Photo Composition Foundation

Like a musician who composes a piece by arranging notes to make people want to
listen, the photographer composes what’s in a photograph to make people want to
look.

Take at least two picture for each of the photo composition basics from the list below.

Then upload the images onto google drive on your computer, rename each file with
the photo composition term it represents.

Turn in 14 images according to the composition themes.

Focal Point: The first thing you need to do as a photographer is choose a center of
interest. This is the focal point or the “main idea” in a photo. Using the following
elements of composition will bring more “interest” to your “center of interest!”

1. SIMPLICITY: Choose one center of interest and make the background simple.
Too many objects in the background will take the viewer’s attention away from
your center of interest. Nothing in the background should distract from the main
subject!
2. FILL THE FRAME: Move in close! Moving in close will cut out a lot of unnecessary
background which brings our eye straight to our center of interest. Fill in frame
with mulple of the same object/ repetative.

3. TEXTURE: Anything that makes a picture feel more real will cause people to look
longer and create depth. Look for photo opportunities that accentuate the
folds in a shirt or the veins in a leaf, or ripples in water.

4. FRAMING: Take a picture from a spot that lets you use other objects or people to
make a frame around your subject. A person standing in a doorway, for
instance. The doorway creates a natural frame around your object.
5. UNIQUE ANGLES: Photograph your center of interest from different angles. This
creates a viewpoint people have never seen before which adds interest to your
photo.

6. PATTERN: repeating shapes attract a viewer’s eye. For instance, a portrait of

someone standing in front of a brick wall or architecture that creates pattern.

7. CROPPING: For this photocomposition basic, parts of your center of interest flow
off the page. For instance, taking a photo of a shoe, but only the top of the
shoe is visible and the rest of the shoe is cut out of the photograph. (leaf Image)
 8. Leading Lines: Using the illusion of line to control where the viewer looks.

PERSPECTIVE: Photos taken from different perspectives and viewpoints.

9. Birds Eye: Photo taken from above looking down

10. Worms Eye: Photo taken from the ground looking up

11. Ground Level: Photo taken from the ground looking forward.
12. Asymmetrical: If you draw an imaginary line down the middle of the
photograph you take both sides should not be the same. (Stick in Water Image)

13. Symmetrical: If you draw an imaginary line down the middle o f the photograph
you take both sides are the same/similar. (Window Image)

14. RULE OF THIRDS: Dividing the viewfinder into 6 equal sections and placing your
center of interest in one of the 4 converging lines. This prevents “bulls-eying” of
your center of interest. The flower is on one of these points.