Principles

of composition in photography andreas feininger pdf

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a nonprofit fighting for universal access to quality information, powered by online donations averaging about $17. Join the one in a thousand users that support us financially—if our library is useful to you, please pitch in. Composition in Photography Have you ever typed in the words photography and composition together in Google? If you have you
know the first thing that surfaces on any website is the Rule of Thirds. To be clear this post is not just about a few well-known composition rules. I would like to introduce a more thoughtful approach to composition in photography. I want to go beyond rules and talk about principles of composition in photography and intentional choices. Along the
way, I want to give you some practical building blocks and photo composition examples to improve your composition skills. Because I believe composition is a series of conscious choices based on a set of underlying principles. And not so much about applying some well-known rules of photographic composition. The problem with rules is that they’re
constraining. And for every so-called photography composition rule, I can show you a photo that’s breaking all of them and makes an impact or tells a story nonetheless. Composition is how you arrange all the elements in the outside world in your frame to make an interesting and appealing photograph. Photo composition is a very powerful tool. And
the good news is you can improve your composition without even understanding anything about your camera. Of course, it helps when you know how to shoot in manual mode for instance. But having some composition guidelines will improve your photographs immediately without it. You can apply composition techniques with your point and shoot,
your phone or with a DSLR. What is the Purpose of Composition in Photography? The main purpose of the composition of a photo is to tell your viewers what the image is about. It’s to make your subject clear to the people you’re sharing them with. A carefully crafted composition will draw the viewer’s eye into the photo leading her or him through
the photo. It’s to attract. That’s what it needs to do on the receiver’s end. On the maker’s side, your side, composition is one of the tools in photography you can use to express yourself. The World is Flat! Understanding how the camera ‘sees’ and records the outside world is very important in composition. The moment you press the shutter you
transform a three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional image. The camera flattens the world. When you truly understand this vital trait of cameras you know why composition is so important. If you want to know more about this read Do You Think We See The Same? When the camera transforms from 3 to 2 dimensions the world changes to
lines and tones. That’s what a photo is. Lines and tones. It’s a misconception in photography that a photo is reality or even a representation of reality. It’s not.
It’s a photo and as such it’s a new reality. Understanding this might very well be the biggest AHA-moment in your photography journey.

I know it was for me. And composition is a major component in how to make that new reality meaningful, attractive and compelling. So let’s get you started! Composing a photograph is a lot about including and excluding elements. If it’s in the frame it has meaning and purpose. Everything.
Even the stuff you didn’t intentionally place inside the frame. If it’s not meant to be there it will be a distraction and dilute the story you want to tell. So you will have to find ways to make sure it’s not in the frame or isn’t a distraction. Building Block: Orientation The orientation of your frame determines whether you arrange the elements in a vertical
or horizontal order. This first choice you make when you bring the camera to your eye is an important one. By changing the orientation of your frame you can decide to include or exclude certain elements. A horizontal or a vertical frame also has an impact on how the viewer takes in the photo and perceives the story in the frame. Generally speaking,
horizontal orientation is more connecting to the viewer. This is because we have a horizontal view ourselves. Horizontal photographs feel more personal and dynamic.

We feel more connected because it feels like we’re right there in the midst of things. It invigorates a sense of immersion and space. A vertical frame, on the other hand, can feel more detached, static, formal, and constrained. The decision you make will determine the way the viewer ‘reads’ the image, vertically or horizontally. And in the end, it’s about
discovering the flow in your scene and how to emphasize or exaggerate that through a vertical or horizontal orientation of your frame. How to do it Look through the viewfinder and take a good look. Change from horizontal to vertical and make some shots in both orientations. What do you see? Do you see a difference? How does it make you feel?
What’s happening above and below the subject in a vertical orientation. What’s happening on either side of the subject in a horizontal orientation? What do you think works best for this photo? To emphasize the vastness of the river I choose a horizontal orientation. Shooting down from a high point of view gives an interesting perspective. The thing
you use to compose your shots is not so much the camera but your body.

