a simple guide on some of the key skill used to help make that perfect photo

1. Photosare some of the most difficultformsof tellingastoryas it’s all in one image andso are
limitedinthe manytool othermediumsuse like motioninmovies andabstractconceptsin
literature,sothere isaplethoraof techniquesthatcanbe usedtomanipulate the viewerinto
respondingtoyourphoto inthe intendedway.
1) The rule of three
Whentakinga picture it’sveryhelpful tocreate agrid of nine equal squaresthathelpin
knowwhere certainaspectsof the photoshouldbe,forexample
These image use the rule of three verywell withthe subjectseyesbeingclose tothe highest
horizontal line toreplicatethe natural waywe usuallyviewotherpeople, meaningthatthe
highestpointoureyesusually meetonapersonis theireyesandthenwe will scan
downwardsandthat iswhyin the imageswe neversee space above the headbecause it
wouldn’treflecthowwe ashumanexperience the worldandfurthermore the extraspace
can draw focusfromthe restof the focusof the photographandnot successfullyevokethe
emotionitsmeantto.
Despite notbeingaportraitimage the rule of three can applyto a myriadof othertypesof
photoslike thisone

2. Thisimage usesthe rule of three ina differentwaythanitsportraitcounterpart,ratherthan
focusingitseffectsonthe vertical lengthof the image itinsteadfocusesonthe affectof the
horizontal insteadbyPlacingthe birdonboththe bottomand tophorizontal linestoallow
an entire image of the birdbutalso onlyplacingthe birdonthe right vertical line andmore
importantlyleavingspace onthe leftvertical line,thisisveryaffectiveasitpromptsfor your
response of sucha jarringfeature that wouldn’tbe theirunlessforintentional attention
whichinthiscircumstance can be a numberof thingslike the birdhaspreparingtotake of to
the leftor the birdhas noticessomethinginthisareawhichisconsolidatedbyhisheadbeing
directedinthatarea.
The rule of three doesnotonlyapplywhenreplicatinghumanexperiencesormakingsubtle
implicationsthroughthe lackof informationratherthanthe overexposure of itbutalsoto
depictmotioneitherinprogressorthe lackof it,for example
The subjectinthisimage (thatbeingthe boat) has beenplacedinthe centre square between
the top and bottomhorizontal linesgivingaclearlydefinedfocustothe photobutat the
same time makesthe boatappear motionlessand insteadlikeitsbobbingbutwhenyousee
the image belowyourperceptionof movementmaybe remarkablydifferent.

3. Because of the boat beingplacedonthe leftvertical line andalsoleavingspace with
seeminglynothinginit,we nowassume thatspace emptyhaseitherbeentravelledbyor
will be travelledbythe boatdue to how we normallyexperience sucheventsinrealityand
howthe photo replicatesitlike how the firstimage replicatehow we view otherhumans.
Throughart imitatinglifewe can see the storytellingsuchimagescreate bymanipulating
our responsestoseeminglysubtle changes.
Negative space canhavinga strongaffecton how we perceive the image presentedtous
and howwe are supposedtofeel throughourassumptiononthe stereotypesof
photography.
In thisimage the girlsseemstobe lonelybecause thereisalarge amountof space inrelation
the space takenupby otherpeople implyingthatthe girlsisoverwhelmedbyextreme
isolation, simply.

4. But inthisimage it appearsthatalthoughshe isalone butshe’snot goingto be forlong as it
appearsthat there islessspace beingleftwithnothinginitmeaningthatshe become more
of a focusinthe image butshe’sslightlyfromthe centre,why?
Thisis because she iswaitingforsome one tositnextto herand create balance to the
picture,we assume thisbecause we are naturallyattractto shapesandbecause whenwe
viewpicture of twopeople are positionedequallynext toeachotherto create a balance
betweenthembutthe lackof a secondpersonimpliesnotcompanionshipbutanticipation
for companionship.
As previouslyaforementionedwe are naturallyattractedtogeometricshapesandbalance in
our imagessowhenproducingaphoto itis goodto subtlyimplygeometrytoyourimage to
create an attractive factor that drawsothersin.

5. Whencreatingan image make sure to avoidovercomplication,thisisbecause the features
for a personto focuson will draw awayfromthe centre of the image an the true intended
focusof attentionandbydoingthisweakenthe centre of interestinyourimage.
By removingextrafeaturesyoucangetridof unnecessaryextrafeaturesthathinderyour
chance at creatinga great image of anyfeature included.