A conversation on "composing an image"

Golf007sd

Their are many characteristics that make an image stand out. One key element for me is: composition. So lets talk about them.

I will start with perhaps one of the most commonly used: The Rule of Thirds. This article covers it perfectly.

The floor is yours....

heartyfisher

sorry but I want to talk about something else ...yes given rule of third goldenrule etc is good.. I find that there is another aspect I like to discuss ..

The crafted image (A) vs what you have (B) and how to get from B to A. What I mean by crafted images are like what you can see from panels of comic books or good Movies. second question is is it an aim for us to get from B to A .. do we lose something if we are able to do it. ie photographer grades .. grade 1 is you get a poor (B) image grade 2 you get a good (B) image grade 3,4,5 you progress to a (A) image.. but really when you get to grade 6, 7, 8 dont you get back to a GREAT (A) image?

sevencrossing

when I mentioned, The Rule of Thirds, to my teacher ( decades ago) he just said "rules are meant to be broken" one a piece of advice I have always followed

A story should have a beginning, a middle and an end, but not necessarily in that order.
Jean-Luc Godard

I think this is also true of an image
anyone else agree

henrik1963

The way I think about it: You want to guide the viewers attention - what is important and what is not. This is very important in an image where a lot is going on.

The rule of thirds is one way of dealing with the viewers attention. Another way is to use narrow DOF.

donaldejose

Using a curve such as an S or a 7: http://photographylife.com/the-magic-of-7-in-composition

Corner exits (or just line up leading lines with corners of the frame): http://photographylife.com/improving-eye-flow-by-creating-corner-exits

Center the subject: http://photographylife.com/central-composition-is-brilliant

Leading lines: http://photographylife.com/creating-and-using-leading-lines

Putting items in the foreground to create depth: http://photographylife.com/creating-and-using-leading-lines

ThomasHorton

Composition is is probably my biggest problem with my picture takin'

I know the rules of composition. But when looking through the VF, I still struggle with deciding which rule to use and how to apply it.

A photographer can find a good composition. A good photographer can make a good composition.

I know which catagory I am in.

There is only so much you can learn about composition from books. In my opinion, it really is an experience and practice thing. Rats!

tcole1983

Prior to Nikon rumors I had never heard of the rule of thirds. Since hearing I haven't cared. If any of my images follow the rule it is by coincidence and not because I am trying to adhere to it. Although 98% of the time I shoot to please myself and if I like the way it looks then that is all I need.

ThomasHorton

I like the book "The Photographer's Mind" by Freeman. The other books in the series are good, but I learned a lot about composition beyond the "rules" in this book. It is not an easy book to read and honestly, it took me 2-3 readings to understand what he was getting at... but it was worth the effort.

sevencrossing

But when looking through the VF, I still struggle with deciding which rule to use and how to apply it.

....Rats!

Some tips
Look up what Douglas Bader had to say about rules
Have a careful look at the subject without looking through the viewfinder
For landscapes, spend some time walking in and around the landscape, before you get the camera out
If you are unhappy with results of an often photographer subject
after you have given it you best shot. Look up Google images and see if any one has made a better job. Try and see what is different, and why you like their version;

donaldejose

I tend to think of composition as where the objects in the photograph are placed in the frame chosen. However, color and expression and subject can also be considered elements as much as the objects are.

Here it is the color and the shape of the frame chosen which makes the photo in my opinion:


Another example of color (and rule of thirds):


Here it is the expressing which makes the photo in my opinion:


Here is a combination of an unusual position and atmosphere which gives the image an oriental art type feel:

dissent

Have a careful look at the subject without looking through the viewfinder

Ask yourself, "What is it about this subject that is catching my attention?"

Find a way to isolate it, emphasize it, contrast it.

Now pick up your camera. Right lens? Right settings? etc. Keep working the subject. Was your initial view the best view?

I'm certainly trying to get better at this myself.

tcole1983

I almost feel embarrassed by all this talk about reading books and how much time is put into people's composition and premeditated picture taking. I usually walk around see a neat view or contrast...snap a picture and I am off again. I have on rare occasions come back to a location for different light or something but for a large part I am impatient and very opportunistic.

ThomasHorton

Ask yourself, "What is it about this subject that is catching my attention?"

I think that is the key. Something about the scene, catches the eye of the photographer. Now it is up to the skill of the photographer to faithfully record what caught the eye.

Hmm, there is that word skill again. Damn, that keeps popping up when discussing photographic techniques. I gotta get me some of that.

donaldejose

Here is an example of rule of thirds (horizon is at top third of frame) and leading lines (stone fence) to draw your eye into the image subject (house and barn):



Here is an example of rule of thirds (tree trunk on right) and a colorful pattern (yellow leaves/blue sky) and distortion (moving water) to create a French Impressionist painting type look:
w.flickr.com/photos/76080384@N03/10256744523" title="DON_9095 by donaldejose, on Flickr">

donaldejose

Here is an example of using a frame within a frame. The colorful tree is upside down in the water and is framed in the frame by the log over the stream and the bank on this side of the stream.


