill the frame

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Define the horizon

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Define the horizon

Horizon at bottom third when if sky is interesting

Define the horizon

Horizon at top third when sky is not interesting

Horizon at top with low point of view

backGet down low, close to surface to enhance foreground elements

Apply rule of thirds

Place point of interest where lines intersect

Apply rule of thirds

Apply rule of thirds

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Vertical vs horizontal

Vertical vs horizontal

Vertical vs horizontal

Vertical vs horizontal

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Skew the point of view (tilt camera)

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Frame the subject

• Look “through” a foreground element to the point of interest

• The foreground element “frames” the main point of interest

Frame the subject

Frame the subject

Frame the subject

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Silhouette the subject

Low light and back lit subject and camera only sees the shape of the object, no colors

Silhouette the subject

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Silhouette the subject

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Break the rules

Once you know the rules of composition, you can break the rules when it supports the message you are trying to convey

Break the rules

Break the rules

Other techniques:

Leading lines (ex)Lead the subject

looking space (ex)Avoid mergers

tonal mergers – (ex) dimensional mergers – (ex) border mergers – ex: cutting subject off at edge of

frame

Leading lines

• Lines that lead the viewer’s eyes through the photo

• Diagonal lines and S curves are especially effective

Leading lines

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Lead the subject

Room in front of the subject within the frame of the photo

Not leading the subject

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Tonal mergers

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when important objects in a scene appear to blend together and lose their identity.

Dimensional mergers

important scene elements run together because the eye sees 3D, camera doesn’t

Dimensional mergers

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Border mergers

when subject matter is cropped too tightly or cut off by the edge of the frame at an inappropriate point

Fini!