Post by daviddewar on May 26, 2011 19:09:03 GMT -5
Composition
by David Dewar on Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:44 pm
Lets talk about composition in photographs. Having a properly composed shot is just as important as having the correct exposure and in some ways may be more important. A photo that may be just slightly underexposed or perhaps out of foucus just a little can still be an interesting photo if it is composed effectivly. We should however, always try to get all three elements, exposure, focus and composition right as much as possible. So how should we try to compose a typical shot? I say typical because rules where meant to be broken and sometimes the result of bending rules can be very succsesful. But lets stick with the regular old rules shall we. The rule I'm referring to is the "rule of thirds". As you look into the view finder of your camera, imagine the space that you are looking at is divded into three parts. They could be vertical or horizontal depending on the scene you are looking at. For example, if you are photographing a landscape, you may want to divde the scene horizontaly. Following the rule of thirds, you may want to place the horizon of the scene in the top third of your view in order to draw attention what is in the foreground. Conversly, you may want to place the horizon in the bottom third of your scene to draw attention to a dramatic sky. Dividing the scene verticaly has a similar effect. Instead of placing an interesting tree in the middle of your frame, place it one third to the right or left and voila, a much more interesting shot. This concept can be taken to another level by talking about quadrants. But more about that later. Now that we understand about thirds, lets see how it can be applied to different types of photography. We have already talked about landscapes so lets talk about general everyday shooting. How would we use the rule of thirds to compose a shot of the family dog? I happen to have a family dog that gets shot all the time. Not the way my wife would like, but still, she appears in a lot of photos. If the dog was sitting out in the yard for example, looking off to the left in your view finder, you could position the dog on the right of your scene giving the dog someplace to look which is much more interesting for the viewer. Whats that dog looking at? Well ok, maybe they don't even care what the dog is looking at but you get the idea. The same idea can be applied to portaits. A head shot slightly off center is more interesting to look at than a perfectly centered shot of grandpa. Shots of things that move, a car for example, should be given someplace to go. Place the car in the left or right third of the shot, depending on which way the car is facing, and it gives it someplace to go. Give the rule of thirds a try and you may be supprised at how much more interesting your photos become. On the next post I'll talk about taking the rule of thirds one step farther.
David Dewar
Club President
Posts: 766
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 7:15 pm