Photography basics V: Photography and composition

Photography basics V: Photography and composition

Photographic composition is an effective way
to convey your message.feeling visually to the
viewer

Photographic composition is so vast a subject that a whole book on the said topic can not possibly hope to cover everything that falls within this genre. In addition, it is an expanding concept, forever morphing and changing, with each passing day. But we can at least try to capture its basics within the boundaries of this brief article. And truly, without brushing up a bit on it, it is impossible to be a good photographer, no matter whether you're just a hobbyist like me or a dedicated professional.

What is composition? 

In a previous article on composition, I have mentioned that there is a stark contrast between photography and painting. Although both aim to capture moments and create art, painters have the ability to start from scratch and go on adding elements of interest, till the image becomes what they want it to be. However, in photography, you need to 'leave out' uninteresting objects from your scene, differentiate and then generate the perfect scene you'd like. Thus, painting involves adding elements, photography involves removing them. Painting is thus integration, while photography is differentiation.

A moment of respite :)

Composition is to broad to be defined in a single line or paragraph. However, here are are set forth to capture the essence of it. Therefore, let us stay contended with the simple but meaningful definition that photographic composition is the art of making your image interesting and capable of attracting the attention of viewers, helping them in turn to see what you want to emphasize or focus on in your image. Seeming critical, eh? No matter, lets start out with a simple example.

In the above image, I've captured a crow, resting on a branch. Notice that the crow itself is the main subject here, because it is a living, breathing, organic life-form. Naturally, your gaze shifts to it, making it the subject of the image. The rest of the scene complements the crow, adding an environment of serenity and green natural aura to it. I named this photo 'A moment of respite', and I guess it fits the shot.

How to 'compose' your image and make it interesting 

1. An okay shot, eh?

Photography is the art of using light capturing it, drawing with it, and finally producing an image that is interesting to your viewers. By the time your viewers will see your image, you might not be around. So, who's going to tell them what you felt and 'saw', at the time of taking the shot? Since the camera sees light quite differently from how your eyes do, and the rest of the environment isn't there anymore to complement the scene, you need to be subtle regarding composition.

How to begin photographic composition? Simple, just ask yourself one question, and one only, at the time of taking your shot: "What is it that I like in the shot, and would like others to see as well?". This question is the magical trigger, that, with enough practice, can actually make your shots more meaningful, clearer and easier to understand, and yet artistically elegant with time. But beware, O walker, for this journey is long, requiring both practice and patience.

Rules of photographic composition 

Let me remind you again, that there are no hard-and-fast rules in photography. As one of my good friends said, everyone has his/her own style. However, there are certain guidelines that can help you understand and master the art of composition more easily than through raw practice. Think about these 'rules' as shortcuts or guidelines, rather than strict 'laws' which are to be implemented at all cost. Without more fuss, let us jump right in. 

1. The rule of thirds

2. Rule of thirds followed slightly

It is quite possibly one of the most interesting and powerful 'tools' that you have at your disposal while taking your image. This 'rule' dictates that you have to divide your frame into three parts, both horizontally and vertically, with imaginary lines. In many modern cameras, 'composition lines' doing the same are provided, which can enabled from the menu. Instead of positioning your subject/object or interesting directly and squarely in the middle/centre (which most novice folks do anyway), create a difference and shift it to one of the four intersecting points, where two of these imaginary lines meet. This alone can make your image more interesting, and elegant. But be warned, it requires practice. And there are times when this rule can be 'broken', i.e not necessarily followed. Image 1 above is not complying with this rule, while image 2 is mor visually interesting, and follows this rule.

2. Diagonal lines 

In this rule, imagine your frame to be a fragmented one, with imaginary diagonal lines running from the bottom-left to top-right, or bottom-right to top-left. No matter what you choose, make sure everything 'interesting' (which you'd like to emphasize in the final shot) lies inside the area covered by the two outer lines parallel to the inner, longer one.

3. Balanced and imbalance

3. A balanced image

All images are either balanced or unbalanced. A balanced or symmetric image is one, in which the 'visual weight' of various elements is uniformly distributed all across the frame. These are elegant in terms of view, and calm. An unbalanced shot is one, in which the visual weight is not equally distributed all across. For example, in shot 3, we see that the tree is the primary subject of the scene, placed squarely in the middle. Naturally, our view is guided first and foremost to the tree itself. On the other hand, in shot 4, the tree is drifted to the right of the frame, while a more or less uniform background follows to the right. So, more visual weight is provided to the right of the image, making it an unbalanced image.

NOTE: Visual weight is a qualitative measure of how much a particular element of the image interests you, and captures your gaze and attention as you almost immediately as you look at the image. Overall visual image of a photo is more or less equal to the visual image of its primary subject.

4. An unbalanced image

Balanced images are visually elegant and easy to understand, and thus provide a level of visual comfort and pleasure to the eye. On the other hand, unbalanced images are more dynamic and visually interesting. A properly taken unbalanced shot provides food for thought to the viewer.

4. Symmetry and asymmetric

5. A visually symmetric image

 Symmetry is another important visual aspect of your image. Symmetry is rather easy to understand, but difficult to describe properly. It is primarily the use of geometric patterns (especially straight lines acting as dividers) in the image, which make the image easier to grasp and visually calming, like balanced images. On the other hand, asymmetric images are more interesting, but lack any easily detectable or traceable geometric pattern or line. In shot 5, see how a the end of the field is used as a virtual straight line to divide the scene horizontally into two halves. This is an example of a symmetric shot. On the other hand, in shot 6, notice how there's a lack of a somewhat easily traceable line. In fact, this image is not even straightened properly. Yet, it looks interesting to the beholder, by virtue of the weirdness of the scene itself, agree?

