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Pada April 22 2009 07:52:46
BETTER PICTURES THRUGH GOOD COMPOSITION
There are three stages in the development of a photographer, composition-wise.
First, the beginner starts out by using RULES and should follow them as definite rules.
Then, once he really knows the rules through experience, they become PRINCIPLES, and he can follow them in a more flexible manner. Later, he may make these principles a part of his ARTISTIC TASTE, OR EXPRESSION.
The ARTIST may feel that he is not following rules. However, an analysis of -his photographs proves that he is following the rules (perhaps unconsciously) more closely than any less experienced person could ever hope to do. (This also proves that many rules are derived from an analysis of good pictures.)
The major part of the booklet is devoted to basic composition which is really the foundation of good photography. The summary gives a definite procedure to use in applying the rules.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD PICTURE
Everyone appreciates and enjoys good pictures, but many may not know just why certain pictures appeal to them, or just what makes a picture a good picture.
Good photography is based upon definite rules and PRINCIPLES OF VISION which must be followed if we are to take good pictures--pictures our friends will like.
The professional photographer knows that the eye expects certain things. If the picture fulfills these expectations, it is successful; if not, the eye does not care to liner on the picture and rejects it. One of the simple tricks of composition is to keep the eye from running out of the picture before it has been fully satisfied.
Since it is true that good pictures do not just happen, it is important that you, know these rules even though you may limit your picture taking mainly to vacation trips.
THREE ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS
All good pictures have three essential qualifications:
>>good technical quality,
>>interest or impact,
>>and good composition.
Good technical quality, in its simplest form, is correct focus, correct lighting and exposure, and non-movement of the camera while making the exposure. This essential can be mastered, mainly through following the instructions which come with the camera and the film and through intelligent practice.
To have interest or impact, the picture must tell some kind of story, express a mood, or make a pattern. Interest or Impact can be injected into thousands of common place objects through proper composition.
GOOD COMPOSITION is a pleasing arrangement of objects, mass, lines, and contrasts or colors to form a harmonious mole. Good composition in a picture makes it easy for the eye to enjoy the picture. It is the main foundation of good photography, and once you have learned to handle your camera, it should be your number one concern.
This booklet, will deal with twelve basic principles of' composition, along with many important supplementary rules. They are simple rules which
are easy to follow and easy to remember. (The word "rule" as used in this book, should be thought of as a flexible principle, rather than a rigid rule.)
MOVE IN CLOSE
Rule No. 1 --Move in close to your subject. Have the subject fill the frame (usually about 85% of the space) unless the surroundings are also a part of' the story.
This one rule, if applied, can revolutionize picture-taking for the average snap shooter. Remember "85%" as a magic formula number. Snap shooters usually snap a child at a distance of' ten or twelve feet, and thus the child's picture will be about one-third the height of the frame and will fill less
than 15% of' the space.)
AVOID large empty spaces or distracting objects around your subject. With your eye on the viewfinder MOVE IN until you have a good composition. It is so easy--try it and be convinced.
For a standing full-length picture, have the head and feet clear the vertical frame by only a small margin. Try to fill at least 60% of the space.
For the advanced amateur, it is the latter part of this rule that requires a little thought and good judgement. He must decide just how much of the surroundings are a part of the story. For example, the child is having a bath, so the tub belongs to the story and a part of it should be included in the picture. The distracting objects, of course, are eliminated. Close-ups are usually far more interesting. They give the clear details one like to see.
Avoid Group Monotony
In a close-up of a small group of persons, avoid having them stand in a row facing directly toward the camera. This creates monotony and stiffness, and fails to capture their true personalities.
They could all be standing casually, looking at some object being held by one of the group; or, several could stand, another sit on a chair; or various other arrangements could be used, such as two persons shaking hands while the others look on. Many good examples of this type of picture can be seen in most daily newspapers.
Avoid lining up the family on a sofa--better, have the members seated around a card table with mother pouring tea, and all looking at the tea pot. Or, have dad seated on a chair looking at a snapshot with mother leaning over his shoulder pointing at a picture, and the children on either side, all smiling and all eyes on the book. Such possibilities are endless and are a lot
of fun.
Use Care in Cropping
Do not crop an individual at the wrist, elbow, ankle, knee, or waist line. It is better to crop about half way between joints. This helps your imagination fill in the part that is not included in the picture.
