National Geographic Masters of Photography

Lessons 11–12: Michael Yamashita—Landscape and Nature

your camera away when it’s cloudy, foggy, or raining either. The “hide-and-

seek” light of a cloudy day often provides dramatic impact, while fog lends

an air of mystery, and rain results in wonderfully saturated colors.

Composition, Lines, and Patterns

If you want to see the best of classical composition, look at Japanese

woodblock prints from the 15th century—that’s how long the rule of thirds

has been existence. According to this rule, you should divide your frame into

thirds and place your subjects at the intersection points, both horizontally

and vertically. In other words, avoid placing your main subject in the middle

of the picture, which tends to be static and boring. Using the rule of thirds

can, of course, result in beautiful images, but we also know that rules are

made to be broken. In general, as long as you keep the eye moving around

the frame and taking in each area of a photograph, use the composition that

you feel looks best.

Look for natural frames to put around your subject and direct the viewer’s

attention. Frames can be anything—part of a manmade structure, the

branches of a tree, the ropes of a boat—whatever focuses the eye on the main

subject of an image. Use leading lines in the same way—to bring viewers

into a photograph. You can use light or color as a leading line, as well as

other elements in the image, such as a bridge or road. In addition to straight

lines, S curves also provide a guide to take the eye into a frame.

Patterns and textures make interesting elements in a photograph, particularly

when they’re broken or interrupted in some way. Consider, for example, a

pattern of frost on the windshield of a car; your eye is directed to the largest

frost crystal because it breaks the pattern of the smaller ones. The same thing

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Unrepeatable Moments

Often, what makes a photograph special is the fact that it captures an

unrepeatable moment in time. And it’s the photographer’s job to be in the

right place, at the right time, with the right subject—and to know when to

press the shutter—to record those moments. When you’re shooting a scene,

visualize the elements you want in your image. If you’re looking at children

running on a beach, for example, ask yourself how you want to see them: