Photo composition

1. COMPOSITION

2. Composition
1. A picture features more than one element
2. It should tell a story –– understood as a
composition
3. You only have a few seconds to catch a
reader’s attention; simple-subject images
won’t attract enough attention
4. Find the line between layered and art for
art’s sake

6. Tips
1. Consider other visuals you consume on a
daily basis (film, television, billboards, etc.)
and start critiquing them all
2. Always ask yourself, “What constitutes a
journalistic image?”

10. OK Photo

11. OK Photo

12. Bad Photo

13. Bad Photo

14. Bad Photo

15. Bad Photo

16. Key Terms
1. Shutter Speed: The amount of time the
gate (shutter) of a camera opens to allow
light through
2. Aperture: The opening through which light
travels into the camera
3. Exposure: Control of lightness/darkness
‣ Exposure relies on shutter speed (time shutter is
open) and f-stop (lens hole size)
‣ Controlled by the light meter

17. Key Terms cont’d
1. SLR: Single-lens reflex; a system that allows
you to see exactly how the image will
appear once you take the picture
2. Focus: The image clarity based mostly on
auto vs. manual focus and distance
3. Noise: Graininess that appears in an image,
normally from nighttime shots

18. Rules of Composition
1. Rule of thirds
2. Framing
3. Balance
4. People (my suggestion)

19. Favor the Human Condition
1. People are more interesting than static shots
(neutron bomb shots).
2. Identify people if there are five or fewer in
the picture.

21. OK photo

22. OK Photo

23. 9 BOXES OF AN IMAGE P
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
8.
D
1.
2.
3.
4.

34. Dead space