Photographic Composition Post By: Frans

Our class has been working on Composition to further improve our photography skills. Composition in photography can alter how you're taking your photos as you may want to consider the position you're in, reducing image components, and many more. We were allowed to pick 3 or 9 of the topics to be familiar with such as Line, Shape, Simplification, Negative Space, Rule Of Odds, Rule of Thirds, Rule Of Space, Sub-Framing, and Rhythm. We were showcased multiple videos about this topics which guided us on what type of pictures we wanted to take. It was a fruitful experience being able to take the photos, but additionally challenging.

Line helps guide the viewers eyes to the composition. It defines shapes and makes a statement. A tip when working with lines in photography, you might want to change your point of view. There are 5 types of lines, organic lines, diagonal lines, horizontal or vertical lines, and implied lines. Diagonal lines and organic lines are present in this shot from the wires.

Shape emphasizes lines in compositions. There are a plethora of techniques with shape like scale, cropping, fragmentation, focus, metaphor, and implied shape. I focused on scale in this shot, and by placing one of the vases in the back, it creates an illusion that one vase is bigger than the other. A vertical line fragments where the two vases meet up.

Simplification reduces an images component to what it necessary. There is more negative space since it allows the composition to breath. When working with simplification, take things out of the image that is not important to the subject of the picture. As you can see in the shot, there is a wide area of negative space.

Negative Space is all about figure and ground relationship. Similar to simplification, negative space allows the subject to breath. Having a balance of high and low impact gives a natural and calming feeling to the viewers. In my shot, my composition is the tree branches, and the negative space is the sky. As you can see, there is minimal activity to my shot.

Rule Of Odds is simply, a grouping of 3 subjects. It is more pleasing to the eye if there is an odd number of subjects in the shot, rather than an even one. Rule Of Odds suggests balance and harmony. In this composition, there are 3 strawberries. The 2 strawberries in the side brings balance to the middle strawberry.

Rule Of Thirds in composition is use to achieve balance. Imagine your shot was divided into 2 lines vertically and horizontally, the points where the lines intertwine is where you want to put your composition. There should be 4 compositions in your shot. The composition in my shot is the 2 cars, the roof, and the electric pole.

Rule Of Space implies action, creates a sense of motion. Incorporate negative space that will relate to the subject's movement. The viewer creates a conclusion for the subject. In this shot, my brother, is about to go up the stairs, which creates a sense of motion and conclusion.

Sub-Framing is a picture, within a picture. The picture is either enclosed in a shape or line to frame it. Sub-Framing creates contrast between 2 subjects. In my shot, the hole that leads to the slide, creates a picture within a picture.

Rhythm in composition, is a musical metaphor. There is a series of pattern like a rhythm. Syncopation is a rhythm that starts to pull against the main pulse, which in turn starts to make it feel less natural. My shot has syncopation since there is no pulse or pattern in the composition.