Elements of Composition

There are many elements of composition to be considered when creating an image. Be it a painting, a sculpture, or a photograph, these elements are important to keep in mind. If you are looking for ways to improve your photography at home, composition might be one of the simplest places to start. It doesn’t cost anything in terms of new equipment or fancy software; just a few moments of thinking about what you want your finished piece to look like and creating that image from the beginning. To start you thinking about what is involved in composing a piece of artwork, here are some elements of composition:
Center of interest: The place you want your viewer to rest his/her eyes.
Subject placement: The area of the frame where the main subject is placed.
Simplicity: The idea of keeping out extra information that does not enhance the image or add to its impact.
Viewpoint and camera angle: The physical place from which a photograph is taken in relation to its subject.
Balance: The placement of different objects within an image that allows for a frame to be evenly (or unevenly) utilized.
Shapes and lines: The use of shapes and lines can help draw the viewer’s eye to certain areas of an image.
Pattern: Repeating elements in an image, or across a set of images.
Volume: How much or how little you use certain visual cues: color, pattern, size, etc.
Lighting: The quality, angle, and strength with which light falls across the subject and the background.
Texture: The visual communication of how something might feel to the touch.
Tone: The use of different hues to control the mood of an image.
Contrast: The degree to which middle-tones are used in an image.
Framing: The decision to include or exclude particular elements in an image, and where each element is placed.
Foreground: The area between the subject and the camera.
Background: The area behind and beyond the subject (farther from the camera).
Perspective: The literal and figurative place from which the artist created the image.

The list is long, and in some ways the elements overlap. But each can be considered with every click of the shutter. Every image has composition. Whether or not it was intentional plays a big part in the quality of your work. To start the ball rolling, what elements of composition can you recognize in the image above, and what does it say about the child who is featured?

Some elements I utilized intentionally for this child’s portrait include: perspective, camera angle, texture, lighting, and simplicity. What other elements are utilized, and what do they say to you? These are things to think about with every image you see – and every image you create. When you become more intentional with your photography, the quality of your work increases by leaps and bounds.

Going Commercial

I put together a little macro studio for product shots today. It was so easy, and really fun! I started with a cardboard box. It’s small; probably about 12×12x18 or so. I cut out three of the sides and taped parchment paper across each opening to act as diffusers and reflectors. From there, I placed a strip of posterboard inside the box for a backdrop and voila! A strobe aimed at the diffuser on one side is all I needed other than the ambient light from a nearby window. I could have gotten out a second strobe, but I was itching to start shooting so I stopped at one. If you’re not the photography type, you might be surprised to know I spent about an hour photographing this tiny little bottle of whiskey! There are so many ways to practice good techniques without much fancy equipment. A little creativity can go a long way. Perhaps I’ll post a picture of my creation in the near future. It’s not very pretty, but it does the job. I made sure to photograph a few objects while I was at it. You’ll have to stay tuned to see those. Who says photography equipment has to be intimidating? Do you think I could get a family of 4 into one of these? Oh . . . I get it . . . that’s what studios are for!!!