This document discusses composing photographs through the viewfinder. It recommends asking yourself what to include and exclude, what focal length to use, and how close or far away to get. Becoming aware of the edges of the viewfinder can help improve composition. Different crops of the same image can affect how it is interpreted. Students are assigned to create experimental darkroom work and a page on the rule of thirds, applying it during a shoot over half term break.

3. Examine your acetate. What does the exposure look like?
If your negatives don’t look correct please refer to the…
Black and White Film… when is goes wrong.. sheet.

4. Acetate darkroom work

6. Understanding your View Finder

7. -What do you want to include in your photograph?
(What do you want to leave out?)
-What focal length should you use?
-How close or far away do you want to get?
-What angle or viewpoint is right for you?
By asking yourself the above questions you are
challenging yourself to think about how you are
‘designing’ your image.
Becoming aware of the ‘corners’ of your viewfinder is a good
place to start in order to improve composition.

8. © Steve McCurry

9. © Steve McCurry

10. © Vivian Maier

11. © Guy Bourdin

12. Every time we look through our viewfinder of our camera
we are making decisions. Unlike painting where we
create the elements in the picture, in photography we are
actively deciding what to put
in and leave out.
How you compose your
image may have a big
effect on the overall
meaning.
Look at the following two
images and discuss how
the different crops affect
how you ‘read’ this
image.

19. This week……
-Create at least two double pages of
experimental acetate darkroom work. This
should include test strips, final outcomes,
explanations, opinions and artist links on the
page next to your work (use the
‘Experimental darkroom’ album)
Over Half Term..
-Create a page on ‘Rule of Thirds’ add explanations,
examples and your opinions.
Take a digital shoot and use ‘The Rule Thirds’ to
compose your images in this shoot. This shoot MUST
link to your ‘City’ theme and be inspired by a
photographer
Deadline: 4th/5th November
(make sure have your half term shoot with you)