A conversation on "composing an image"

Vipmediastar_JZ

+1 to the above two comments.

When I looke in the viewfinder the comp looks good. When I review the image i missed something. I struggle with comp. I think I have improved overall from 2 years ago but I need to nail the compostion next.

donaldejose

I struggle with composition also. I think I need to take more time when photographing.

Golf007sd

Whenever I see an setting that I want to capture, I always spend a few extra seconds looking carefully through the viewfinder at all 4 corners. I make sure their are no distracting objects...ie, stop signs, telephone poles, tree branches, people doing things, etc..etc. If I have to move...I move; if I can remove the unwanted object by zooming in, then so be it.

Yet, I must admit, their have been times when no matter what I did, I was unable to get the image I wanted to capture, due to physical/environmental limitations. That is just the way it is sometimes, so don't be disappointed, but I can understand the frustration.

donaldejose

Sometimes I see something attractive in nature and put my camera to my eye, frame it and shoot. Often, it is not what I felt at the time. When I stop to ask myself what it is that I find attractive and how I can capture that same thing (not just the object - the attractive feeling) in a photo my results are better.

NSXTypeR

I've definitely enjoyed having a higher MP body than before, it's given me a lot more freedom in terms of cropping as many of you have said.

I wanted to ask the forum's opinion on this shot.



(I'm not sure why it's not displaying, but click on it, the link works.)

I think it's a pleasing shot, but maybe slightly cluttered.

Here's the same photo cropped.



I like it a lot more, but in some ways I kind of miss having a wider view for some odd reason. Maybe because you're reminded of the setting maybe?

What do you guys think?

spraynpray

Can't see the Flickr image at all.

donaldejose

NSXTypeR: I think it is a very nice image but composition could be improved by not chopping up the leaf in the lower right corner. I don't know what your cropped off but if you could have left in (or captured) the full leaf I think you would have had a better image. If you are just going to show a stem with no leaves I would try to have the stem run exactly into the corner of the frame. Just some thought to consider.

NSXTypeR

Can't see the Flickr image at all.

The first one or the second one?

The first one I'm not sure why it's not displaying, but it works for me when you click on it.

NSXTypeR: I think it is a very nice image but composition could be improved by not chopping up the leaf in the lower right corner. I don't know what your cropped off but if you could have left in (or captured) the full leaf I think you would have had a better image. If you are just going to show a stem with no leaves I would try to have the stem run exactly into the corner of the frame. Just some thought to consider.

That's a good point, thanks for your insight!

dissent

Can't see the Flickr image at all.

Doesn't work for me when I click on it either.

Golf007sd

Msmoto

Composition…. Here is one with the subject (eyes) on the upper right, looking toward the left. Whenever there is a direction of subject gaze, I want to have them looking into the photo and not have them looking out of the image near the edge. Some adjustments have been made to have the eyes of the subject closer to the upper edge than the rule of thirds might suggest, but other considerations are the spatial relationships around the subject and the overall balance of the image. And, some folks may like to move things around to get some other feeling to the image.



And, a street person, moving toward the edge of the image, lots behind them. I am suggesting this subject may have passed through most of his life and is nearing the end. The lack of perspective control, i.e., buildings tilted, suggests tension in the photo, a very real possibility when dealing with some street folks who want to not interact in a usual social interaction, but instead may have some disdain for society in general.

heartyfisher

love the baggage left behind ..

Paperman

Another good rule is " less is more " .... Eliminate all you can from the frame until you can not eliminate any more without losing from what you want to capture & deliver ....

Golf007sd

Photographer Romanas Naryškin @ Photographylife thoughts on Negative Space in Photography as it relates to composition.

Example of how Negative Space can evoke a mood...if I understand it correctly.








In addition, here is her other great perspective on Explore the Edges in relation to the Rule of Thirds.

TWG

@Pitchblack:

Don't know about the centre point thing, and I am sure it is totally tack sharp -;), but I love your framing and BW-tones.

There is just a wonderful balance in her pose and the waves crashing, and at the same time, a kind of breaking loose in her eyes from that symmetry lock. Carefree, sure and independent. Balance and dynamics.

I am afraid my English is no longer what it used to be.

donaldejose

rbrylawski just posted this image on PAD:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rbrylawski/15652761491

I could not copy Rod's original image to this post in order to demonstrate how I saw something different in it: more focus on the orchards, stronger colors, and a square frame. Here is what I a saw:



Same subject, different points of view, different compositions, different color intensity, different sharpness. different contrast. Just illustrates how we each see differently.