Children's Portrait Photography Handbook

Nikon DSLRs and keep the grid activated at all times be-
cause it helps as a reminder to choose a dynamic subject
placement. This keeps your compositions from being
center-weighted.

Direction.

Regardless of which direction the child is facing in the
photograph, there should be slightly more room in front
of the child than behind him. For instance, if the child is
looking to the right as you look at the scene through the
viewfinder, then there should be more space to the right
side than to the left of the child in the frame. This gives
a visual sense of direction.
Even if the composition is such that you want to po-
sition the child very close to the center of the frame, there
should still be slightly more space on the side toward
which he or she is turned. When the subject is looking
directly at the camera, he or she should still not be cen-
tered in the frame. There should be slightly more room
on one side or the other to provide visual direction.

Pleasing Compositional Forms.

Shapes in compositions provide visual motion. The
viewer’s eyes follows the curves and angles as they travel
logically through the shape and, consequently, through
the photograph. Subject shapes can be contrasted or
modified with additional shapes found either in the back-
ground or foreground of the image.
The S-shaped composition is perhaps the most pleas-
ing of all. The center of interest will usually fall on a one-
third line, but the remainder of the composition forms a
gently sloping S shape that leads the viewer’s eye to the
area of main interest.
Another pleasing type of compositional form is the L
shape or the inverted L shape. This type of composition
is ideal for reclining or seated subjects. The C and Z
shapes are also seen in all types of portraiture and are
both visually pleasing.
The pyramid is one of the most basic shapes in all art
and is dynamic because of its use of diagonals with a
strong horizontal base. The straight road receding into
the distance is a good example of a found pyramid shape.

Lines.

To master the fundamentals of composition, the photog-
rapher must be able to recognize real and implied lines

within the photograph. A real line is one that is obvious—

a horizon, for example. An implied line is one that is not

as obvious—the curve of the wrist or the bend of an arm,

for instance.

Real lines should not intersect the photograph at the

halfway point. This actually splits the composition in two.

It is better to locate real lines (either vertical or horizon-

tal) at a point that is one-third into the photograph, thus

providing visual “weight” to the image.

Implied lines should not contradict the direction or

emphasis of the composition but should modify it. These

lines should feature gentle, not dramatic changes in direc-

tion. Again, they should lead to the main point of inter-

est—either the eyes or the face.

Lines, real or implied, that meet the edge of the pho-

tograph should lead the eye into the scene and not out of

it. They should also pull the viewer’s eyes in toward the

center of interest.

Tension and Balance.

Once you begin to recognize real and implied lines in

your scenes and subjects and to incorporate shapes and

curves into your portraits, you need to start employing

tension and balance. Tension is a state of imbalance in an

image—a big sky and a small subject, for example. Ten-

COMPOSITION 67

This trio of siblings forms a pleasing triangle shape, one of the most

unifying of all shapes in art or photography. Also, notice the diag-

onal lines formed by the children’s eyes—another means of intro-

ducing visual interest into a portrait. Photograph by Stacy Bratton.