Photography

Photo Composition

When taking photographs, it is important to consider how best to capture the subject within the frame of the camera's lens. Candid, or unposed, shots definitely have a certain appeal to them, but at times it is crucial that the photographer think through the positioning of the subject, or the composition, before snapping the picture. The tips provided in linked videos and sites under Unit Files & Resources will help you better compose your shots, along with further  explanation below.

Would your subject be best captured in landscape or portrait orientation? Don't just leave your camera in default landscape orientation (wider shot), try turning the camera and framing your subject in portrait orientation (taller shot).

​Is the distance between the camera's lens and the subject enough to capture the details of the subject? If not, get in for a close shot and let your subject FILL THE FRAME!

Is your subject positioned perfectly in the center of the frame? If so, reposition slightly to one side or the other to create more interesting composition. This is called the Rule of Thirds. In the Rule of Thirds, the intersections of lines that divide the picture area into thirds create intersections (like a tic-tac-toe grid). These intersections are used to place your center of interest (or subject), or you can run other elements of your photograph along one of the 1/3rd lines. With portraits, we generally want to keep our subject's eyes or head up along the top 1/3rd line.

Or use the principle of dynamic symmetry. The principle of dynamic symmetry states "a good location for the center of interest is found by drawing or imagining a diagonal line from one corner to an opposite corner. Then, draw a second line perpendicular to the first from a third corner. The intersections of the lines is the best location for the center of interest/subject." Notice how using this principle creates DIAGONALS in your composition, also know as RULE OF CORNERS (or Triangles).