Of course, the camera is vital but it’s an extension of your body. It’s the body that makes the composition. By taking a step to the left you get rid of that distracting element in the background. When you crouch down you make your subject look taller. Walking towards your subject will fill the frame with what you feel is most important.

By taking a step back you show the viewer the background elements. And by climbing on top of a rock you show the viewer an interesting perspective. Do you see how everything you do to compose your shots comes from where you position your body? By moving your body and your point of view you change the relations between the elements in the
frame. How to do it. Be active, walk around, crouch down, climb up, take a step back or come close. Connect to your subject. Take a good look and ask yourself what do I need to include and exclude to tell the story of this scene? This is one of the most overlooked aspects of beginning photographers. I guess it’s because you’re so focused on the
subject that you forget to check what’s behind it. But because the camera flattens your 3-dimensional scene in the image the background becomes as important as your subject. When the background is cluttered and messy it becomes a huge distraction. Building Block: High or Low Point of View.
As we saw in the first principle one of the major building blocks is your point of view created by the position of your body. When your background is distracting choosing a high or a low standpoint will eliminate a lot of those distractions. How to do it. If you have a scene with a distracting background climb on top of something and shoot down. Or
kneel down to shoot upward from a low point of view. Look through the viewfinder to determine how much of the background you need to cut.
And consider the new background created by this new point of view.
Is it making things better? Try different heights. Maybe just standing on your toes or slightly bending your knees will do the trick. Shooting up from a low point of view makes the grapevine stand out against the sky. By filling the frame the distracting elements in the background are eliminated. Another solution is to physically come closer to your
subject. By closing in you automatically eliminate the distracting background. How to do it. This is one of the reasons it’s so important to connect with your subject so you don’t feel awkward or shy to become a part of the scene you’re photographing. Of course, I can see this is not so difficult when your subject is made of bricks. It is, however, a little
more challenging when your subject has a beating heart. But please don’t let that stop you. Most human beings are quite nice and when you respectfully approach them a lot of them will be happy to let you come close. Read more: You Think The Best Spot Is Behind Your Camera? A 2-dimensional image doesn’t have depth in itself. You have to put it in
there. Remember, it’s an image made up of lines and tones! It’s completely flat. No depth whatsoever. Building Block: Leading Lines. Converging lines are great for creating depth. It’s the perspective thing at work. In photography, we call them leading lines because they draw the viewer’s eye into the frame. Converging lines have a vanishing point
and that’s how they create the illusion of depth. How to do it. A leading line can be anything but it has to have a direction. It’s not a horizontal or vertical line.
They move from the front to the ‘back’ of the image. You can find leading lines in roads, rails, buildings, streets, etc. Elements with a repeating vertical pattern can become a leading line as long as the combined vertical lines lead to a vanishing point.
Think of a line of trees, or pillars. It can also be a surface that goes from out-of-focus to in-focus like a wall. Pay close attention to the lines in your frame. Will taking a step to the left or right enhance the perspective? Lowering or raising your point of view can accentuate the converging lines as well. Here you’ll discover more ideas to create photos
with depth! Together the vertical lines of the sticks in the ground form leading lines that point to the man working in the vineyard.

The walls on both sides of the girls sitting outside create depth. The floor adds to this effect. With framing, you place your subject within a natural ‘frame’, a structure that surrounds or partly blocks the subject. Because the subject is in the background and the ‘frame’ in the foreground you instantly add depth to your photos. How to do it. The world is
full of opportunities to create a frame within a frame. The most obvious one is, of course, a window. But you can use anything that’s in front of the subject but not completely blocking the subject like curtains, pillars, fences, walls, or humans. The word dynamic is important because if it was just about balance it would be perfectly okay to place your
subject in the middle of the frame. Truth be told that works sometimes but it’s a little limited and I set out to expand your toolbox today. Dynamic balance is about the importance of the different elements in the frame and the relation between them. The purpose of dynamic balance is to create tension between elements of different importance.
