Photo Composition: The Basic Rules and Concepts

One difference between good photojournalists and superior photojournalists is the ability to take a newsworthy picture quickly when circumstances don’t allow much time for preparation or thought. If you examine the work of these professionals, you find that even their grab shots are well-composed. Withscarcely an instant’s notice, they can line up and shoot a picture that commands your attention.

The very best photos are usually not accidents; they are carefully planned and composed. That is, such pictures display good composition, which is the careful selection and arrangement of the photo’s subject matter within a frame. I’m not suggesting you set up your camera on a tripod and wait hours — à la Ansel Adams — in anticipation of the universe settling into exactly the right arrangement. Instead, simply understanding how good composition works and keeping that in mind when you plan your photos can make a world of difference.

The following list gives you an overview of how to plan and execute good photo composition:

• Visualizing a concept for your picture: It’s important to know what you want your picture to say and who your audience is.
• Choosing your subject matter: This isn’t as easy as it appears to be. A picture might be filled with interesting things to look at, but you must select which one should be the subject of the picture.
• Deciding on a center of interest: One point in the picture should naturally draw the eye as a starting place for the viewer’s exploration of the rest of the image. With a center of interest, the photo becomes focused and not simply a collection of objects.
• Picking the picture orientation: Some subjects look best when shown in a tall, vertically oriented frame. Some look best in a wide, horizontal format. A few need a square composition. To make the most of your camera’s resolution, choose an orientation when you take the photo rather than cropping it in an image editor.
• Establishing the distance and point of view: These elements affect your photo’s composition and are sometimes difficult to control. For example, when you’re attending that World Series game, you can’t easily substitute your upper-deck seats for a choice position next to the dugout (although it’s worth a try).
• Planning for action: If your subjects are moving, you need to anticipate where they will be and how they will be arranged when you take the picture.
• Working with the background: Objects and textures in the background can work for you or against you. The area behind your main subject is an important part of the composition.
• Arranging all within the frame: How you accomplish arranging within the frame depends on the situation. In some situations, such as at sports events, you can’t dictate how the subjects are arranged. For example, no matter how much you want an action shot of Ichiro Suzuki, the Seattle Mariners’ star, isn’t likely to relocate to center field to accommodate your photo. Book III
• Directing the eye within the frame: Use lines and curves to provide a guided tour of your image, directing the viewer from one portion to another to finally focus on the main center of interest. Balance the composition to keep the eye from wandering to “lopsided” parts of the image.

Although these guidelines for composition can help you, remember that they are only guidelines. Your instincts and creative sense will tell you when it’s a good time to break those rules, grind them up into tiny pieces, and stomp them under your feet in your quest for an unusual, eye-catching picture. If you examine Picasso’s earliest art, you’ll see that he knew how to paint in the classical style. His legacy is based on knowing when not to paint according to the time-honored rules.

The Basic Rule for Composite the Picture

Below are four simple compositional rules of engagement which you can consider.

• Use of Lines: Lines are used so as to lead the eye to the main subject in the frame. Lines in the landscape can be created from row of trees, a fence, a pathway or bending of rivers. For example, a pathway starting in the foreground could run into the frame franked by two rows of trees by the side and lead to a majestic castle in the distance.

• Use of Geometric shapes: You will never shortage of objects during your landscape photography session. Look out for distance objects in your frame. The easiest way is to create triangles. Frame an object in the foreground, one in the middle distance and the final one at the far distance. Linked them all up to form a three corners imaginary triangle.

• The rule of thirds: This is the probably the most well-known compositional tool in landscape photography. It works extremely well. Essentially, you have to divide your frame into nine squares. That is, two vertical lines and two horizontal lines spaced equally. With this, you will have four intersection points whereby you can place the main subject for a balanced composition. For example, you can place a monument in the foreground and on one of the intersection points. In addition, you can also place the horizon on the horizontal lies.

• Using frames: Using frames is another good method to capture the main point. You can use a wide range of objects as frame. However, probably the most popular and easy object to use is the tree or bushes. The overhanging branches of the tree positioned at the edges or the top of the frame will naturally lead the eye towards the main point of interest. You can also consider to line the bushes at the bottom edge of the frame.

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