Chapter 3: Photocomposition

Photocomposition
Golden ratio
• 1:1.618

• if you divide each smaller window again with the same ratio and joining their corners you end up with a logarithmic spiral. This spiral is a motif found frequently throughout nature and shell, horns and flowers.

• the golden mean and the phi occurs frequently in nature and it may be that humans are genetically programmed to recognize the ratio as being pleasing.



The rule of thirds

• where a picture is divided into three sections vertically and horizontally and lines and points of intersection represent places to position visual elements.


Lines & Implied forms
Vertical lines = emphasize the power, strength, and height



Horizontal lines = express stability and width



Diagonal = express dynamite energy



Curving lines = expressed sensuality



The Curve
• Here is a line of great beauty and charm and nothing gives a better example than a beautiful female form with all it’s lines and curves. Of course there are other examples: the curve in a river or a pathway through a flower garden.

The “S” curve
• This line goes further than just a plain curve line. It is called the “line of beauty”. It is elastic, variable and combines charm and strength. It has perfect grace and perfect balance. You have seen this “s” curve hundred times in drawing and paintings and other works of art.

The leading line
• The lines that leads your eyes in to the picture area easily like a road or a fence, a shoreline or river, a raw of trees or pathway. A successful “leading line” will lead your eyes into the picture and take it right to the main subject or center of interest.
• An “un-successful leading line” will take the eye in to the picture but will zoom the eye right out of the picture if there is no stopper to hold the eye in the picture frame; such as a tree, house or rather large object on right hand side of the picture frame which will stop the eye going out of the picture. The center of the main subject will act as a stopper and hold the eye in the picture frame.
• The best leading lines will start at lower left area of the picture frame but not in the exact corner. Again, the eye likes to enter a picture frame of this point and leading line will help it get in to the picture easily and swiftly.
Implied forms
• Combination of implied lines and they help to hold a picture together. Eye enjoys these interesting forms and will stay in the picture area to examine each one of them, if they are present.

The circles
• Is made up of continuous “curve” and it’s circular movement keeps the eye in the picture frame. There are many circles in nature and man made objects and if you find them in an image before you, be sure to make good use of them in your photography.

The triangle or pyramid
• This has a solid base and will show stability. It also has height and strength. The pyramids of Egypt have survived for thousand of years while other types of solid buildings have crumbled into dust in less time.
• A triangle can show up in your viewfinder as three points in the scene, such as two trees on the grounds pointing to a cloud in the sky. Sometimes a fence in combination with stream and a farmhouse can form the triangle composition

The Radii
• Is a connection of lines meeting in the center and it is also an expansion of lines leaving the center.

The Cross
• A showing of “opposing force” that will give the picture a feeling of cohesion and relationship. The horizontal bar of the cross will act as a “stopper” while the vertical pole can act as leading line. The windows in a large skyscraperwill form crosses and will keep your interest in the building
• Could relate to religious meaning.

The “L” or rectangle
• This makes an attractive “frame” it can be used to accentuate important subjects. Many times it is a frame within a frame.

Mass
• Equal objects, such as trees, houses, mountains, lakes or any other large or small object with in the picture area.
• Two sections, formal balance and informal balance

Formal balance
• Sometimes called equal balance or classical balance. It elicits feelings of dignity and repose but makes static, unimaginative photo images as the objects in the picture area are of equal size, one balancing the other equally like two children of equal size on a playground seesaw.
• Looks boring unless you have definite reason to use it.

Informal balance
• Gives an unequal balance in the picture area. If you have a large object in the picture it should be counter-balanced with a smaller object or objects to make good photocomposition.

Bull’s eye composition
• “No, No” in good photocomposition. When you place the main subject right “smack” in the center of the picture area it is called bull’s eye. This should be avoided at all times, unless you have definite reason for doing it.
• With main subject at the center of the picture frame the eye will go into the picture and stay in the center, eyes will not move around to enjoy the rest of the picture. Eyes can get tired very fast and lose interest of the photograph.
• Even the object is a little off center, it can still improve the picture’s composition.