Composition Techniques Composition deals with the arrangement of subjects & directing the viewer’s eye through your image.

Elements of Art & Principles of Design By utilizing the Elements of Art & Principles of Design in combination with some basic techniques for composition, you create beautiful images.

Composition Techniques Cropping & Content Choices Framing the subject Using Backgrounds Spot Pattern Contrast of Light & Dark Creative Lighting Hard or Soft Lighting Contrast of Sharpness Strong center of interest Point of View Perspective S-Curve Cropping Rule of 3rds Simplicity Get Closer Triangular Composition

Cropping & Content Choices Are you going to show the whole scene or a part of a scene. Sometimes the detail shots give as much info as the whole scene. Only keep what you need. Choose what will be at the edges of your picture space. Also, crop out the unimportant things. Shoot tight when possible to focus greater attention on the important things in the image area.

Portrait or Landscape View The picture at the left is a typical snapshot at a beach shot using horizontal composition – or a Landscape view. However, it’s too far away from the main subject and the space on either side of the girl seems to over power her and it’s difficult to see her face. By zooming in on the girl and turning the camera, the image is much improved. This is now a vertical or portrait view. This works better with the shape of the subject – she’s vertical, so a vertical composition works better for her. Horizontal- Landscape View Vertical - Portrait View

Framing the Subject Where you choose to crop into your scene Also objects in the foreground can frame subjects in the background

Rule of Thirds Places important subjects at the 1/3 lines horizontally or vertically or both. Keeps things out of the middle which can become boring.

Placement of Horizon Line Place the horizon line either in the upper or lower third of the image area.

Backgrounds Have the background work with the foreground for added impact Or…have the background be less important Click at the right to go to the image. It’s a great example of an image where the background really works with the foreground subject. 9/ /in/gallery-pottengermn /#/photos/sibemoll e99/ /in/gallery- pottengermn /lightbox/ 9/ /in/gallery-pottengermn /#/photos/sibemoll e99/ /in/gallery- pottengermn /lightbox/

Avoid Mergers Avoid things sticking out of the heads of your subjects. Avoid color mergers so the subject doesn’t get lost in the background. Example: A dark haired model on a dark background can present problems unless you add light to either the hair or the background.

Spot Consider a spot of light Consider a spot of color Either will draw attention to your subject.

Pattern Any repeated shape becomes a pattern

Contrasts of Light & Dark Strong contrasts of light & dark can be very dramatic

Lighting - Hard or Soft Hard or soft light can change the entire mood of your subject.

Contrast of Sharpness Having some things sharp and some things out of focus can help you direct the viewer’s attention and avoid distracting from the main subject

Point of View Vary your point of view so that you are not looking at things from eye level all the time. Consider high and low vantage points.

Perspective & Depth Try creating a sense of depth in your image by using the converging lines associated with perspective.

Leading Lines - S Curve It could be a leading line that leads the eye back in space.

Cropping Choose where to place things in the frame…what will be at the edges? Will you create tension or move closer to something. The cropping can add to the mood of the subject. Cropping can simplify your forms. Look carefully at the frame and the corners of the viewfinder. Do you need all that background? Can you get closer to the subject or zoom in?

Simplicity Probably the most important “rule” of composition. Try not to have distracting elements in the picture.

Get Closer Often, beginning photographers are afraid to get close to their subjects. Being closer helps limit distracting elements and strengthens your composition.

Geometric Compositions It can sometimes help to arrange things in geometric shapes such as circles, triangles, hexagons. Sometimes they just happen and sometimes you make them happen. Below is a link for book for portrait composition s?id=bwritLFycM0C&lpg=PA 40&ots=a6M7wcf1DS&dq=ge ometric%20composition%20p hotography%20portrait%20gr oups&pg=PA44#v=onepage& q&f=false s?id=bwritLFycM0C&lpg=PA 40&ots=a6M7wcf1DS&dq=ge ometric%20composition%20p hotography%20portrait%20gr oups&pg=PA44#v=onepage& q&f=false

Strong Center of Interest or Focal Point You need a strong subject to have a dynamic photo. If your viewer can’t find the subject, they won’t bother to look for stay with your image any length of time. You have a nano- second to capture a viewer’s attention in a magazine page.

Use Diagonals Setting your subject matter on a diagonal will almost always make for a more dynamic picture. Even if this is an invisible diagonal that draws your eye between two points. Move around the subject and look for a diagonal. Diagonals command attention and draw the viewer’s eye.

Break the Rules There are many things we have not discussed here. Experiment Play with new ideas Do the opposite of what anyone says and see what happens.