Fill The Frame
In a formal picture of football players, for example, fill the frame from TOP to BOTTOM as well as from side to side. When you place the players in six rows, the individual image sizes will be twice as large and clear as they would be, if placed in only three rows. In any large group, have the individuals all look in the same direction and at the same object, "the birdie", about two feet to one side of the camera. (Snap it quickly)
Include Close-up Foreground Objects
In a distant scenic picture, you should have something interesting in the immediate foreground, such as a part of a barn, a part of a tree, or any interesting object. Foreground subjects add much to the three-dimensional effect in a scenic picture. A close-up of only a part of an object is usually
more interesting than a distant shot of the complete subject. An interesting subject in the foreground helps make a prize-winning scenic picture.
When you photograph a mountain scene across a valley or canyon, foreground material is a must, even though it is only a portion of ground immediately in front of the camera. Otherwise, the scene will lack depth and appear flat, with only two dimensions, instead of give the effect of three-dimensional. (A strong foreground also gives a picture a good base.)
CHOOSE VERTICAL OR HORIZONTAL FORMAT
Rule No. 2 --When the object is a vertical figure, or the main lines of the picture are vertical, place the picture in a vertical frame. When it is a horizontal subject, such as a lake or the main lines of the picture are horizontal, place it in a horizontal frame.
The vertical frame helps to express dignity, and to give a proud and upright impression. The horizontal frame helps to suggest peace, quiet and rest.
The square frame helps to represent clumsy, heavy and strong objects. Therefore, it is not considered suitable for most pictures. It is difficult to arrange good composition in a square frame; artists consider the square the least interesting of all rectangles. Mat your square pictures.
PLACEMENT OF THE CENTER OF INTEREST
Rule No.3 --This concerns the proper placement of the center of interest in the frame. Do not place the main subject in the exact center of the frame, or divide the picture into two equal parts. The exceptions to this rule are a formal picture taken in plane instead of perspective to give a
static or dignified effect and a religious picture. The horizon in a picture should not be in the exact center. It should be near the upper or lower third, depending on whether or not the foreground or sky is the more interesting. Do not have a single object form a bulls-eye in the exact center, such as a vase of flowers. It is much better to place the vase a little to one side, usually to the right, with a single flower to other small object on the table to allow some movements of the eye. This arrangement induces a diagonal left to right movement of the eye, which is most desirable.
Use Thirds and Fifths Method
The best way to visualize the proper placement of the center of interest is to divide the frame into thirds, both horizontally and vertically. Near the intersections of these lines are the best places for the center of interest.
These points are determined through "dynamic symmetry’ a mathematical science of art developed by the Greeks in the fifth century, B.C. This science on proportion is still considered the best standard today. Dynamic symmetry means forceful, fine proportion.
At times a 2:3 proportion is also good. In other words, divide the frame into fifths. Odd proportions and odd numbers of objects are always more pleasing than even proportions and even numbers.
The exact location of the center of interest, of course, is not accurately measured, but is partly casual and is determined rather by the feeling, taste, or intuition of the photographer.
In a close-up portrait, the eyes should not be in the center of the frame. For a more pleasing effect, the eyes should be about one-third from the top and in some views perhaps one-third from the side, preferable the right. A good image size is to have the sum of the spaces on each side of the head equal the width of the head.
Even in an extreme close-up of the head, the eyes should not be in the center, as they will divide the frame into two equal parts. It is interesting to watch the framing and arrangements in a good television program. A singer is often placed about one-third from the RIGHT and the scene is balanced with small objects to the left. This is an excellent arrangement. It brings the eye from the left, clear across the picture.
Balance Objects Harmoniously
The basic parts of the picture should be placed in the frame that they will balance each other harmoniously. Balance large masses with smaller ones. The larger mass should be closer to the center. Think of the objects as having weight in relation to their size and light value. (A darker object would be heavier than a lighter object of equal size.) Then balance the objects as you would if they were on a seesaw. The larger object might be a building and the smaller a tree. The proper placement of a person in such a picture is at the fulcrum or balancing point.
In many instances you can give a picture balance by placing persons at the proper place. A person or group of persons may be your only movable image in the picture.
Placement of Main and Secondary Objects
Avoid having a main object and a secondary object on a near vertical or horizontal line. This can be done by a change of camera position, or the second object may be movable. Usually the farther apart you can place a secondary object from the main object, the more dramatic effect you will get.
When taking a picture, you may find it necessary to move the camera to a dozen different places until you get the buildings and trees into a pleasing arrangement or a harmonious whole. At times, moving only a few feet one way or the other way make a marked difference in composition.