Ideally, the element that pulls the viewer in is the subject. This is the most important element in your frame. And because of that, it has more visual weight than the rest of the frame.
To create tension you give it less actual space than the surrounding elements while making sure it’s clear what your subject is. Negative space refers to areas in the photo where there’s not much going on.
Sometimes even nothing. It can be the background or the foreground, but the main idea is that it’s a homogenous space containing similar elements. There are no distracting elements, and nothing stands out. How to do it. Be on the lookout for similar-looking and homogenous backgrounds to place your subject in front of. It can be the sky, a wall,
treelines, fields, streets, etc. To create dynamic balance using negative space the ’empty’ space must be larger than the subject. Because the ‘empty’ space works as a counterbalance. This makes it more interesting and instantly appealing. Click here to discover more about Negative Space Photography. The water surrounding the 2 rocks is quiet and
homogenous creating the negative space. The most important aspect of this photo is the sleeping girl. Placing her in the top right corner creates the dynamic balance of the Rule of Thirds. In the rule of thirds, the frame is divided by four lines into nine equal areas creating a three by three grid. Placing your main subject at the intersection or along
one of the lines results in a balanced and at the same time dynamic composition. It allows the viewer to easily engage with the image because our eyes are naturally attracted to the four intersection points. How to do it. Whenever you notice yourself automatically placing your subject in the middle of the frame stop and think about why you’re doing
that. Then start to play around and place your main element in any of the outer areas instead of the middle area. Activate the three-by-three grid in your camera and keep an eye on it when you’re composing a shot. Place your subject on one of the intersections or along one of the lines. For landscape photography, placing the horizon on one third of
the frame creates tension. In portrait photography placing the eyes on one third from the top or at one of the intersection points is a great way to attract attention to the eyes. Final Thoughts These are only a few of the principles and building blocks in composing photos. But they are among the more powerful compositional techniques we have in
photography.
The most important aspect is to be aware of all the elements in your frame and how you can emphasize or downplay them. Because if it’s in the frame it has meaning. The vital tool you work with is your body and your point of view. This is your instrument. So, be attentive, be intentional and most of all be active! Tell us in the comments what your
favorite building block is! Did you try one of the tips? Share your photos on Instagram and mention @photography_playground! You want to pick up your camera with confidence and joy but the truth is your camera is a mystery to you. You’re stuck in auto mode because you don’t want to miss the moments that matter while you’re fumbling with your
settings. I feel you and I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be this way. Join Photography Playground now for overwhelm-free training and creative empowerment! American photographer and writer This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources.
Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: "Andreas Feininger" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) The Photojournalist, showing the photojournalist Dennis Stock, may be Feininger's best-known photograph; he took it for Life in 1951. View
along US 40 in Mount Vernon Canyon, Colorado, 1942, a photograph taken when Feininger was an employee of the Office of War Information (OWI) Creede, Colorado in 1942, another OWI photograph by Feininger Andreas Bernhard Lyonel Feininger (December 27, 1906 – February 18, 1999) was an American photographer and a writer on
photographic technique. He was noted for his dynamic black-and-white scenes of Manhattan and for studies of the structures of natural objects. Biography Feininger was born in Paris, France, the eldest son of Julia Berg, a German Jew, and the American painter and art educator Lyonel Feininger (1871-1956). His paternal grandparents were the
German violinist Karl Feininger (1844–1922) and the American singer Elizabeth Feininger, (née Lutz), who was also of German descent. His younger brother was the painter and photographer T.
Lux Feininger (1910–2011).[1] In 1908 the Feininger family moved to Berlin, and in 1919 to Weimar, where Lyonel Feininger took up the post of Master of the Printing Workshop at the newly formed Bauhaus art school.[2] Andreas left school at 16, in 1922, to study at the Bauhaus; he graduated as a cabinetmaker in April 1925.
