Composition

Composition refers to the way you arrange your subject or elements within your frame before you take your photo.

Understanding Composition allows you to create more Visually interesting images. People viewing your images might not be able to articulate why, they like the image, but the composition you’ve used, has made it easier for their eyes and brain to digest, and therefore making the photo more appealing.

In this section I’m going to go through a few of the main compositional rules that help you take your photography to the next level.

·     Rule of Thirds

·     Leading Lines

·     Framing

·     The Golden Spiral – Fibonacci Sequence

·     9 Golden Rules we use in the studio when photographing people

Rule of Thirds

Probably the most common compositional rule is the “Rule of Thirds”, this is when you divide your image into 3 rows of 3, or 9 equal blocks.

The basis of the rule is that you want to put the important elements of your image along any of the horizontal or vertical lines, or at the points of intersection. By following this rule, you will create an image that is far more appealing to the eye than everything just put in the centre.

Leading Lines

Leading lines is the act of placing lines within an image that lead you to the point of interest. You can see the lines created by the car lights, lead the viewers eyes and focus towards the city buildings.

Framing

Framing is the concept of placing your points of interest within a frame in your photo, this helps to bring attention to your subject.

In the below example we are photographing noodles & broth for a client, we chose to use "Framing" to bring attention to the "Hero" product, we achieved this by using a contrasting colour of skin tone and bowl to draw attention to the product we're trying to sell.

The Golden Ratio or the Fibonacci Sequence

Is a mathematical equation for a compositional rule. Essentially, it’s a spiral that increases in size based on this mathematical pattern. It’s a ratio of an arch in an equal sided square from corner to corner that gradually increases in size. The easiest way to understand this is to run you through the numbers.

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21…etc…..

The first 2 numbers in the sequence are added to give you the next number, then you move forward to the next two numbers and so on, or from a visual point of view, things spiral out relative to the two number before. It’s a ratio of an arch in an equal sided square from corner to corner that gradually increases in size.

1+1 = 2

1+2 = 3

2+3 = 5

3+5 = 8

5+8 = 13

8+13 = 21

Etc... The numbers gradually increase in a mathematical formula, spiralling out as you move further away from the point of origin.

You can see this type of pattern in all forms of nature and it’s been used by artists for centuries.

Da Vinci / Hokusai’ Great Wave of Kanagawa

You want to place your points of interest in and around that spiral arrangement or you the spiral to lead your viewers eye to your point of interest.

The NINE GOLDEN RULES!!!

·    Use TRIPOD

·    Keep it TIGHT

·    DO NOT Amputate

·    Stay below the EYELINE

·    Keep the HORIZON STRAIGHT

·    Check EXPOSURE

·    70mm or ABOVE (Makes the face thinner)

·    Rule of THIRDS

·     Pose Dynamic

The above are the 9 rules we follow when photographing in the studio, particularly people and groups.

Learn to use these in your photography and watch the quality of your images increase.

Good Luck