Learning good composition

[Dweller]

Can anyone recomend any resources (online or maybe at the library) for learning how to compose a photo?

I read an article in the latest Rangefinder that had some good tips and have spent a while studying the rule of thirds but I know there are many many more rules, idea, techniques.. and I need to learn them.

Any tips?

 

[Hertz van Rental]

There are a lot of 'rules' about composition but they are not realy rules at all - just conventions. The ones used in Photography are the same as the ones used by painters, so just find a book at the Library dealing with composition for artists.
However, it is better to not try to construct an image by following 'rules' too closely or the end result looks too contrived.

 

[vonDrehle]

I would suggest looking through different photographers and seeing what they do. That what I like to do when I have brain farts on photography subjects. Once you figure out what your own style is then I would suggest going back and looking at some of the rules and such so you can try and better your style, rather try to create a style based on the rules.

 

[fightheheathens]

i once read that you should learn all the rule and then proceed to ignore them. its art and art is subjective and all dependent on you.

 

[Dweller]

heh good advice all, thanks. I guess what I am looking for is at least a starting point. When I see something I think "cool.. I want a picture of that" then I get it into the viewfinder and just cant find something that clicks with me. A lot of times I will just shoot it anyway and see what worked later but I would like to have a little more confidence going in I guess.

Maybe this is just something that comes with time and experience.

 

[LittleMan]

i once read that you should learn all the rule and then proceed to ignore them. its art and art is subjective and all dependent on you.

Or an easier way to say that is:
Learn how to do it right... then do it your own special way. :mrgreen:

If you don't have your own little flair that makes it "Yours" it will just blend in with the rest of the photos. But before you make your own way... be sure you can do it any other way.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

heh good advice all, thanks. I guess what I am looking for is at least a starting point. When I see something I think "cool.. I want a picture of that" then I get it into the viewfinder and just cant find something that clicks with me. A lot of times I will just shoot it anyway and see what worked later but I would like to have a little more confidence going in I guess.

Maybe this is just something that comes with time and experience.

Absolutely.
Take pictures then analyse them afterwards. If there are things about them that don't seem to work, try to figure out why (this is one of the reasons we have a Crit forum - to help when you can't see what).
Next time you take a picture you'll have that in your mind and so there will be something else causing a problem.
Becoming a photographer and developing your own style is a long process of elimination - eliminating the things that don't work for you.
By all means read up on the theory of composition, but don't conciously try to apply them.

 

[303villain]

a good book to look at is called Photos with impact by tom mackie. it talks a great deal about "seeing" the picture before you capture it, and things of that nature, all based on the way he works though(he does awesome work too). i got it just to see his techniques and take what i could from it. ive adopted a few of his ideas, but kept many of my own, or adapted them. check it out the best thing to do is to spend lots of time with your camera.

you dont necessarily have to have an exotic location or something fancy to shoot, sometimes less is more

 

[LeadSister]

I learn alot just going through tons of photo's and thinking about what makes it a good photo. I love going through Msnbc.com's The Week in Pictures. You can find alot of nice work there. Check out Morguefile for lessons in photography. The first lesson is "Composition And Impact - It's A Beautiful Photograph, But Do You Know WHY It's Beautiful?".

Hope that is helpful...good luck
Pamela

 

['Daniel']

I do a similar think on the BBC website.