Afterwards he studied architecture, initially at the Staatliche Bauschule Weimar (State Architectural College, Weimar) and later at the Staatliche Bauschule Zerbst. (Zerbst is a city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, about 20 km from Dessau, where the Bauhaus moved to in 1926.) The Feininger family moved to Dessau with the Bauhaus. In
addition to continuing his architectural studies in Zerbst, Andreas developed an interest in photography and was given guidance by neighbour and Bauhaus teacher László Moholy-Nagy.[3] In 1936, he gave up architecture and moved to Sweden, where he focused on photography.
In advance of World War II, in 1939, Feininger immigrated to the U.S. where he established himself as a freelance photographer. In 1943 he joined the staff of Life magazine, an association that lasted until 1962. Feininger became famous for his photographs of New York. Other frequent subjects among his works were science and nature, as seen in
bones, shells, plants, and minerals in the images of which he often stressed their structure. Rarely did he photograph people or make portraits. Feininger wrote comprehensive manuals about photography, of which the best known is The Complete Photographer. In the introduction to one of Feininger's books of photographs, Ralph Hattersley, the
editor of the photography journal Infinity, described him as "one of the great architects who helped create photography as we know it today." In 1966, the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) awarded Feininger its highest distinction, the Robert Leavitt Award. In 1991, the International Center of Photography awarded Feininger the
Infinity Lifetime Achievement Award. Today, Feininger's photographs are in the permanent collections of the Center for Creative Photography, the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, London's Victoria and Albert Museum, and the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York. Bibliography
Educational books on photography Menschen vor der Kamera. Ein Lehrbuch moderner Bildnisfotografie. Halle: Dr. Walther Heering Verlag, 1934. About portrait photography. Vergrössern leicht gemacht. Harzburg: Dr. Walther Heering Verlag, 1935. Selbst Entwickeln und Kopieren. Harzburg: Dr. Walther Heering Verlag, 1935. Aufnahme-Technik.
Die Harzburg-Reihe, 13. Harzburg: Dr. Walther Heering Verlag, 1936. Entwickeln, Kopieren, Vergrössern. Harzburg: Dr. Walther Heering Verlag, 1936. Fotografische Gestaltung. Harzburg: Dr. Walther Heering Verlag, 1937.
Hyresgästernas sparkasse- och byggnadsförening. Stockholm: Hyresgästernas Förlags A.-B., 1937. About HSB; in Swedish. Motive im Gegenlicht. Harzburg: Dr. Walther Heering Verlag, 1939. Exakta – Ein Weg zu Foto-Neuland. Halle: Isert, 1939. On the Exakta camera. Les Horizons nouveaux de la photographie avec l'Exakta. Halle: Isert, 1940.
French translation. New Paths in Photography. Boston, American Photographic Pub. Co., 1939. London: Chapman & Hall, 1939. The Twin-Lens Camera Companion. London: Focal Press, 1948.
By Henry Swinsbury, with a contribution by Feininger. On twin-lens reflex cameras. Feininger on Photography. Chicago: Ziff-Davis, 1949. New York: Crown, 1953. Advanced Photography, Methods and Conclusions. New York: Prentice-Hall, 1952. Successful Photography. New York: Prentice-Hall, 1954. And later editions. Das Buch der Fotografie.
Frankfurt: Büchergilde Gutenberg, 1961. German translation. Framgångsrik fotografering. Stockholm: Bonnier, 1958. Swedish translation. Hyvä valokuvaaja. Helsinki: Tammi, 1957. Finnish translation. Il libro della fotografia: Tecnica e applicazioni. Milan: Garzanti, 1961. Italian translation. Also later editions. Successful Color Photography. New
York: Prentice-Hall, 1954. And later editions. Das Buch der Farbfotografie.
