Composition

POV 1115
Basics
Unity
Simplicity

It’s the main principle to create a completeness sense in a representation. All the objects which
also interact each other in the photography must be a part of the whole representation.
Unity
Simplicity
Unity
Simplicity
UNITY
Subject
UNITY
Subject
VARIETY

Variety (also known as

alternation) is the quality
or state of having different
forms or types. The
differences which give a
design visual and
conceptual interest:
notably use of contrast,
emphasis, difference in
size and color
Koudelka’s photograph shows a one of the best example of Variety in
the usage of contrast, size, and the distribution of the emphasis.
 Another example, Alex Webb’s picture shows us the variety in the contrast
Between the size and colors of the objects within the interaction of foreground and
Background.
VARIETY
Emphasis
Focal Point

is defined as an area or object within the artwork that draws attention and becomes a focal point. Subordination is
defined as minimizing or toning down other compositional elements in order to bring attention to the focal point.
Emphasis
Focal Point
Emphasis
Focal Point
Emphasis
Focal Point
Emphasis
Focal Point
Movement
Rhythm

photographers talk about movement in an image, they often refer to the rhythmic effect of some visual element that
repeats itself – for example, people standing in a line, a row of birds sitting on a tree branch, or the chairs curving
around the stool in the photo on the right. Repeating patterns and motifs can have a similar rhythmic feeling.
Recurring elements create a sense of momentum and continuation, much like notes on a page of music.
Movement
Rhythm
Movement
Rhythm
Movement
Rhythm
Movement
Rhythm
Movement
Gradation

Gradation is a slow transition between opposites - whether it be darkness slowly changing to light, small objects
growing larger, or one colour turning into another.
 Movement
Gradation

progressive gradations – of color, of size, of light, of shape – are especially powerful in gently coaxing the eye through a photograph; motion blur itself often appears as a
gradation of tone, color, and transparency in the frame. Any time the eye is naturally and predictably encouraged to move, to be carried from one area to the frame to ano
you have visual flow. These are the kinds of image that make you experience great movement — even when nothing is actually moving.
Movement
Gradation
Movement
Gradation
Movement
Gradation
Movement
Blur
Movement
Blur
Movement
Blur
Movement
Blur
Movement
Blur
 Movement
Frozen/Implied Movement

High shutter speed shots that freeze people, animals, vehicles, rivers, balls, and other subjects in motion clearly let us know that the
photo is extracted from a scene with action. The mind fills in the rest. We humans are so acutely aware of our own body language that
almost any shot of people encourages us to read movement into their postures, even if they are sitting, lying, standing. If you look at
the last three words in that previous sentence, they are all verbs suggesting action, albeit subtle action, what psychologists who work
with the Rorschach inkblot test call “passive movement.”
Movement
Frozen/Implied Movement
Movement
Frozen/Implied Movement
Movement
Frozen/Implied Movement
Movement
Frozen/Implied Movement
Movement
Frozen/Implied Movement
Movement
Frozen/Implied Movement
Movement
Eye Movement

Eye movement is intrinsic to vision. In

order to see anything the eye must
continually move around a scene. It never
stops scanning, even in a situation where
everything is at rest. Composition in
photography is all about controlling how
the viewer’s eye progresses through the
image and the resulting subliminal
experience of movement. It establishes the
rhythm for how the eye scans. In the photo
on the right, the arrangement of the hands,
camera, and artwork on the wall together
encourage the eye to circle around the
image.
Movement
Eye Movement
Movement
Eye Movement
Movement
Eye Movement
Movement
Eye Movement
 Perspective
The Depth Cue

The most important depth cue is perspective. When creating

illusory depth for a flat screen, it is essential to know how to
recognize perspective in the real world.
Linear Perspective

Vanishing Point (VP)

 Perspective
The Depth Cue

Visually, the frontal plane and the wall have no depth but they can be given the appearance of depth by adding
perspective
Perspective
One Point Perspective

The lines along the top and bottom of the plane now appear to meet or con- verge at
a single point called a vanishing point or VP. Usually the vanishing point appears on
the horizon, although it can appear anywhere. This creates a longitudinal plane, an
extremely important cue to illusory depth. The longitudinal plane appears to have
Perspective
One Point Perspective
Perspective
One Point Perspective
Perspective
One Point Perspective
Perspective
One Point Perspective
Perspective
One Point Perspective
Perspective
One Point Perspective
Perspective
Two Point Perspective

two-point perspective, which uses two vanishing points.

