When in comes to the making of a photograph, several elements are important:
1) Subject
2) Composition
3) Exposure
4) Motion or lack of it
5) Depth of field
6) Color 7) Lighting
8) Lens Choice
9) Shooting angle
10) Focus
11) And most important, the mood or feeling of the photograph.
All of these elements are subjective, of course. There are, however, certain guidelines that are helpful to consider before you take a shot.
For me, composition is one of the key factors, maybe one of the most important factors, in the making of a good picture. It is one factor that can be easily learned - and improved upon.
After all, you decided what you want and don't want in the frame, just like a painter who decides what and what not to paint on a canvass.
One way to learn about composition it to look at the work of other photographers. So . . . . here are a few examples of some composition techniques.
The two pictures above illustrate these composition tips:
- Place the subject off center.
- Compose following the rule of thirds (tic-tac-toe grid over the frame)
- The name of the game is to fill the frame.
- Shoot for a balanced photograph.
- The shooting angle matters.
- Isolating each of the main subjects makes them stand out in the scene.
- Isolating each of the main subjects makes them stand out in the scene.
For lots more on composition, see my class on Kelby Training: Composition - the strongest way of seeing.
Explore the light,
Rick