Düsseldorf: Econ, 1961. German translation. Värivalokuvaaja. Helsinki: Tammi, 1958. Finnish translation. Il libro della fotografia a colori. Milan: Garzanti, 1962. Italian translation. Also later editions. The Creative Photographer. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1955. And later editions. Der Schlüssel zur Fotografie von Heute. Düsseldorf: Econ,
1958. German translation. Skapande fotografering. Stockholm: Bonnier, 1958. Swedish translation. Fotograful creator. Bucharest: Editura Meridiane, 1967. Romanian translation. Total Picture Control: A Personal Approach to Photography. New York: Crown, 1961. New York: Amphoto, 1970. Die hohe Schule der Fotografie. Düsseldorf: Econ, 1961.
And later editions. Andreas Feiningers fotoskole. Copenhagen: Grafisk Forlag, 1962. Danish translation. De hogere school der fotografie. Amsterdam: De Bussey, 1963. Dutch translation. Vysoká škola fotografie. Prague: Orbis, 1968. Czech translation. A Manual of Advanced Photography. London: Thames & Hudson, 1962. Revised edition, London:
Thames & Hudson, 1970. Voir: Précis sur la technique et l'art d'exceller en photographie. Lausanne: Edita, 1961. Arte y técnica en fotografía: Cómo perfeccionar sus fotos. Madrid: Mediterráneo, 1968. Cómo hacer buenas fotografías: Un curso completo sobre la mecánica, la técnica y las aplicaciones de la fotografía. Madrid: Mediterráneo, 1968.
Madrid: Mediterráneo, 1980. ISBN 8471561158. The Complete Photographer. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1965. London: Thames & Hudson, 1965.
And later editions.
Die neue Foto-Lehre. Düsseldorf: Econ, 1965. La nuova tecnica della fotografia. Milan: Garzanti, 1966. Italian translation. Fotograferen van A–Z: Een nieuw handboek der fotografie. Amsterdam: De Bussy, 1965. Basic Color Photography. 1969. The Color Photo Book. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1969. Kleurenfotografie van A–Z. Amsterdam: De
Bussy, 1969. Dutch translation. The Complete Colour Photographer. Thames & Hudson, 1969.
Farbfotolehre. Neu bearbeitete Ausgabe des berühmten Standardwerkes. Munich: Heyne, 1969. ISBN 3453411609. Photographic Seeing. 1973.
Principles of Composition. 1973. Darkroom Techniques.
1974.
The Perfect Photograph. 1974. Roots of Art. 1974. Light and Lighting in Photography. 1976. Other pictorial books Stockholm. Stockholm: A. Bonnier, 1936. In Swedish and English. Hedenhös och medeltid. Forna dagars Sverige. Copenhagen, 1941. By Feininger and Gustaf Näsström.
Vasatid och karolinsk tid. Forna dagars Sverige. Copenhagen, 1941. By Feininger and Gustaf Näsström. Frihetstid och Gustaviansk tid. Forna dagars Sverige. Copenhagen, 1941. By Feininger and Gustaf Näsström. New York. Chicago: Ziff-Davis, 1945. Introduction by John Erskine, text by Jacquelyn Judge. The Face of New York: The City as It Was
and as It Is. New York: Crown, 1954. Text by Susan E. Lyman. Changing America: The Land as It Was and How Man Has Changed It. New York: Crown, 1955. Text by Patricia Dyett. The Anatomy of Nature: How Function Shapes the Form and Design of Animate and Inanimate Structures throughout the Universe. New York: Crown, 1956. London:
Thomas Yoseloff, 1956. New York: Dover, 1979. Vorm en functie in de natuur: 170 foto's. Delft: W.
Gaade, 1956. Dutch translation. Das Antlitz der Natur. Munich: Knaur, 1957. Zurich: Buchclub Ex Libris, 1957. German translation. Anatomía de la naturaleza: De cómo la función crea la forma en las estructuras animadas e inanimadas de entero universo. Barcelona: Jano, 1962. Spanish translation. Frauen und Göttinnen von der Steinzeit bis zu
Picasso. Cologne: M. DuMont Schauberg, 1960. Text by J. Bon. Maids, Madonnas, and Witches: Women in Sculpture from Prehistoric Times to Picasso. New York: Abrams, 1961. English translation. Introduction by Henry Miller. The Image of Woman: Women in Sculpture from Pre-historic Times to the Present Day. London: Thames & Hudson, 1961.
