Composing the Shot

Shot or scene composition is the art of choosing the area of the photograph or boundaries of the photograph and the camera angle so that the principal subject or subjects of the photo are enhanced or at least not detracted from by their surroundings. Lets start with a few basic principles of good scene composition, and then we will explain a "golden" rule.

Every photo that you take has a "subject". The subject is the object of interest, be it a person, a building, or a pretty sunset. It is the reason why you are pointing the camera in that direction, and not somewhere else. The goal of good shot composition is emphasize the subject, and elements of the surroundings that enhance it, and de-emphasize or eliminate the surrounding elements that distract from it.

One way to emphasize the subject is get close enough to the subject or zoom in until the subject fills most of the viewfinder or LCD screen. Be aware that the photo includes everything you see in the viewfinder and not just whats close to the circle in the center. This eliminates the surroundings.

Try moving around your subject and shooting it from different perspectives. This changes the background or the photo, and then you can choose the shot where the background is the best. Try holding the camera high, and holding it low to get different angles. Try holding the camera sideways so that you get the "portrait" view instead of the "landscape" view. The great thing about a digital camera is that you can take all the shots you want and the film costs you nothing! The more shots you take, the better your chances of getting the perfect one.

Keep it simple! The best way to emphasize the subject or center of attention of a photo is to eliminate most other objects. Noise and clutter reduces the intended impact of a scene.

The following are factors  to consider when choosing a shot composition:

• Background
  Look for a background that contains nothing that distracts from the subject. You do not want a tree growing from the top of your subject's head for example. You want you subject to be the "star" of the photo and not something in the backgound.
  
  
• Balance
  Balance refers to making pictures look harmonious. Each element in a picture is related to all the other elements. Every tone, mass, shape, shadow, line, tree, rock, figure, or building must be arranged correctly in the composition to give the impression of balance. The subject placement within the picture area must be chosen carefully.
  
  Balance in a photo can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. In a symmetrically balanced photo, prominent elements are symmetrically arranged. There might be equally prominent objects on both sides of a photo for example. This lends a formal, structured look to the shot. If you are seeking more of an artistic feel, try an asymmetrical arrangement with prominent elements weighted to one side or the other. Be careful with this. Sometimes an asymmetric scene can appear out of balance. For example a shot with the shore on one side of the photo and the sea on the other. Some factors to consider when balancing a shot are:
  
  
  • An object far from the center of the picture seems more prominent (have more weight) than one nearer the center.
    
    
  • Objects in the upper part of a picture seem more prominent than in the lower part of a picture.
    
    
  • Regular shapes seem more prominent than irregular ones.
    
    
  • Elements on the right side of an asymmetrical picture appear more prominent than elements of the same size on the left side of the picture.
    

• Center of Interest
  Each picture should have only one main subject or center of interest. Other elements within the picture should support and focus attention on the principal feature so it alone is emphasized. Be careful about including people in a shot if they are not the subject of the shot, particularly if they are looking toward the camera. This is because they attract attention away from the main subject. If they are looking toward the subject, this might be good.
  
  
• Contrast
  Contrasting colors in a scene can act as a "frame" for the subject or direct attention to it. For example a lighter colored subject with darker surroundings or vice versa.
  
  
• Foreground
  Avoid unnecessary or distracting foreground by subject placement or moving closer to the subject, or zooming in. Foreground objects that direct attention to the subject can be good, but they should be sharply in focus. An out of focus foreground looks terrible.
  
  
• Framing
  Framing can emphasize the subject, make the scene more interesting, and disguise undesirable backgrounds. Many things can be used as "frames" including doorways, trees, vegetation, buildings, etc. This is one of the most important techniques of composition.
  
  
• Lighting
  Lighting is another of the most important elements of scene composition. Light and shadows add interest to a photo. Without variations of light and shadow, photos appear flat and lifeless. Light and shadows can create mood, to draw attention to an area, modify or distort shapes, or bring out form and texture.
  
  
• Perspective
  Perspective is the way real three-dimensional objects are pictured in a two-dimensional photograph. It lends the illusion of depth to the photo. Perspective is created by the way elements within a scene diminish in size, and the angle at which planes and lines converge. Perspective can vary depending on the angle from which you take the shot. The focal length of the lens affects the perspective. Lenses with shorter focal length produce more perspective than lenses with a long focal length.
  

Now for the "golden" rule! This rule is sometimes called the "golden mean" but more often the "rule of thirds". It is the most often cited technique of shot composition. There are four locations in a rectangular photo that are most pleasing to the eye. This has something to do with the workings of the human brain. To illustrate these four locations, we divide the rectangle of the photo into three vertical sections and three horizontal sections using two vertical lines, and two horizontal lines in the following manner:

Where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect as represented by the red circles are the four magic points. These four points are called "focal Points" and are the areas of the photo that the eyes are automatically drawn to. They are excellent locations to place the principal subject of the photo. One of the two horizontal lines is also a preferred location for the horizon of the photo. Actually this law of thirds is an application of a broader principle of composition which is to place the subject or center of attention on one of the two diagonals of the photo.