FRAME WITH TREES OR OTHER OBJECTS
Rule No. 4 --Perhaps the simplest trick in composition, and the one most universally used, is to frame the picture with a tree, or trees, or the branch of a tree. A close-up branch adds interest to an otherwise empty sky. As a rule, it is not good to have large empty areas in a picture. EMPTY, UNINTERESTING SKIES, and large EMPTY FOREGROUNDS should be avoided.
This is a very common fault in pictures.
When you frame the top of a picture with branches, they should not appear hanging from the sky. It is better to have the branches show direction so that your imagination can picture the rest of the tree. This helps to give the picture a strong base and avoids a top-heavy effect.
The usual method is to shoot between two trees. The trees form a circular frame Which helps keep the eye in the picture. They also give a pleasing foreground which adds interest and depth to the composition.
Other objects for framing are archways, doorways, windows, bridges, parts of building, rocks, mountain slopes, etc.
The Photographer’s Location at the View Point
In a distant scenic picture, instead of moving to the front of the view point, one usually finds it necessary to MOVE BACK to get a foreground and framing. This is especially true in taking pictures in the hills or mountains. Hollywood gives us the world's best composition. The next time you see a movie; notice the excellent framing that is used in the various scenes.
CHECK THE LINES
Rule No. 5 --The general lines of a picture should, if possible, load the eye to the center of interest. This can be accomplished through roads, streams, lines of a building, shadows of trees, highlights, etc. The eye, incidentally, follows light rather than dark, unless it is a dark line surrounded by light. In this case the eye follows the dark line.
Roads and streams should run into the picture, not out. By this we mean that the road or stream should disappear somewhere near the center of the picture; and as a rule, it should come into the picture from the lower left.
How do you accomplish this left-hand starting point? Go to the right side of the road or stream when taking the picture. In other words, have the road or stream to your left. Be careful, however, that a line does not start exactly in the corner of the frame. This usually gives a bad effect, much the same as dividing the frame into two equal parts.
In photographing an object such as a diving board or table, be on the right side of the object so that it will point into the picture from the lower left. This induces the much desired diagonal left-to-right movement of the eye.
More persons will enjoy this type composition because the natural movement of the layman's eye is from left to right as in reading the printed page. Artists may violate this left-to-right rule and feature other self expressions that are unfamiliar to the layman. This is one of the reasons that it may require a special education in art and a special training of the eye to appreciate many of their pictures.
Most street scenes are better if taken from a slightly right-hand position to a full right position.
Of course, we must be careful not to overemphasize this right-side position. There may be other conditions which could outweigh the left-hand entrance, such as the “C" composition, and at times it is well to give variety to our pictures.
If a prominent object leads into the picture from the right, it is sometimes better to have the object well to the right, or have it high in the frame. In most cases this will allow a circular counter clockwise movement of the eye. Otherwise a strong lead-in from the lower right may block the eye from the rest of the picture. An exception to this is the "C" composition.
Use Back Lighting
Back-lighted and side-lighted pictures give a far more dramatic effect. This is especially true of back lighted colored leaves in the fall (autumn). In a color picture the leaves will be more brilliant and the branches darker, giving more impact to the scene. Back lighting also emphasizes land contours and textures, and helps give a greater three dimensional effect.
In taking a back-lighted picture in the woods, have the sun a little to your right, if possible, so that the shadows will lead in from the lower left. Or, have the sun to the left for a "C" composition.
Avoid Mental Hazard
There should not be a strong, unbroken horizontal line near the bottom of the picture, such as a row of bushes or a fence completely across the foreground. This is what is known as a mental hazard in a picture. There should be no obstructions to the center of interest. The picture should be open at the bottom so that you can walk right into it. (The eye enters a scenic picture from the bottom, the same as in a real scene.)
A strong, unbroken parallel line should not be too close to either side of the frame. It may appear as part of the frame and thus change the proportions of the picture, or it may lead the eye out of the picture.
Use A "Stopper"
Try to have an object or vertical line stop the eye from following a horizontal line out of the frame. The object may be a single tree, bush, rock, fence post, flag pole, or any crossing vertical line. In taking a picture that has a horizon line of trees or buildings, try to have a taller tree or building on each end next to the frame. Use a "stopper", if possible, on any long line that is headed out of the picture.
Avoid Mergers
Check and double check the background for mergers. You may be so engrossed in the foreground subject that you may overlook objects in the background. It is easy to overlook a picture frame in the background that may appear attached to your subject's head, or a what-not attached to his ear, or a corner line of a room coming out of his head, etc.
In an outdoor picture a tree may appear coming out of a person's head, or a gasoline tank may appear attached to the edge of a building even though it is far in the background.