The longitudinal plane can

be given a second
vanishing point. If the
viewing position is raised
or lowered, the sides of
the longitudinal plane no
longer remain parallel.
Perspective
Two Point Perspective

There are two vanishing points.

The plane’s top and bottom lines
converge to one vanishing point
located to the left of the frame.
The sides of the plane converge to
a second vanishing point located
above the frame. If the viewing
position is raised, the sides of the
longitudinal plane will converge to
a vanishing point below the frame.
Perspective
Two Point Perspective

Two vanishing points can also be

generated using two separate longitudinal
surfaces.

Although the vanishing points are

hidden behind the longitudinal planes,
there are still converging lines.
Perspective
Two Point Perspective
Perspective
Two Point Perspective
Perspective
Two Point Perspective
Perspective
Flat Space
Perspective
Flat Space
Perspective
Flat Space
Perspective
Flat Space /
DEAD
Perspective
Flat Space
Perspective
Limited Space
Perspective
Limited Space
Perspective
Limited Space
Balance
Symmetry

Symmetry is the
property of an object
or image in which both
sides are equal but
opposite about a
central dividing line.
Many buildings and
the human body, for
example, have this
two-sided (bilateral)
symmetry Of
imperfectly in the latter
case), while many
flowers are radially
symmetrical about any
line that cuts through
their centre.
Balance
Symmetry
Balance
Symmetry
Balance
Symmetry
Balance
Symmetry
Balance
Symmetry

Symmetric Balance can be seen in the distribution of the weight by a centered object even though the both sides of the
picture don’t have the similar objects. For instance, Nikos Economopoulos photograph represents equal distribution Of
the composition with a centered image. 
Balance
Asymmetrical
Balance
Asymetrical
Balance
Asymetrical

Asymmetric Balance doesn’t require a mirror effect as Symmetric balance. In an asymmetric valance, equal
distribution of the dissimilar Objects crates the balance in the representation. In Salgado’s photograph the weight
equally distributed between the foreground (the worker) and background (the red star) with creating different focal
points.
Balance
Asymetrical
Balance
Asymetrical
Balance
Asymetrical
Aspect Ratio
Aspect Ratio
3:2

This is the closest to the golden ratio, which makes it visually appealing and more
balanced. Painters and artists used it long before even photography was invented. It’s
also the ratio of a 35mm film.
Aspect Ratio
4:3

4:3 aspect ratio is a common standard of modern day monitors and screens. So, this ratio looks
much more aesthetic on screens.Advertisers use this ratio all the time for digital
advertising. Micro four thirds cameras also us this ratio as their standard.
Aspect Ratio
1:1

This aspect ratio was common with medium format cameras in the old days. It was becoming
popular when Instagram became a sensation for photographers.It is pretty much standard for
social media nowadays. With this ratio, the image isn’t affected no matter which orientation you
are viewing it in.
Aspect Ratio
1:1
Aspect Ratio
1:1
Aspect Ratio
16:9

This is the standard for HDTV and motion pictures. Because of this, it looks cinematic.
Certain types of shots look particularly beautiful in this ratio. Although when it comes to
stills, it is not a widely used aspect ratio.
Aspect Ratio
16:9
Aspect Ratio
16:9
Aspect Ratio
Panaromic

Panoramic photography is a technique of photography, using specialized equipment or software, that

captures images with horizontally elongated fields of view. It is sometimes known as wide format
photography. The term has also been applied to a photograph that is cropped to a relatively wide aspect
ratio, like the familiar letterbox format inwide screen video.
Aspect Ratio
Panaromic
Aspect Ratio
Panaromic
Aspect Ratio
Golden Rule:
1:0,618

This ratio was mostly used by mathematicians and the Artists who
had believed that the beauty of the nature depended in this formula.
In this picture you may seeOn of Most sophisticated form of golden
ratio which is named as Fibonacci Spiral.
Aspect Ratio
Golden Rule
Aspect Ratio
Golden Rule
Aspect Ratio
Golden Rule
Aspect Ratio
Golden Rule
Aspect Ratio
Golden Rule
Aspect Ratio
Golden Rule
Aspect Ratio
Rule of Thirds
Aspect Ratio
Rule of Thirds
Aspect Ratio
Rule of Thirds
Aspect Ratio
Rule of Thirds
Aspect Ratio
Rule of Thirds