Basic Photography Course

You must become thoroughly familiar with the camera
and learn how the operation of each control alters the

image. Experiment with the camera and look at the
results carefully to see if they meet your expectations.
With experience and knowledge of your equipment, you

begin to "think through your camera" so you are free to
concentrate on composition. Devote serious study to the

principles of good composition. Study books and
magazine articles on composition. You should analyze
various media: motion pictures, TV, magazines, books
and newspapers, and evaluate what you see. What is
good about this picture or that TV image? What is bad
about it? What principles of good composition could
you apply in a different way to make the picture better.

Good or correct composition is impossible to define

precisely. There are no hard-and-fast rules to follow that
ensure good composition in every photograph. There are
only the principles and elements that provide a means
of achieving pleasing composition when applied
properly. Some of these principles and elements are as
follows:

Center of interest

Subject placement

Simplicity

Viewpoint and camera angle

Balance

Shapes and lines

Pattern

Volume

Lighting

Texture

Tone

Contrast

Framing

Foreground

Background

Perspective

As you study these principles of composition, you

should soon come to a realization that some are very
similar and overlap one another a great deal.

Because all or most of these principles must be

considered and applied each time you take a picture, it

may all seem quite confusing at first. With experience
you can develop a sense of composition, and your
consideration and application of the principles will
become almost second nature. This is not to suggest that
you can allow yourself to become complacent or
careless in the application of the principles of
composition. Doing so will be immediately obvious
because the results you produce will be snapshots, not
professional photographs.

The principles of composition that follow apply

equally to both still and motion media photography.

CENTER OF INTEREST

Each picture should have only one principal idea,

topic, or center of interest to which the viewer's eyes are
attracted. Subordinate elements within the picture must
support and focus attention on the principal feature so it

alone is emphasized.

A picture without a dominant center of interest or

one with more than one dominant center of interest is
puzzling to a viewer. Subsequently, the viewer becomes
confused and wonders what the picture is all about.
When the picture has one, and only one, dominant "point
of interest," the viewer quickly understands the picture.

NOTE:

"Point of interest," as used here, has the

same meaning as center of interest; however, using the
term point of interest prevents giving the impression that
the center of interest should be located in the center of
the picture.

The specific topic, idea, or object to be portrayed

must be set in your mind as you prepare to take a picture.
When there is nothing in the picture to attract attention
to a particular area or object, the eyes wander throughout
the scene. The center of interest may be a single object
or numerous ones arranged so attention is directed to
one definite area

When the center of interest is a single object that

fills most of the picture area or one that stands out boldly,
such as a white sail against a background of dark water,
attention is attracted immediately to it. As may be
expected, not all subjects are as simple to arrange or as
bold and impressive.

A photographer usually has at his or her disposal

many factors or elements that can be used and arranged
within the picture area to draw or direct attention to the

primary idea of the picture. Some of these elements are
lines, shapes, human figures, tone, and texture.

Human figures attract attention more strongly than

almost any other subject matter and unless they are the

5-6

contents

Basic Photography Course

<- previous page

next page ->


DOFMaster for Windows On-line Depth of Field Calculator DOFMaster for Mobile Devices On-line Depth of Field Table Hyperfocal Distance Chart Articles FAQ Recommended Books Support Contact Links Home As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.	contents <- previous page next page -> You must become thoroughly familiar with the camera and learn how the operation of each control alters the image. Experiment with the camera and look at the results carefully to see if they meet your expectations. With experience and knowledge of your equipment, you begin to "think through your camera" so you are free to concentrate on composition. Devote serious study to the principles of good composition. Study books and magazine articles on composition. You should analyze various media: motion pictures, TV, magazines, books and newspapers, and evaluate what you see. What is good about this picture or that TV image? What is bad about it? What principles of good composition could you apply in a different way to make the picture better. Good or correct composition is impossible to define precisely. There are no hard-and-fast rules to follow that ensure good composition in every photograph. There are only the principles and elements that provide a means of achieving pleasing composition when applied properly. Some of these principles and elements are as follows: Center of interest Subject placement Simplicity Viewpoint and camera angle Balance Shapes and lines Pattern Volume Lighting Texture Tone Contrast Framing Foreground Background Perspective As you study these principles of composition, you should soon come to a realization that some are very similar and overlap one another a great deal. Because all or most of these principles must be considered and applied each time you take a picture, it may all seem quite confusing at first. With experience you can develop a sense of composition, and your consideration and application of the principles will become almost second nature. This is not to suggest that you can allow yourself to become complacent or careless in the application of the principles of composition. Doing so will be immediately obvious because the results you produce will be snapshots, not professional photographs. The principles of composition that follow apply equally to both still and motion media photography. CENTER OF INTEREST Each picture should have only one principal idea, topic, or center of interest to which the viewer's eyes are attracted. Subordinate elements within the picture must support and focus attention on the principal feature so it alone is emphasized. A picture without a dominant center of interest or one with more than one dominant center of interest is puzzling to a viewer. Subsequently, the viewer becomes confused and wonders what the picture is all about. When the picture has one, and only one, dominant "point of interest," the viewer quickly understands the picture. NOTE: "Point of interest," as used here, has the same meaning as center of interest; however, using the term point of interest prevents giving the impression that the center of interest should be located in the center of the picture. The specific topic, idea, or object to be portrayed must be set in your mind as you prepare to take a picture. When there is nothing in the picture to attract attention to a particular area or object, the eyes wander throughout the scene. The center of interest may be a single object or numerous ones arranged so attention is directed to one definite area When the center of interest is a single object that fills most of the picture area or one that stands out boldly, such as a white sail against a background of dark water, attention is attracted immediately to it. As may be expected, not all subjects are as simple to arrange or as bold and impressive. A photographer usually has at his or her disposal many factors or elements that can be used and arranged within the picture area to draw or direct attention to the primary idea of the picture. Some of these elements are lines, shapes, human figures, tone, and texture. Human figures attract attention more strongly than almost any other subject matter and unless they are the 5-6 contents Basic Photography Course <- previous page next page ->	As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
	WWW.DOFMASTER.COM © 2006 Don Fleming. All rights reserved.