Principles of Composition Balance Unity Variety Rhythm/ Movement/Pattern Emphasis Proportion Power-point by: Bria Johnson
What Exactly is Composition? Composition is the arrangement & relationship of the elements of arts & principles of art in an image.
REMEMBER! Elements are the building blocks of composition. Principles are the plans/ideas for arranging the elements.
Principle #1: Balance/Rule of Thirds Balance refers to the ways in which the elements (lines, shapes, colors, textures, etc.) of a photo are arranged, Rule of thirds: photos are divided into thirds with two imaginary lines vertically and two lines horizontally making nine sections in the image.
Examples of Balance in a Photo Garry Winogrand 1950s (shows rule of thirds) Lothar Wolleh Guard Stockholm, 1965
Principle #2: Unity when all of the elements in a photo combine to make a balanced, harmonious, complete whole.
Examples of Unity In a Photo Margaret Bourke-White Diversion Tunnels, Fort Peck Dam 1936 Margaret Bourke-White Bread Line during the Louisville flood, Kentucky 1937
Principle #3: Variety a way of combining elements in involved ways to achieve detailed and complex relationships.
Examples of Variety in a Photo Irving Penn After-dinner Games New York, 1947 Irving Penn Salad Ingredients New York, 1947
Principle #4: Repetition/ Pattern Repeating visual elements such as line, color, shape, texture, value or image tends to unify the total effect of a work of art as well as create rhythm.
Examples of Repetition/Pattern in a Photo Tina Modotti Campesinos 1926 Margaret Bourke-White Fort Peck Dam 1936
Principle #5: Emphasis Highlighting/focusing on some aspect of a scene, subject, or object in a photo.
Examples of Emphasis in a Photo Josef Koudelka Czechoslovakia 1968 John Gutmann Strange Visitors 1934
Principle #5: Proportion refers to the relative size and scale of the various elements in photo. The issue is the relationship between objects, or parts, of a photo.
Examples of Proportion in a Photo Tina Modotti Woman with olla 1926 Eugene Atget Versailles 1905
Principle #6 Contrast Contrast is the difference between the lights and darks of an image. The greater the difference between lights and darks, the higher the contrast.
Examples of Contrast in a photo William Klein Candy Store, Amsterdam Avenue New York 1954-55 William Klein Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Broadway 1954-55
These are the Principles of Composition