Composition

What is photographic composition ? 

Composition is the arrangement of subjects or elements within the photographic frame.  How the subjects are selected and arranged can make a big difference to your photograph. As a photographer, you control the arrangement and the look of the image. You decide what the focal point of interest is and where to place it within the frame so that the viewer will be drawn to the picture. Design elements such as line, shape, pattern and color have a dual function. Firstly, their presence helps to create a stronger image. Secondly, each element has intrinsic and symbolic attributes which can evoke certain emotions and feelings in the viewer. For example, curved lines give the feeling of gracefulness and calmness; diagonal lines can be dramatic and powerful;patterns can be repetitive and structured.

Composition Techniques 

01. Rule of Third 

Perhaps the most well-known principle of  photographic composition is the rule of thirds. The  basic principle behind the rule of thirds is to imagine dividing an image into thirds horizontally and vertically so that you have nine parts. Position the main subject elements where the dividing lines intersect. This means not placing your subject right in the center of the frame. For example, frame the shot so that the subject's eyes are on the line dividing the upper third from the middle third. For landscapes, position the horizon along one of the horizontal lines instead of directly in the center of the picture. Photographs not taken with the rule of thirds in mind can be edited later to crop or re frame the image so that it fits the rule.

02. Lines

Lines guide the viewer's eye from one point to another through the photo. Look for lines that lead towards your main subject. Avoid lines that lead the viewer's eye out of the photo. Remember, lines can be curved as well as straight.

03. Depth of field

Depth of field refers to the portion of the scene in focus in the camera. Depth of field can be long or short. Depth of field that has a lot of the scene in focus has a long depth of field. When only a small zone is in focus, with much of the background out of focus, depth of field is short (also referred to as "narrow"). Depth of field is dependent on several factors, but one of the primary factors is the camera's aperture setting. Aperture is the "iris" of the camera, like the iris of your eye. The aperture is the opening in the lens through which light passes to the camera sensor; it controls the amount of light that is allowed into the camera. Aperture settings are measured in f-stops (also called f-numbers). The easiest way to remember f-stop settings is this:

• The larger the f-stop, the smaller the aperture opening.
• The smaller the f-stop, the bigger the aperture opening.


For example, an f-stop of f-1.7 (small) means the aperture is open, where an f-stop of f-16 (large number) means the aperture is almost completely closed. An aperture with a small opening (large f-stop) produces a longer depth of field, while an aperture with a large opening (small f-stop) produces a short, or narrow, depth of field. Play with the depth of field to get an entire field of flowers in focus (long depth of field), or just a few flowers in focus while all of the rest of the flowers are blurred (short depth of field).

04. Balancing Elements 

Placing you main subject off center as with the rule of thirds, creates a more interesting photo, but it can leave a void in the scene which can make it feel empty. You should balance the "Weight" of your subject by including another object of lesser importance to fill the space.

05. View Point 

Before photographing your subject, take time to think about where you will shoot it from. Our viewpoint has a massive impact on the composition of our photo and as a result it can greatly affect the message that the shot conveys. Rather than just shooting from eye level, consider photographing from high above, down, at ground level, from the side, from the back from a long way away, from very close up and so on.

06. Framing

Professional shot composition requires perfect framing of each shot. This requires the inclusion of elements that give perspective to the main focus of the photograph. by being aware of the various composing a shot, the photographer can produce high-quality shots that include all the important elements while excluding extraneous material. Photography is the art of including some things while omitting others, this is the main object of framing.