Composition in Photography

Building a design
structure from visual
elements when composing
from life

Look for potential

relationships

Clarify and emphasise ideas within the

viewfinder.
Both positive and negative spaces are
important to the overall unity.
Design principles are guides to help you
think visually as you work.

The photo above uses a foreground and background image to structure

the composition. The depth of field was enough to allow both elements
to show up sharply and make the connection visually. The colours are
complementary and also help to tie the foreground and background
elements together. The strong tonal contrast between the girls darker
face and the brighter background creates a good focal point in the
picture.

This composition uses the rule of

thirds to place the focal point of
the boys face in the frame.
The contrast of warm and cool
colours and the geometric rhythm
of the vertical bands of colour on
the bluish wall and door also draw
attention to the boy. The light on
the boys face also helps to focus
attention on his expression.
Candids and action shots require
a sense of timing to achieve a
good composition, since you dont
want to pose them rigidly and
lose a sense of spontaneity.

Here is a composition that uses symmetry and viewpoint to structure

the center of interest. The arches also help to frame the main subject.
There is a further emphasis on the statue by the contrast of the lit
figure against the less bright background, and the geometric
architectural elements also contrast with the more organic forms of
the statue.

This photo needs the bit of colour

from the life preserver to help
activate it. It uses pattern and
repetition to move the eye into
the scene, and the rule of thirds to
place the red element at a focal
point. I experimented with trying
to place people walking across the
opening but their shapes and
positions did not work out.
Perhaps if the red element was not
there, a person would have
worked as a silhouette crossing
the scene. No one ever came up
the ramp, which might have
worked as a foreground element in
the lower right of the space.

This photo required some bracketing to get the most useful

exposure, and then required some dodging and burning in
Photoshop to bring out the delicate dark tones and some detail
from the very bright skylight.

The photo above uses strong contrasts and a frame within a

frame to structure the composition. The distribution of the
silhouetted figures across the frame is also rhythmic and creates
several visual focal points. The strongest focal point happens
around the face and hand of the seated figure to the left of
center due to the stronger contrast in tones and more interesting
shapes at that point.

This photo makes use of

line patterns and
repetition to move the
eye into the focal point of
the scene. The rim
lighting on the figures at
the focal point helps to
define the dark figures
against the dark areas
behind them. The trees,
the rounded Ferris wheel
shape and the burned in
sky are used to contain
the composition at the
top and avoid having the
eye wander out of the top
of the frame. The picture
would be stronger if there
was a stronger contrast
between the figures on
the stairs and their
immediate background

This composition also tries

to establish a strong center
of interest by using
repetition, and leading lines
and shapes. It was
purposely shot from a slight
left of center viewpoint
because when seen head
on it was so rigidly
symmetrical that it felt less
effective. The only element
that could have softened
the extreme rigidity would
have been the people, but
they were not strong
enough visual elements to
carry it off.

This picture also makes

use of strong leading lines
in the bridge to move the
eye into the image. The
dome element was offset
from dead center to make
the picture less rigid. The
people work as a rhythmic
pattern to soften the
rigidity of the scene and
continue the pattern
elements seen in the
background architecture
through into the
foreground.

The photo was taken through a dirty window

and the dirt shows up mostly in the sky
area. I thought that it added an interesting
feeling of grit to the urban background. The
darkening sky also contrasts with the
brighter buildings and helps to add more
structure to the composition.

How would you analyse the compositional structure of this

photo?

How would you critique the compositional structure of this

photo?

How would you

analyse the
compositional
structure of this
photo?
What element
helps to activate
the shot?
Do you think
that it might
work better in
colour?

This photo uses the asymmetrical

balance of a pattern of shapes and
tones to create its composition
structure. The picture was intentionally
underexposed to just record the
brightly lit parts of the scene and let
the rest of the architectural forms and
water stay unrecorded by the
exposure. This emphasises the
rhythmic qualities of the lit shapes and
their reflections. Also, the shorter
exposure time lets the reflections in the
water stay sharper and not become a
fuzzy motion blur which would have
tended to break the composition in half
between the top and the bottom.

The photo below also organizes the space using the rule of
thirds, and makes use of pattern and repetition of line and
shape, and contrast of colour to create its structure. The
slight diagonal orientation of lines is used to avoid creating
a sense of monotony in the simple subject.

This photo relies on unusual

juxtapositions to momentarily
confuse the viewer and
create some interest. It also
uses diagonal shapes and
lines and tonal contrasts to
organize the space. There is a
sort of frame within a frame
created by some of the
diagonals and the feet around
the main building model in
the center of the image. The
figure shadow entering the
frame on the bottom right
helps to activate the picture.

Versions without that figure are not as

visually coherent. Depth of field was
important to make the feet and the
model buildings below remain sharp
enough to relate compositionally with
each other.

This photo exploits

lighting and
cropping to structure
and emphasise a
rhythmic interplay of
shapes, lines and
tones. It starts to
become an abstract
image.

How would you analyse the compositional structure of this

photo?

What do you think of this

photo?

This photo uses a frame

within a frame and strong
contrast to organize the
design. It works equally
well in colour or B/W
because of its simple, bold
design. The unusual point
of view and the slight
diagonal orientation are
used to add visual interest
to its simple structure. The
timing of the people
walking took several
attempts before it came
out effectively in terms of
their shapes and position
on the grating.

This photo also makes use of a

foreground and background
connection. The dark tones of the
two main elements against the light
toned wall and floor also organizes
the scene.
There is an intentional visual pun
attempted here with the technique
of moving into the frame. The
foreground person is entering the
frame while the sculpture on the wall
is also entering the frame in its own
unique way. The tension created
between the two activates the
picture. It doesnt really work without
the person entering the frame at the
lower left.

Remember, when composing from

life:

Look for potential relationships of

elements or content.
Clarify and emphasise ideas within
the viewfinder.
Both positive and negative spaces
are important to the overall unity.
Design principles are guides to
help you think visually as you work.

Now its your

turn!