composition intro for photography

1. Composition 1
Intro

3. “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
– ANSEL ADAMS

4. Composition noun com·po·si·tion ˌkäm-pə-ˈzi-shən : the way in which something is put
together or arranged : the combination of parts or elements that make up something
● Photography does not start with a blank canvas. The canvas already exists. It is
the photographer’s job to choose what is eliminated from the canvas or added
to it.
● Photographers have many, many decisions and choices to explore to create an
interesting and artful image…..

5. Composition:
The arrangement
of visual elements
in a work of art

6. POINT OF VIEW
RULE OF THIRDS
FRAMING
LEADING LINES
FOREGROUND/BACKGROUND
SYMMETRY AND PATTERNS
COMPOSITION

7. Strong
composition is
all about eye
movement.
You can control
this based on
where you place
objects in a
photo

8. Howdo you want the eye to move?
Things to prevent:
My eye is moving right out of the frame.
Not enough happening to hold my
eye’s attention. It’s just a plane…..
Boring.

9. How do you want the eye to move?
Things to prevent:
I don’t know what to look at?
What is the point of this photo?
Which figure is the subject here?

10. The eye
should stay in
the photo
without getting
bored, and the
subject, or
focal point,
should be
clear.

11. Before you
compose a
photograph, you
have to choose
the focal point.
What is the
subject? What do
you want to
convey? Where is
the action?

12. 1. Framing and Composition:
Angles of View
Worm’s Eye Bird’s Eye Eye level

13. Angles
Canted upwards
Low angle
(worm’s eye)

14. Angles
Canted upwards
Low angle
(worm’s eye)

15. Angles
Canted upwards
Low angle
(worm’s eye)

16. Eye Level -
camera at
subject’s height
Angles

17. Angles
Eye Level -
camera at
subject’s height

18. Angles
Eye Level -
camera at
subject’s
height

19. From above
looking
down
High angle
(bird’s eye)
Angles

20. Change your POV - go extreme!
Look WAY up Get your body and Camera WAY down

21. 1. Positioning:
Rule of Thirds

22. Rule of thirds
Composition
guide that
indicates how to
arrange a photo;
helps a
photographer
learn where to
place objects to
help the eye
travel in a photo

23. The rule of thirds says that you should
position the most important elements in
your scene along these lines, or at the
points where they intersect.
RULE OF THIRDS

26. Why rule of thirds works...
Putting the focal point
off center gives the
eye space to wander
around

27. Why rule of thirds works...
Dividing the canvas
unequally creates
emphasis for the focal
point; asymmetry

28. Why rule of thirds works...
•moving subject
off-center prevents
boredom,
•Concentrating detail
at specific locations
implies a focal point,
And helps the eye
move through the
image

29. If you don’t take your photo in rule of thirds you can
always crop it later. But it’s better to do it in camera if
possible.
RULE OF THIRDS

30. Pole Head
Watch out for background objects
coming out of your subject’s head
AVOID

31. Avoid Clutter!
-Minimize the Unnecessary
-Do not include extra stuff
that distracts the viewer.
-Do not ignore the
background. Be aware of
everything in the frame.
The clutter in the
background takes away from
the picture
AVOID

32. That doesn’t mean that you cannot have anything
besides the main subject. Just only include things
that help the image, not hurt it by distracting the
viewer.
SIMPLIFY

33. TODAY - Monday Sept 26th
Point of View and Rule of Thirds
1. Find a subject (or a variety of subjects)
2. LOOK for Good lighting
3. Look for interesting subjects
4. Pay attention to clutter in the background (isolate subject)
5. Shoot LOTS and get GOOD PHOTOS of
2 Worms Eye POVs - go extreme!
2 Birds Eye POVs - go extreme!
2 good photos of the ‘rule of thirds’