6. An asymmetric image

Most of the images we take are symmetric in some way. The concept of symmetry and asymmetry applies mainly to landscape photos in my experience, but you can always experiment with them in portrait photos, or when shooting an isolated subject such as a vase. It is always good to experiment by changing rules, and applying landscape guidelines to portrait or subject-oriented photos, and vice versa. 

5. Alien viewpoint 

Whenever you're shooting a photo, most possibly you're holding the camera at the eye-level. This is the most normal position for shooting your shot, but it creates rather uninteresting images, because most people do the same anyway. However, if you can bother to experiment a bit with some different viewpoints, you'll get better and often more interesting results. For example, in shot 8 shot, you can see that the image is taken from the eye-level. On the other hand, shot 7 is an attempt to shoot the same image from the viewpoint of grass, focusing on the grass instead. Isn't it more visually interesting?

7. Example of alien viewpoint

8. An otherwise eye-level shot

You can use this neat trick to get really beautiful and interesting shots. You may use the viewpoint of a flower, that of a dog, or even a fallen leaf, to show your viewers how your world looks like, from the perspective of the subject.

6. Trailing lines/leading lines

9. Trailing lines, subjective

On of the most powerful elements in story-writing, especially when writing short stories, is the fact that even when the story is virtually concluded, you somehow feel something extra should have been provided. This makes you crave for more, and sometimes even generate your own ending of the story, morale or even your own interpretation of what actually lies beyond the metaphorical boundary of the story. This is a subtle element often employed by story-writers like Richard Matheson. A similar technique is present in the genre of photography, the use of trailing lines. Trailing lines can be anything, from a road running forward, a wall or even footprints on snow. This simple element serves a double purpose. Firstly, it carries powerful visual weight, often overriding that of all other elements in your image, and guides your viewers' vision along its own length. This technique is often employed by photographers to virtually guide their viewers to the subject of the image, which might otherwise be left unspotted.

Secondly, this technique also keeps your viewers craving for more. If you don't leave a subject at the end, it appears that your image continues onto infinity, making it interesting. Or even beyond infinity itself, remember Buzz Lightyear folks? ;)

10. Trailing lines, infinite

In shot 9, you can see how I've used the road itself as a trailing line to guide the viewer's eyes to the marble building (Victoria Memorial, Kolkata). This serves the first purpose, and demonstrates it. Likewise, the shot 10 creates a feeling of infinity, with no apparent subject in sight. This also makes the road itself a kind of virtual subject of the image, making you wonder where it does end. Thus, trailing lines can be powerful visual tools i composing your image.Use them well, because with power, comes responsibility. :D

7. Neutral  and dynamic backgrounds

11. A neutral portrait

This is mostly a technique used to emphasize shooting portraits. Your subject is placed in front of a uniformly coloured or textured background, you choose a proper lighting scheme and a shallower DoF (making your subject more prominent). This makes the image elegant, by including less detail about the background, and emphasizing your subject. Normally, this is the conventional technique used by photographers to enhance their portrait shots. In shot 11, for example, a neutral background makes the subject more prominent.

On the other hand, some shots demonstrate how a dynamic background is used to emphasize your subject as well as the background. Neutral backgrounds can be used when you're to focus on your subject only, while dynamic backgrounds typically inform us about the subject, as well as their geographic location. Easily understandable, the second rule is used in the case you're willing to capture a memory of your subject standing in front of some historic monument or place.

8. Isolated and included backgrounds 

12. Included background shot

This is another backgrounding technique employed in the process of capturing your subject as well as the background. Isolated backgrounding leaves the background less detailed, with the use of 'focus on subject', and shallow depth of field. This leaves your subject with more detail, while the background appears blurred. This process should be typically used when you're more concerned about your subject's activity. It is also known as shooting a lifestyle portrait. Since your subject is the primary focus, he/she appears 'isolated' from the background, and his activity is held visually to the viewer.

On the other side, we have what are known as 'included backgrounds'. Like the name suggests, it involves using a wide depth of field, so that more detail about off-focus areas is captured. This makes your subject a part of the overall scene. The portrait thus created is also known as an environmental portrait. In shot 12, for example, the horse is included as a part of the scene. It is an example of included background.

9. Filling the frame and negative space 

Negative space: here the sky serves the purpose

These are two contrasting rules. 'Fill the frame' simply asks you to make your frame subject-intensive. So, you fill most of your frame with the subject. On the other hand, negative space leaves out some extra area for including a rather uniform background. As the trend goes, fill the frame is easier and elegant, while negative space makes your image more artistic and interesting.

Mastering composition 

Composition is always a matter of much debate and discussion. And let me once again remind you, that the above 'rules' are just guidelines, and there are times when you might be wanting to break one or more of them, just for sake of making your image stand out from others of its type.

There may be times when you get frustrated with your composition. But just don't give up. Always be optimistic about your shots. And remember, when you take a bad shot, you can always learn from it by exploring it in detail. A good shot gives you artistic pleasure, while a not-so-good shot teaches you an opportunity to make your next shot visually pleasanter. And forever, practice is the key. It is what makes you perfect at the end of the day.

A tool of trade here, like every blade in every high-fantasy movie has a name, make sure you give a title to each interesting image you take. :) This gives you an interesting way to convey your message to the viewer, and is just cool!

Final words

If you've followed my 5-part tutorial series, this chapter concludes our journey together. We've explored the basics of photography, and learned a lot together. So the time has come to pack up and part our ways. However, be free to comment on anything and everything, and I'd really welcome if you can present some of your own tips and tricks here. There are other articles on photography on this site, as well as all across the web. Be sure to make the best out of them! And sayonara, till next we meet. :)