Same subject same inner frame but different (vertical and wider view) external frame:


Nothing other than a colorful pattern:


Also just a colorful pattern:


A flower arrangement reduced to a colorful pattern:

donaldejose

Just light flowing over the shape of an ordinary subject (like Edward Weston's black and white images of vegetables):


Rule of thirds (green stem) plus light flowing over the curves of a common object:

donaldejose

Placing the subject on a diagonal line across the frame:


Another diagonal line going through the two subjects:


Another diagonal line composition:


Another diagonal line composition:

donaldejose

Example of trying to use composition to turn something not photogenic into something more visually attractive. A guy I know was having a party at his row house on a block where he has lived for 80 years. I don't find it a photogenic place but it means a lot to him. So I tried to photographic his house and this is what I got at first.


Didn't like it at all. So I moved across the street to include a tree as a frame:


Better to my eye but the bottom third of the frame doesn't add anything to the image so I changed the frame:


Better now. Still not an image I like but my friend is very happy with it because it is his lifelong neighborhood which generates a lot of warm memories for him. Just an example of the same subject shot three different ways using principles of composition to improve the visual image as much as I could for this old man who loves that street in the city.

donaldejose

To me the bottom line with composition is twofold:

1. When you are photographing for a client can you produce an image they are pleased with? If so, you are fine and don't have to worry much about learning new techniques of composition.

2. When you are photographing for yourself as an artist can you produce an image you are pleased with? If so, the rules of composition be dammed. Produce what is pleasing to your "artist's eye." If you really do have that artist's eye your image will be attractive.

A good place to study composition is at an art gallery. Artists start from a blank canvas and can put anything anywhere on that canvas. Colors, shapes, objects are all placed in a way the artist's eye sees as pleasing. Ask yourself why each item is where it is on that canvas.

Golf007sd

Have a careful look at the subject without looking through the viewfinder

Ask yourself, "What is it about this subject that is catching my attention?"

Find a way to isolate it, emphasize it, contrast it.

Now pick up your camera. Right lens? Right settings? etc. Keep working the subject. Was your initial view the best view?

I'm certainly trying to get better at this myself.

Nice input by all...thank you.

For me, I'm always attentive when it comes to composition. I fully agree with what dissent has said above. Their have been many times that I will bring one of my hands to my face, pretending it to be a viewfinder as I look through it, from multiple angles and then proceed in taking the shot.

@sevencrossing: I'm with you. In the world of photography, some rules can be over looked.

@donaldejose: Thanks for all the examples and links.

Composition is a challenge for all photographers; more so, if you are a working professional; hence PitchBlack remarks. The key is to open up your view of the seen or subject, while at the same time, keeping some of the rules in mind, and trying to implant them. Start out with one or two you can comprehend, then focus in taking all your shots that day by implementing them. That is to say, work on capturing images with Leading Lines, and then see if you can apply the Rule of Thirds as well.

Keep them coming

HipShot

Great thread, great photos!

WestEndBoy

When composing, I find myself thinking a lot about the background and how will it complement, or at least not detract from, the subject.

Do I want it sharp, perhaps to add context? Do I want it out of focus, to isolate the subject? Then how much out of focus?

Are the shapes, colous, shadows and highlights complemantary to the subject? Particularly true when I am looking for a nice bokeh, but also applicable with a sharp bacground.

All of this I am thinking about in the context of the previous well said points in this thread.

donaldejose

As PitchBlack's photo illustrates when you have a person or an animal looking or walking to one edge of the frame good composition is to allow that person or animal "room" to move or look in that side frame rather than centering the person or animal. I guess psychologically our minds want to give the person more space in the direction they are looking or walking.

Photobug

At a very early age my Dad taught me the rule of thirds and later told me it was okay to break that rule. I used it for years with scenery and people. As I grew older I stopped taking pictures and became a family documentation photography. Then I reinvented myself and started shooting and working a lot on composition.

About five years I discovered I had too many unlevel horizons and turned on the grid lines. That helped me in two ways...leveled my horizons and I started paying attention to the rule of thirds thanks to the grid lines. When I got the D7100 I assigned the horizon aid to the Function button. Wow did that make a difference. Now when I grab the camera I surprise myself when I hit the function button, 90% of the time I am spot on level. That is all I needed.

There are a number of good books out there as several have said. I always encourage photographers to read at least one to improve on there composition skills. Finally, one of the camera clubs I belonged to years ago did a photo contest each month and for six months it was composition. Started with rule of thirds, leading lines, framing, breaking rule of thirds, etc. That is a great exercise, spend an hour shooting and focus on one of the composition rules. PAD is a good place to study photos to understand why they work and why they are...average.

Golf007sd

The modern DSLR's size and their vast amounts of MP can help produce a final image that is well composed during the post processing stage. Many times I have seen images that could have been cropped much more efficiently in order to make the final image for the public to see with, what I felt, yielded good composition.

Something to think about during post....

sevencrossing

The modern DSLR's size and their vast amounts of MP can help produce a final image that is well composed during the post processing stage. .

+1 to that
36MPs may slow your computer down but there are advantages
mps are like puddings, shoes and lenses
you cannot have too many