This document provides information on various photography composition techniques, including: - Deep depth of field and shallow depth of field - High and low camera angles - Tilted frames, subject positioning, and nose room - Use of color, texture, leading lines, and framing It describes each technique and gives examples of when and how it could be used to enhance photographs. The goal is to teach students best practices for intentional composition choices.

1. Photo
Composition

2. All photos were taken by students

3. Deep Depth
of Field

4. Deep Depth of Field
• Usually not used in professional photos
• Everything is in equal focus from front to back

5. Deep Depth of Field
• Everything is in equal focus from front to back
• The picture must have a front and back

6. Deep Depth of Field
• The focus is usually softer throughout
• It usually pictures LARGE objects – like
landscapes

7. Deep Depth of Field
• The picture has no true subject

8. DEEP DEPTH NOT DEEP DEPTH

9. Shallow
Depth of
Field

10. Shallow Depth of Field
• Part of the forward to back is in focus.
Another part of the photo is out of focus.

11. Shallow Depth of Field
• It is imperative to note that the front OR the
back may be in focus. The middle may also be
the focus point.

12. Shallow Depth of Field
• Used by most professional photographers.
• It is extraordinarily difficult to perform this
technique (but NOT impossible) without using a
manual focus camera.

14. Background
Pitfalls
Not student photo

15. Background Pitfalls
• Be wary – especially in deep depth pictures –
of the background.
• It may be distracting, or make your subject
look QUITE strange.
Not student photos

16. Wrong Way Right Way
Not student photos

17. High Angle

18. High Angle
• Photographer is positioned above subject
• Subject usually has space around in photo

19. High Angle
• Subjects are usually small, and photo makes
them look even smaller.

20. High Angle
• Also brings about feelings of innocence,
peace, relaxation, solitude.

21. High Angle
• Typical subjects include nature, children, small
animals.

22. Low
Angle

23. Low Angle
• Photographer is below subject
• Subject usually fills frame from side-to-side

24. Low Angle
• Subjects can extend beyond the frame of
photo

25. Low Angle
• Subjects are usually large, or meant to seem
even larger

26. Low Angle
• Brings about feelings of dominance, strength,
chaos, controlling

27. Low Angle
• Typical subjects include buildings, large
animals, mountains, adults, or authority
figures

29. Tilted
Composition

30. Tilted Composition
• Turns the camera a few degrees to one side

31. Tilted Composition
• BIG angles are easy to see and cause greater
discomfort and chaos
• Smaller angles can be very subtle, and almost
unnoticeable.

34. Subject
Positioning

35. Subject Positioning
• Subject positioning adds interest to the photo
by placing the subject to one side

36. Subject Positioning
• Subject can be placed slightly or dramatically
to one side

37. Subject Positioning
• Nearly all professional photos use subject
positioning

38. Subject Positioning
• Subjects can also be placed up or down
• Simply move the camera to place subject

40. Nose Room
• Change composition to position subject to the
left or right of the frame
• Subject travels toward the center of the photo
• You show WHERE the subject IS GOING

41. Nose Room
• About one-third is behind the subject, about
two-thirds is ahead
• Implies movement in the picture
• Must travel left to right or right to left

42. • About two-thirds of empty frame is ahead of
subject
• One-third is behind
• Larger space is always in front of the subject

43. Color

44. Color
• Placing contrasting objects adjacent to
highlight differences
• Usually warm (red, orange, yellow, green) next
to cool (blue, purple, green)

45. Color
• NOT BLACK AND WHITE – THESE ARE NOT
COLORS
• Usually striking – can be natural

47. Texture

48. Texture
• Photographing close enough to see the
individual makeup – rise and fall
• Best pictures are natural objects

49. Texture
• Photograph so you feel like you could touch
each ridge and fall
• Usually a calming effect on viewer – to see
individuality of makeup
Not student photographs

50. Leading
Lines

51. Leading Lines
• Photographing parallel lines to convergence
• The convergence of lines ‘points’ viewer
toward a subject

52. Leading Lines
• The lines may be real, or suggested by parallel
objects
• Creates a dynamic interesting photo that can
point to a desired subject

54. Framing

55. Framing
• Surrounding your
subject – usually on
three sides
• It points to a subject like
a bullseye

56. Framing
• Surrounding your subject – usually on three sides
• It points to a subject like a bullseye
• Akin to an actual frame. Usually it is in the
foreground or background, but can be in the
same plane

57. Framing
• Akin to an actual frame. Usually it is in the
foreground or background, but can be in the
same plane

59. Dynamic

60. Dynamic
• Photo(s) that contain on or more composition
techniques and best example(s) of your work.