Composition & Design Digital photography

The Compose and Expose Rule Compose:      This is the creative or artistic bit where you arrange all of the elements of your picture within the frame or viewfinder to produce what should hopefully be a pleasing composition. Expose:         This is the scientific and mechanical bit where you expose your digital camera to light through the lens and if you are lucky preserve the image

The modern camera is capable of many things The modern camera is capable of many things. It can focus for you; work out exposure for you; select a suitable shutter speed or aperture along with a multitude of other functions. However useful you may find these functions the one thing a camera can't do is compose your picture for you. It has no idea what it is pointing at and it has no idea what you are trying to achieve - so you are on your own.

Using the Digital Cameras There are 3 basic ways to arrange the elements within your composition. Physically move objects relative to each other. Only really works with still life photography. Tell people to move relative to each other or other objects. Only works with people who can hear you and will cooperate with you. Move ! Usually the most effective way to control your composition is to alter your viewpoint. Composition. If you are using an 'auto-everything' camera like a 35mm compact or program SLR then your main area of control is going to be in the composition of your photographs. Sadly I can't tell you how to take a great picture as to some degree it comes down to your ability to 'see' a picture or the potential to create a picture. Having said that; there are a load of 'rules' and techniques you can use to improve the final look of your photographs. We will look at a few of the popular, effective and easy to implement techniques that you will be able to start using right away. Quick Tip Editing:    Before you show anyone those hundreds of holiday photos or the 2 hour slide show, edit your work. Take out all the doubles, all the duds, the out of focus and generally crap. Only show people the good stuff and your standing as a photographer immediately increases. Pro's can shoot a load of rubbish like anyone else; they just don't show it to anybody. That last one is probably the easiest and yet most important. How often have you thought 'that would make a great picture' then put your camera to your eye and taken a photograph. Loads of times, you see people do it all the time. By all means do that but right after doing it take a wander about and see if you can improve on your original composition by changing your viewpoint. You may be surprised how much difference walking a few metres can make.

Rule of Thirds The most well know principle of photographic composition is the ‘Rule of Thirds‘. The basic principle behind the rule of thirds is to imagine breaking an image down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so that you have 9 parts.

Rule of Thirds With this grid in mind the ‘rule of thirds’ now identifies four important parts of the image that you should consider placing points of interest in as you frame your image.

Rule of Thirds The theory is that if you place points of interest in the intersections or along the lines that your photo becomes more balanced and will enable a viewer of the image to interact with it more naturally. Studies have shown that when viewing images that people’s eyes usually go to one of the intersection points most naturally rather than the center of the shot - using the rule of thirds works with this natural way of viewing an image rather than working against it.

Rule of Thirds The above picture of the bee where the bee’s eye is becomes the point of focus

Rule of Thirds A good technique for landscape shots is to position horizons along one of the horizontal lines also as done with the following shot

Framing a Subject Framing is the technique of drawing attention to the subject of your image by blocking other parts of the image with something in the scene.

Benefits of Framing giving the photo context - for example framing a scene with an archway can tell you something about the place you are by the architecture of the archway or including some foliage in the foreground of a shot can convey a sense of being out in nature. Giving images a sense of depth and layers (in essence framing a shot generally puts something in the foreground which adds an extra dimension to the shot).

leading the eye towards your main focal point (some ‘frames’ can draw your photo’s viewer into the picture just by their shape). Some also believe that a frame can not only draw the eye into a picture but that it keeps it there longer - giving a barrier between your subject and the outside of the shot.

Framing a subject Intriguing your viewer. Sometimes it’s what you can’t see in an image that draws you into it as much as (if not more than) what you can see in the picture. Clever framing that leaves those viewing your image wondering a little or imagining what is behind your frame can be quite effective (get it wrong and it can also be quite annoying!). Frames for photographs come in all shapes and sizes and can include shooting through overhanging branches, shooting through windows, using tunnels, arches or doorways - you can even use people (for example shooting over shoulders or between heads) etc. Your frame doesn’t need to go completely around the edges of your image - they might just be on one or two edges of your shot. My rule of thumb when considering framing is to ask the question - ‘will this add to or take away from the image?’ Sometimes framing can just add clutter to a shot and make it feel cramped - but at other times it can be the difference between an ordinary shot and a stunning one. Lastly - if you do use framing techniques you also need to consider whether you want your frame to be in focus or not. In some instances a nicely blurred frame will really add a sense of mood and depth to your shots (in this case use a large aperture) but in other cases to have your frame in focus can help with adding context to the scene (in this case choose a narrow aperture.

F R A M E S

Lines The lines that can be found in images are very powerful elements that with a little practice can add dynamic impact to a photograph in terms of mood as well as how they lead an image’s viewer into a photo. Four types of lines are: Horizontal Vertical Diagonal Leading Lines

Lines – Horizontal Lines H o r i z o n t a l l i n e s i n a n i m a g e c o n v e y s a m e s s a g e o f ’ s t a b i l i t y ’ o r e v e n ‘ r e s t ’ .

Horizons should generally not be placed in the middle of your frame Horizons should generally not be placed in the middle of your frame. This leaves an image feeling unsettled compositionally. A much more effective technique is to place them in the upper or lower third of your frame. If you want to accentuate the calming stable impact of a horizon one effective technique to use is to shoot your images with horizontal framing (with the longest part of your cameras frame from left to right. Alternatively if you want to reemphasize horizontal lines shoot with you camera in a vertical framing. Keep in mind that unbroken horizons can often lead to a photograph feeling somewhat static or dull and a good strategy is to use other shapes in the landscape you’re photograph to break things up and give a point of interest (mountains, trees, buildings etc).

Lines – Vertical Lines Vertical lines have the ability to convey a variety of different moods in a photograph ranging from power and strength (think of skyscrapers) to growth (think of trees). As horizontal lines can be accentuated by shooting in horizontal format vertical lines can be used very effectively by swapping the way you hold your camera into a vertical framing. This lengthens the vertical subject further which can emphasize it’s height.

Lines – Diagonal Lines Diagonal lines generally work well to draw the eye of an image’s viewer through the photograph. They create points of interest as they intersect with other lines and often give images depth by suggesting perspective. They can also add a sense of action to an image and add a dynamic looks and feel.

Different studies have been done into how people view images and many of them say that a natural way into an image is by traveling left to right and so a diagonal line starting at the bottom left and moving to the top right of an image can be quite useful and natural. Of course you wouldn’t want to split your image into two with a harsh line from corner to corner - rather look for for patterns and curves between shapes that might do this naturally. Keep in mind that numerous diagonal lines leading in different directions and intersecting with one another can add a sense of action to your photo but adding too many diagonal lines might make it chaotic and confusing.

Lead-in Lines