Make it a rule to look first at your subject and then check carefully the background in relation to your subject.
Mergers destroy depth and perspective, merging the subjects into one plane. This can be avoided by a slight change of camera position which will separate or overlap the merging objects. Since the frame is also an image, it must either be cleared or overlapped by the objects in the picture.
Objects may merge by point or outline contact, by linear or outline continuation or by tone and color.
As for tone and color mergers, perhaps portraits give the most trouble. Dark hair will blend with a dark background, and the image outline is lost. The same is true with color. The remedy is simple. Put dark images against light ones, and warm colors against cool colors, and vice versa.
In an outdoor picture where shadows may cause an undesirable merger use fill-in flash or a reflector such as a white cloth.
TREATMENT OF MOVING OBJECTS
Rule No. 6 -- Moving objects, persons, or animals should be coming into the picture, with ample room for movement without leaving the frame. In other words, there should be more space in front of the subject than in the rear. A person should not be going out of the picture except for an apparent reason. Then, his head should be turned and his eyes directed in.
Leave plenty of space in front of any swiftly moving object, such as a car, locomotive, etc. The same rule should be observed for racing animals.
FACE TOWARD THE CENTER
Rule No. 7 -- Persons and animals that are not in motion should face toward the center of the frame or look into the picture. As in moving objects, there should be more space in front of the subject than in the rear. The exception would be to have the head turned and the eyes directed in. If the subject is looking out, the eye will have a tendency to follow the subject's eyes out of the frame. Once the eye is led out, it may not care to return to the picture.
PLACING OF PERSONS IN A SCENIC PICTURE
Rule No. 8 --The proper placement of individuals in a scenic picture is one of the most important rules to observe on a vacation trip.
Persons in a scenic picture should be so placed that they will be. Less than one-fourth the height of the frame and should be looking at the center of interest, not at the camera. If they are larger, the picture becomes a semi-portrait, divided center of interest.
If you want a portrait, take it at home, or when you are on a trip, use a close-up background. In a scenic picture, even if a person's back is turned to the camera, the picture still will prove he was there.
Persons in a scenic picture are very important. They attract and give life and scale to the scene. Make it a rule to have one or more persons in every scenic picture; (unless it is a special mood picture). In some instances you may substitute an animal.
An exception to the "one-fourth the height of the frame" rule would be when you use a person as part of the framing. (Right next to the picture frame.) However, he still must be turned and looking at the scene.
THE EYE DEMANDS CONSISTENCY
Rule No.9 --The eye demands consistency. When a person is shooting up at an object, such as a house in a raised position, the object should be placed near the top of the frame. When he is shooting down on an object, it should be near the bottom. You would be surprised at the odd sensation a picture gives to the viewer when this rule is not observed.
CHECK FOR SIMPLICITY, UNITY AND FITNESS
Rule No. 10 --A picture should not be too busy, and should have unity and fitness. By "too busy" we mean too many objects in the picture that may distract from the center of interest. These excess objects may cause the eye to wander on unimportant parts of the picture. Simple pictures are
much better.
To have unity, a picture should be tied around one center of interest. Many times an over-all view may have two or more distinct centers of interest. In this case two or more pictures should be made, each tied to its own center of interest as a single unit. A picture should give a feeling of "oneness".
However, a picture containing two similar, widely separated objects or groups can have unity if the two images are connected, with a line for the eye to follow, such as a water line, shore line, snow line, shadow, etc. (A diagonal line from lower left to upper right is especially good.) A practical application would be deer or other wildlife in two different locations of a scene.
As for fitness, things should be photographed together that naturally go together. For example, brides and telephone poles or garbage cans do not go very well together. A background of beautiful shrubbery would be more fitting. An old weather-beaten house and a well-dressed person do not make a good picture. It would be better to substitute a poorly dressed person or a shabby child.
Eliminate Distractions
Many times distractions in the background can be eliminated by throwing them out of focus. This, of course, is done by using a larger aperture at higher speed to narrow down the field of focus. For example, f:2 at a 500th for color is the same exposure as the usual f:4 at a 125th in the shade.
Distractions in the background can be eliminated by camera angle. Shoot from a high angle and use the floor or grass for its background, or shoot from a low angle and use the sky as a background. The latter can be done at or near a hilltop or through any raised position of the subject.
Check the foreground for rubbish, such as papers, cans, etc. In most cases, the rubbish can easily be removed. Many pictures are spoiled through an oversight of this rule. Also, avoid your own shadow appearing in the foreground. Do sure everything in the foreground is in sharp focus. The background in some pictures may be out of focus, but NEVER THE FOREGROUND.