English translation. Introduction by Henry Miller. Andreas Feininger fotografiert Steine. Düsseldorf: Econ, 1960. About architecture; with an introduction by Kasimir Edschmid. Man and Stone: A Journey into the Past. New York: Crown, 1961. English translation. Andreas Feininger fotografeert steen. Haarlem: Gottmer, 1962. Dutch translation. Stone
and Man: A Photographic Exploration. New York: Dover, 1979. New York. New York: Crown, 1964; New York: Viking, 1964. London: Thames & Hudson, 1964. Text by Kate Simon. New York. Düsseldorf: Econ, 1964. German translation. Lyonel Feininger: City at the Edge of the World. New York: Praeger, 1965. Text by T. Lux Feininger. Lyonel
Feininger.
Die Stadt am Ende der Welt. Munich: Rütten & Loening, 1965. German translation. Forms of Nature and Life. New York: Viking Press, 1966.
Die Sprache der Natur. Düsseldorf: Econ, 1966. German translation. Form in Nature and Life. London: Thames & Hudson, 1966. Trees. New York: Viking Press, 1968. London: Thames & Hudson, 1968. Harmondsworth, Middx: Penguin, 1978. ISBN 0-14-004747-6. New York: Viking Press, 1978. ISBN 0670729434. New York: Rizzoli, 1991.
ISBN 0847813258. Wunderbare Welt der Bäume und Wälder. Vienna: Econ, 1968. German translation. Lyonel Feininger. New York: Marlborough-Gerson Gallery, 1969. Text by Peter Selz. Shells. 1972. Feininger's Hamburg. 1980. Feininger's Chicago. 1981. Industrial America. 1981. Leaves. New York. 1984. In a Grain of Sand: Exploring Design by
Nature. San Francisco: Sierra Club, 1986. Nature in Miniature. London: Thames & Hudson, 1989.
Stockholm 1933–1939. Stockholm: Stockholms Stadsmuseum, 1991. ISBN 9185238708. Monographs Die Welt neu gesehen. Ein Querschnitt meiner Arbeit. Vienna: Econ, 1963. The World Through My Eyes: 30 Years of Photography. New York: Crown, 1963. English translation. The World Through My Eyes. London: Thames & Hudson, 1964. English
translation. Regards sur le monde: 30 années d'art photographique. Brussels: Meddens 1964. French translation. Il mondo come io lo vedo. Milan: Garzanti, 1964. Italian translation.
Met andere ogen gezien. Amsterdam: De Bussy, 1964. Dutch translation. Andreas Feininger. 1973. Text by Ralph Hattersley. Andreas Feininger, That's Photography. Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz, 2004. ISBN 3-7757-1429-4. 320 pages, 210 photographs, texts.
Andreas Feininger. A Photographer's Life. 1906–1999. Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz, 2010. ISBN 978-3-7757-2704-4. 192 pages, 129 photographs, text. References and notes ^ Obituary of T.
Lux Feininger, The New York Times. ^ Bauhaus100. Lyonel Feininger Archived February 4, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 February 2017 ^ Bauhaus100. Andreas Feininger Archived February 4, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 February 2017 External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Andreas Feininger.
Gerhard Bissell/Françoise Denoyelle, Feininger, Andreas, in: Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon (Artists of the World), Vol. 37, Saur, Munich 2003, pp. 549–550 (in German).
Introduction to Feininger at George Eastman House ASMP interview with Andreas Feininger Andreas Feininger Photographs Photographs by Andreas Feininger from the collections at the Museum of the City of New York Biography – Andreas Bernhard Lyonel Feininger The Andreas Feininger Photograph Collection at the New-York Historical Society
Andreas Feininger fonds at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. Retrieved from " Dear Patron: Please don't scroll past this. The Internet Archive is a nonprofit fighting for universal access to quality information, powered by online donations averaging about $17. Join the one in a thousand users that support us financially—if our library is
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