Yahaya Lawal

DEFINITION OF COMPOSITION
Composition has been defined as a laying of comparative objects and
elements in an artwork ( www.photographylife.com).

DEFINITION OF COMPOSITION IN PHOTOGRAPHY
This can be described as placing essentials or features within a
photograph in a way that fits the central idea or target of your work
(www.digitalcameraworld.com).
GOOD COMPOSTION
Good composition has been defined as the careful selection and arrangement of the
photos subject matter within a frame (Busch: 2009)
Example of a good Composition


It is a fact that best pictures are not by accident, they are calculated and crafted. The
following will guide us on how to prepare and apply good composition in our
photography. They are only guidelines your intelligence will tell you when to break the
rules.
VISUALISING A CONCEPT FOR YOUR PICTURE
Photo talks. You should decide what your picture will say and also determine your
audience. Is your photo communicating emotions: happiness, sorrow, mourning,
sympathy, pains or a pathetic situation.

Photo Talks
It is significant to remember where the image will be used. If it is for display you
need to have tight composition for adequate sharpness and should be framed
And enlarged. If it is on the web page, you need to move back a little, you can crop it later.

Another essential factor is for who is the photo: family, friends, colleagues, etc

SELECTING A SUBJECT AND A CENTRE OF INTEREST
You should not leave your viewers in limbo or confused on what is your soul
intention or focal point. Every picture must have one strong Mecca. Do not
include everything, rather narrow down your subject matter by eliminating all the
unwanted object, cropping or excusing them to leave. Choose one main subject
and allow the other interesting secondary subject to appear.


CHOOSE ONE MAIN CENTER OF INTEREST
Some of the prominent compositional techniques to have centre of interest are
as follow:
Most prominent should be your center of interest : you may think that Sister Hafsat should be
pictured but if she stands in front of a latest car in town, she can hardly be noticed.
SIMPLICTY / CENTER OF
INTEREST
SINGLE CENTER OF INTEREST
Center of interest should be the brightest object or should not be conquered by
a brighter object. Dazzling background and reflections should not distract
viewers from your core subject.
Subject should not always be in the middle
Avoid placing your center of interest always at the at the center of the picture
do not use the literal meaning of the word center every time

USING SECONDARY SUBJECT

Presenting multiple center of interest is confusing. If a picture has many
important subjects just include secondary objects that enrich the photo.
Secondary objects can be identified through: brightness, location, and sharpness ( by
editing).

ARRANGING YOUR SUBJECTS

One of the essential basics of composition is appropriate arrangement of subjects within a frame. It
matters seriously: where subjects are facing and where they are placed. The most important
arrangement is selection of the subjects distance.
Choosing Subject Distance: Distance selection should not be permanent, it should be reviewed
according to the situation demands. The following are ways to select subject distance:
Use wide angle lens or move back to create the feeling of space or depth.
Your subject should not be appear too small.
For pictures that stress a person, group or object move as close as possible.
Fill in the frame entirely.


Optimizing Background: Unwanted background is somehow indispensible
unless if the picture is in the night or somehow. Background can be an
advantage or disadvantage to you. The following points can help in managing
Your background.
Make sure your background is not flamboyant, brightly colored or occupied.
Plain background suits portraits.
Natural settings such as trees, skies, mountains, waterfalls, etc can make an
attractive compositional background.

FRAMING & THE RULE OF THIRDS

The best position to be assigned to an important subject is usually at one of the
points located one third of the way from top or bottom and sides of the frame.
Burch (2009) defined rule of thirds as a process of breaking up your picture
horizontally and vertically into thirds.
PLACING IMPORTANT OBJECT AT IMAGINARY JUNCTION POINTS

To stay away from placing your subject at the middle, you can
stage it at off-center position with the support of imaginary rule of
thirds. We can do this by:
Splitting the frame into thirds horizontally and vertically.
Place your center of interest at of the four intersections of the imaginary lines.
Do not position your object at the edge of your picture.

RULE OF THIRD
BREAKING THE RULE
WHEN TO BREAK THE RULE OF THIRDS
The rule of thirds is just a guide, one can break it rationally. We can neglect the
rule if:

The main object is big enough to occupy one of the imaginary intersection points.
Placing the image at the centre will help in demonstrating a concept.
If illustrating symmetry.

Leading LINE AND CURVES
Your viewers will like to see the subjects arranged interestingly. Lines and
curves within your image can direct your eyes toward your focal point. Line and
curves can be in a form of walls, fence, building, roads, falls etc
BALANCING AN IMAGE
Putting every subject of interest on one side of the picture leaving little or nothing to look at on the other side is making the
composition of the photo to be unbalanced. Balancing an image requires that all the object that occupy one side should
be counterbalanced by other objects on the other side. This is not akin to multiple centers of interest. Object can be
balanced in two ways:
Symmetrical balance: this is where objects of the same size and weight can be placed on both sides.
Asymmetrical balance; Here the objects of different sizes and weights are stationed on both the opposing sides.
BALANCING IMAGE
FRAMING AN IMAGE
Usually, printed pictures are put in physical frames for some reasons. Border
delineates the shape of the picture and help to center attention on the image
Within the frame. We can apply the basic notion on framing to create an
attractive border within our picture by utilizing the following guidelines:
Search for clear framing shapes where you can place your composition, example; doo-ways, windows, spaces between
building, etc
Change position to edge the shot so that the forefront object create a border around your image.
Situate your frame in the foreground
Use your frame to breed a sense of depth.
FRAMING IMAGE
Depth
As conclusion there a few basic composition which are;
Photo Talk
Simplicity
Rule Of third
Breaking the rule
Balancing
Line
Framing
Depth
REFERENCES
Busch, D.D (2009). Digital Photography, Wiley Publishing, Inc. Canada.
Mohd Emran Ngadiman
MP111370
What makes these
images effective?
Creating mood
Overall feel of a picture
Created by
Perspective
Color
Focus (isolation and distance)
Weather and light
Sunrise/sunset
Misty, rainy days
Sun vs. overcast
Characteristics of a good photo
Shape
Line
Pattern
Texture
Size and space
Shape
Tends to be noticed first, before texture and pattern
Easiest and most recognizable composition tool
Shape helps create a mood/character for the picture
Search for the unconventional or surprise shape in
objects
Creating shape
Common
use backlighting to create a silhouette
Uncommon
side lighting with simple background
underexpose to focus on shape vs. color or texture
Line
Lines create
Shape
Pattern
Depth
Perspective
Line leads the eye
Focal point/subject
Diagonals
S-curves
Line creates perspective
Lines into the horizon show depth and perspective for the viewer
Vanishing point
Point at which lines converge and vanish in to the horizon
Place off-center
Close-ups decrease perspective while wide-angles can exaggerate it