Digital Photographer - UK (2020-01)

Familiarise yourself with the fundamental concepts

of composition to use as frameworks for creativity

Master the essentials

There are certain composition tools we are

all familiar with. The rule of thirds, the golden

ratio, leading lines – these are all ‘rules’ of

composition that we learn to adopt from our

first attempts at producing advanced-level

imagery. While there are dangers associated

with taking these ‘laws’ too seriously, most

notably a lack of creative freedom, the core

ideas play an important role in formulating

a composition workflow. They act as a

guide to the initial frame arrangement and

represent an effective starting point for

artistic experimentation.

A secondary function is to provide a

universal composition solution – a framework

for the rapid organisation of any scene and

subject that can be applied instinctively. This

may standardise our first image attempts on a

shoot, but understanding how to interpret and

adapt the basics is an important quality.

All of the composition rules have a common

goal – to enable us to craft images that

possess proportions attractive to the human

eye. As a species we are greatly affected by

visual stimuli and subconsciously look for

certain balances of light, colour and detail.

By applying a framing technique, we are

attempting to place objects in a way that is

meaningful to the viewer, as the natural world

often contains far too much visual information

to convey an easily identifiable narrative.

This structure can either be used to create

an artificial order – a fabricated view rarely

seen in reality – or to emphasise a naturally

occurring pattern that may otherwise be

overlooked. In either case the aim is to find

a unique perspective with enough interest to

encourage the viewer to invest time in the

image. So recognising which framing tool will

work best for a scene is a key skill.

A good system is to begin with an off-centre

composition, which will produce a more

professional-looking image. Next observe

your fore, middle and background to see how

they interact and if you can use this to build

a sense of depth. By experimenting with the

composition formulae we can get images that

are familiar to the viewer yet subtly unique.

NATurAL

orGANIsATIoN

similar arrangements

are often seen in nature,

so the golden ratio is

able to produce organic

compositions

PerfeCT

ProPorTIoNs

objects can be further

arranged to occupy the

most pleasing areas of

the frame

suBjeCT PLACeMeNT

An asymmetrical composition

allows elements to be variably

weighted with ease, suggesting

relative importance to the viewer

DIreCTIoN

Images that follow the

golden spiral can effectively

guide the viewer’s eye

through the frame

rooM To BreATHe

By placing the subject off-centre

there is greater opportunity to

work other secondary elements

into the image

DyNAMIC PLACeMeNT

similar to the rule of thirds, the golden

ratio places objects off-centre for a

frame with greater interest

Golden opportunity

off-centre balance

© Bogdan Maris

38

Techniques

Familiariseyourselfwiththefundamentalconcept

ofcompositiontouseasframeworksforcreativity

Master the essentials

Therearecertaincompositiontoolsweare

allfamiliarwith.Theruleofthirds,thegolden

ratio,leadinglines–theseareall‘rules’of

compositionthatwelearntoadoptfromour

firstattemptsatproducingadvanced-level

imagery.Whiletherearedangersassociated

withtakingthese‘laws’tooseriously,most

notablyalackofcreativefreedom,thecore

ideasplayanimportantroleinformulating

acompositionworkflow.Theyactasa

guidetotheinitialframearrangementand

representaneffectivestartingpointfor

artisticexperimentation.

Asecondaryfunctionistoprovidea

universalcompositionsolution–aframework

fortherapidorganisationofanysceneand

subjectthatcanbeappliedinstinctively.This

maystandardiseourfirstimageattemptsona

shoot,butunderstandinghowtointerpretand

adaptthebasicsisanimportantquality.

Allofthecompositionruleshaveacommon

goal–toenableustocraftimagesthat

possessproportionsattractivetothehuman

eye.Asaspecieswearegreatlyaffectedby

visualstimuliandsubconsciouslylookfor

certainbalancesoflight,colouranddetail.

Byapplyingaframingtechnique,weare

attemptingtoplaceobjectsinawaythatis

meaningfultotheviewer,asthenaturalworl

oftencontainsfartoomuchvisualinformati

toconveyaneasilyidentifiablenarrative.

Thisstructurecaneitherbeusedtocreate

anartificialorder–afabricatedviewrarely

seeninreality–ortoemphasiseanaturally

occurringpatternthatmayotherwisebe

overlooked.Ineithercasetheaimistofind

auniqueperspectivewithenoughinterestto

encouragetheviewertoinvesttimeinthe

image.Sorecognisingwhichframingtoolwill

workbestforasceneisakeyskill.

Agoodsystemistobeginwithanoff-cent

composition,whichwillproduceamore

professional-lookingimage.Nextobserve

yourfore,middleandbackgroundtoseeho

theyinteractandifyoucanusethistobuild

asenseofdepth.Byexperimentingwiththe

compositionformulaewecangetimagesth

arefamiliartothevieweryetsubtlyunique.

NATurAL

orGANIsATIoN

similararrangements

areoftenseen in nature,

so the golden ratio is

able to produce organic

compositions

PerfeCT

ProPorTIoNs

objects can be further

arranged to occupy the

most pleasing areas of

the frame

suBjeCTPLACeMeNT

Anasymmetricalcomposition

allowselementstobevariably

weightedwithease,suggesting

relativeimportancetotheviewer

DIreCTIoN

Imagesthat follow the

goldenspiralcan effectively

guidethe viewer’s eye

through the frame

rooMToBreATHe

By placing the subject off-centre

there is greater opportunity to

work other secondary elements

into the image

similartotheruleofthirds, thegolden

ratioplacesobjectsoff-centrefora

framewithgreaterinterest

Golden opportunity

off-centre balance

© Bogdan Maris

38

Techniques