Composition Tips o Rule of Thirds o Line o Simplicity o Silhouette o Human Interest o Shadows o Perspective o Selective (depth of field)

Rule of Thirds o Divide the frame into thirds horizontally and vertically, the points where those lines intersect are good suggestions for placement of your subject.

Line o Primary use of line is to lead the eye. Converging lines suggest distance and parallel lines suggest depth. Oblique lines are restless and dynamic, curved lines are soft and sensuous.

Simplicity o Decide what in the picture you want to be the main point of interest, and build the picture around that, removing or suppressing everything that would compete for attention with the point of interest. Eyes Faces The human form in general Animals Light colored objects (against a dark background) Dark objects (against a light background) Warm-colored objects (against cool-colored or desaturated backgrounds: red on green, red on gray) Objects with strong contrast

Silhouette o Silhouette images are interesting. They show an outline (a silhouette) of the subject in black against a more detailed background. The effect can be artistic and convey an image more powerful than one in which the subject is presented in detail. o It requires lighting behind the subject we wish to show in silhouette (typically provided by the sun)

Human Interest o Picture that shows human emotion, family, relationships, etc.

Shadows o The rough image cast by an object blocking rays of illumination.

Perspective o Taking an ordinary object and looking at it from a different view, a unique point of view, not ordinary. o the size of objects is proportionally reduced as these objects become increasingly distant from the viewer.

Selective (depth of field) o Focusing on one object and ignoring the other ones, and thus creating a blurry background.