Composition Article

[ksmattfish]

Check out this article on the "Diagonal Method of composition". The author's tone is comes across a little brash; I'm always skeptical when someone claims to have scientifically proven anything about art. The basic premise seems to work though, and it's as easy to use as the rule of thirds. It's always good to have options.

http://www.diagonalmethod.info/

 

[Josh66]

Interesting. I never even noticed that Lightroom had this crop overlay in it already. "How Adobe found my method", lol - sounds like he's kinda upset that Adobe didn't ask him if it's OK. ...Can you own a cropping/composing method? ()

Whoever came up with it, I do kinda like it.

 

[GeneralBenson]

Very interesting. It's hard not to think of it as loaded examples. For one, who knows how many examples he discarded until he found the ones that prove his point. And they all look good, but that because he already has the diagonal lines overlayed, so it just draws more attentions to the compositional elements. He never shows you pictures without lines on it, to allow you to make judgments for yourself. It hard not to wonder how good some pictures would look if they were rearranged for the ROT instead. All that aside though, it looks like some pretty sound theory. I just had to play devil's advocate.

 

[kundalini]

Looks like an interesting article, but it's late and I will pick up on it this weekend.

who knows how many examples he discarded until he found the ones that prove his pointwho knows how many examples he discarded until he found the ones that prove his point

But that's part and parcel of the process isn't it?

 

[KhronoS]

I a good article, although i don't like the guy. Seams to me as a self centered man. I hate this kind of people.


P.S. In art there are no rules.

 

[ksmattfish]

...All that aside though, it looks like some pretty sound theory. I just had to play devil's advocate.

I'm with you. I think rules of composition have about the same relevancy as astrology: sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, don't take it too seriously and have fun.

One report I read did computer analysis of thousands of masters' paintings looking for a preferred aspect ratio (such as the golden rectangle), and determined that the old masters liked rectangles. There was no particular aspect ratio that was significantly more popular than any other.

 

[Josh66]

Just for fun I tried cropping a picture I took last weekend to the diagonal method, and according to the rule of thirds. After comparing those two to the original, I have to say I didn't see much difference...

I think it might have worked better with a different photo. The original was very close to the diagonal method, barely had to crop at all. Only a little more cropping for the rule of thirds. The difference is hard to detect.

I think I'll play around with a few different photos...