IMPORTANT COLOR COMPOSITION RULES
Rule No.11 --For those who are interested in color photography, there are several very important color composition rules which should not be overlooked. Try to have something red or yellow in the foreground, with blue or green in the background. This helps give the much desired three-dimensional effect to the picture. Warm colors come forward in the picture, while cool colors recede. In a scenic picture the simplest way to accomplish this effect is to have a person in the foreground wear a red or yellow that, coat, blouse or sweater. Usually a distant background is naturally green or it has a bluish haze.
Check Color Proportion
Avoid having two predominating colors in a picture divided 50:50, such as a red barn and green grass and foliage. The more pleasing proportions are about 80:20 or 90:10. This division can be accomplished by camera angle, or by moving in or back.
In the case of the red barn, the red is more or less fixed, so it is the green that 1iLll have to be varied; or take only a portion of the barn to vary the red.
Small quantities of black and white or grays usually are an asset to a color picture. They help intensify the other colors. Holstein cattle (black and white) add much to a farm scene.
USE TRICKS OF IMAGINATION
Rule No.12 --"Tricks of Imagination" in composition can help make a picture more interesting. If you show only part of an object, such as a tree, for example, and frame it at just the right place, your imagination will picture the whole tree much larger than it actually is.
When there is a group of five men in a picture near the center of the frame, we see only five men. However, if they are shown entering the frame, and only part of the fifth man is shown, your imagination wall picture a much larger group of men coming, perhaps from a factory.
KNOW ALL THE RULES
The rules of composition are amazingly simple, but you must know ALL OF THEM so well that when a picture opportunity presents itself, you can immediately recall the principles that can be applied to each particular picture. Through experience this application will soon become almost
automatic, but you must first know all the rules.
Composition is Flexible
The rules of composition are principles for our aid and guidance to better, more pleasing pictures, and are not laws for complete obedience. We soon learn to use them instinctively, and we also learn what rules we can break at times and still come up with a good picture.
In dealing with composition, be its master, not its slave! Never pass up a picture you might want because of a lack of proper composition. There are other values, such as beauty or interest, which at times may outweigh composition. Many of our pictures taken on a vacation trip are merely record shots. However, THERE IS SELDOM A TIME WE CANNOT WORK IN A LITTLE GOOD COMPOSITION TO HELP MAKE OUR PICTURES MORE INTERESTING AND ENJOYABLE.
SUMMARY
Have a Definite Procedure
To say that one rule is more important than another would be misleading. However, there are several rules to keep foremost in mind. In fact, it is good to have a definite procedure in shooting a scene.
FIRST, check for the most FAVORABLE LIGHTING condition and the BEST ANGLE at which to shoot. Then select the area you want included in the picture, with some thought to SIPLICITY and BALANCE. This will probably entail moving in a little closer. (Rule No.1) This is the part of the picture taking that requires thought and good judgment.
SECOND, check for FRAMING possibilities. Look for trees or other close-up objects to frame the scene, and perhaps fill an empty sky. Try to include a FOREGROUND INTEREST. If there is a road, path, stream, or any leading lines, try to HAVE IT TO YOUR LEFT. The main exception to this rule is the "C" composition.
THIRD, check the location of the CENTER OF INEREST. By this time you are well on your way to a good picture. But, don't forget to CHECK FOR MERGERS.
Many Rules Are Automatic
Weather the picture is to be a vertical or horizontal requires little thought, and should be almost automatic. The same is true with other rules, such as Nos. 3,4,6,7, and 9. Simple, then ~my not make composition work for you, and thus have more fun taking better pictures?
Keep in Mind These Essential
The more rules of composition you can apply to anyone picture, the more pleasing that picture will be. Of course, the picture must have interest, or impact, and be technically good. The interest, or impact, depends on subject matter, composition, and lighting. The technical quality of a color slide
depends mainly on good lighting, correct exposure, and focus. Remember that back or side lighting is usually the best, and be sure to have everything in the foreground in sharp focus. Color slides taken before nine and after four give the most dramatic effect.
Look for Good Examples
This booklet does not contain photographs, because once you know the rules, you will know just mat to look for in a picture, and thus you can find many examples of good composition. Study and analyze calendar pictures. They are usually photos by top-ranking photographers. The movies or television will give you a whole evening of the very best in composition. Note the composition used in the main scenes of a good Western.
-------------------The End---------------------------
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