Here are some basic rules of photography. Great for a student publications staff or beginning photo class. There are brief explanations of rules of composition with examples. I also discuss how to choose photos for publication

1. Photo Rules!!

2. Objective Analyze photos using composition and other “rules” Learn how to choose photos that will enhance or help tell your story

3. What are Compositional Tools? Rules or ideas you use to assemble your photographs This does not mean they are posed by you, the photographer Instead you must learn to see these elements/tools through your lens and use them to our advantage!

4. Rule of Thirds Think of putting a tic-tac-toe board on your photos Place your subject on intersection points Visually interesting when subject isn’t centered

5. Leading Lines Using natural lines to draw viewers eye to subject The lines should lead viewer right to the subject or main object in your photo

6. Dominant ForegroundContributing Background Main subject is in the Foreground and that is where the viewers eye goes first Secondary subject/content in the background contributes to the meaning or understanding of the photo

7. Pattern & Repetition Look for repeating patterns and use them to your advantage Filling the frame with repeating objects can be visually interesting

8. Selective Focus Make your subject in focus, and the background blurry This will draw the readers attention to your subject first

9. Framing Using other elements in the photo to frame your subject naturally This will help draw the viewers eye to your subject

10. Blur Blur is a good way of showing action or motion Subject is blurry Everything else is in focus

11. Panning Another good way to show action Focus on and follow your subject as they move you must be moving or following them with your lens Subject will be in focus Everything else will be blurry

12. Birds-Eye View Shoot from above your subject Stand on something (safely) and shoot down

13. Worms-Eye View Shoot up at your subject Get low to ground

14. Must Have People! Photojournalism isn’t “artsy” Make sure there are people in your photos Photos of flowers and trees don’t really help tell your story

16. Show/Capture emotion Don’t take boring posed photos Be patient and try to capture that one moment that tells the story

18. Candid photos, no posing Don’t capture “say cheese” photos Wait until people aren’t focused on you Capture candid moments

20. Chemistry Story with Photos The Story: Academic More students taking AP Chemistry Chemistry lab has new equipment, more experiments Choose Dominant and Contributing Photo Enhances the story Has some compositional elements Pulls your reader in Choose 2 bad photos you wouldn’t use Bad composition Doesn’t help tell the story