Principles of Composition

Day 1

Drill:
Take out your binder / sketchbook, write down all of the elements of art that you can remember from your previous art classes.

Elements of Art
Line Shape Color Value

Principles of Design
Balance Unity Movement / Rhythm Emphasis Pattern Contrast

Texture Space

Objectives:
Students will recall the elements of art and principles of design. Students will be able to rephrase the principles of composition.

Note Taking:
Information will be on the mid term / final and the basis for the entire class. Write down photographers names you find interesting. You will be doing a visual journal based on the following information.

Rule of Thirds
Day 1

Rule of Thirds
Goal of the rule of thirds is to keep your subject out of the direct center of your composition Most common form of composition Most of the time, your subject will be on top of one of the intersections

A. Aubrey Bodine - She Leans

A. Aubrey Bodine - She Leans

A. Aubrey Bodine - She Leans

Kent Reno - Greenwich Village 1973

Kent Reno - Greenwich Village 1973

Kyle Younge

Kyle Younge

Hanson - Sarah and Lauren at Lands End

Leading Lines
Actual - Lines that physically exist Implied - Lines that do not physically exist but are imagined to be there. - Line of sight (where someone is looking) - Someone pointing - Negative Space

Joselene Martin - A pedestrian bridge over the N2 Highway

Joselene Martin - A pedestrian bridge over the N2 Highway

Louis Stettner

Louis Stettner

Hanson Path through the Hill of Crosses, July 2006

Lindsay G. At least I called into question / Why we walk this route / Whats in it for me?

Hanson Seal Tank, National Zoo 2006

Fill The Frame

One subject in the entire composition No negative Space Telephoto lens or vey close to your subject matter

Loomis Dean

Bill Engdahl

Izzie G. 7th Grade, TLC 2009

Edges of the Frame

Purposefully using an edge / multiple edges to crop part of your image. This can be done to balance a print, frame in part of the subject or just add curiosity to the viewer.

Caroline C. Howard High School, Class of 2012

Thomas Micheal Alleman

Harry Callahan - chicago 1950

Connor C.

Hanson Hay Bails, 2005

Sami C TLC 2010

Hanson Portland Headlight

Genesis H. Howard High School, Class of 2012

Frame within a Frame

A subject within a frame can be naturally created or man made

David Muench - Limestone Window, South Rim

Marc Ribound A Street in Old Beijing

Louis Stettner

Kent Reno

John Loengard Brassai

Abelardo Morell My Broken Glasses and Me

Hanson Kennebunkport, ME - June 2010

Caroline C. Howard High School, Class of 2012

Julia P. High School Freshman, TLC 2009

Light and Shadow

Creating dynamic compositions using strong light Angle of the light will change the shadows First hour - sunrise Golden Hour / Magic Hour / Last Hour - Refers to the last hour of sun, 15 minutes after

Benedict Fernandez

Graham Nash

Benedict Fernandez Veterans Anti War Demonstration 1969

Christine D.

Alex N. Haircut

Hanson Cigar

Hanson Cigar

Pattern / Texture
Pattern - Anything that repeats - can be people, buildings, etc. Texture - the way something feels - In photography it is always implied texture

Abelardo Morell

Sana M.

Kent Reno San Francisco International Airport

Edwin Smith

Principles of Composition
Day 2

Drill:
What principle of composition do you find most interesting? Why?
Rule of thirds Leading lines Fill the frame Frame within a frame Light and Shadow Pattern / Texture Point of view

Edges of the frame

Objectives:
Students rephrase and compare different composition techniques by finding exemplar images and designing a visual journal

Point of view
The angle and position of the camera in relation to the ground - Whos viewpoint the image is being seen from

Charles C. Ebbets Lunch atop a skyscrapper

Abelardo Morell

Ernst Haas

Thomas Michael Alleman

Caroline C.

You Decide:

Principles of composition Visual journal

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