Picture composition: A must-have skill for photography
The emergence of smartphones with high quality cameras have made photography an everyday affair now. Ready availability and the ease of operating these cameras have led youngsters to take keen interest in clicking photos. However, the quality of a click doesn't only depend on the camera. One of the prerequisites of good photography is picture composition. Only a well-composed image has the power to convey what the story that photographer wants to tell.
What is picture composition?
Composing an image involves arranging elements within it in a way that guides a viewer’s eye through the path that the photographer has prepared across the frame. The arrangement of elements can be done by shifting objects and subjects. This is, however, applicable to portrait or still life photography only. Re-arranging the elements of a snapshot can also be done by changing the position of the photographer in case of landscape photography where the objects or the subject cannot be moved. Street or candid photography doesn’t allow the scope for composition because they involve anticipation and the photographer doesn’t have the choice of moving anything. A good composition can turn even the dullest subject or object into a great picture while bad composition is the sure-fire way of ruining the output.
Principles of picture composition
There are certain principles that your youngster needs to follow when clicking a picture. Here is a low-down on them.
Balance
In a well-composed photograph, the negative and positive spaces are always balanced out. Understanding the importance of separating the subject and the background is very important for correct picture composition. Adding colours or subjects in the background can enhance the object in the center of interest. This is a powerful technique that should be used to direct the audience’s eyes towards the direction intended by the photographer. Encourage your youngster to visualise the final outcome first.
Leading lines
The audience usually views an image from left to right, just like a reader reads a written text. Creating lines of all sorts can create depth and meaning to a photograph. The simple lines of a road or a path can become a good medium of composition for your kid to try out. A water stream or a river and its boundary lines can make an interesting first composition.
The rule of thirds
The best-known element in photo composition is the rule of thirds. According to the rule, a photograph is divided into nine grids with four intersections to locate the image and its subjects correctly. In the case of horizon lines and landscape images, the rule of thirds comes into play. Stock images with permanent subjects can make use of the rule for getting a better sense of positioning.
Viewpoint
While shooting a subject your kid might want to move around for better angles and positions. Changing viewpoints is a great way of adding depth to photos. It is natural to shoot from eye level, but shooting from an elevated point or lower point can make whole lot of a difference. Your budding photographer can change the viewpoint by standing on a chair for height, kneeling down on the floor for low-level shots, shooting from just above the subject for detail, or from diagonal angles to capture texture details.
Simplicity
For beginners and budding photographers, the best way to compose a good picture is by focusing on the simplicity of the subject. They need to exclude unnecessary details and eliminate every possible distraction from the image. Every object in the frame should add to the ultimate goal. Even a complex photo can be made simple and minimalistic if it has a clear and distinct message.