How can I achieve better composition in my photos?

[glun]

Agree and sometimes thinking too much hinder our creativity. So just let it flow.

 

[rambler]

Here are two teaching sites whose courses follow the same approaches: 1 Read course material on the lesson of the week 2 Submit photos that show your attempt at completing the assignment 3 Get critiques on your submitted photos from the instructors who are professional photographers who enjoy teaching all levels.

ppsop.com (This is the site of Bryan Petterson whose book Understanding Exposure is often mentioned here)

http://www.ppsop.com

betterphoto.com (some amazing photographers teach here whose attitudes are not at all condescending towards beginners or students of any abilities)

http://www.betterphoto.com/home.asp

 

[glun]

Here are two teaching sites whose courses follow the same approaches: 1 Read course material on the lesson of the week 2 Submit photos that show your attempt at completing the assignment 3 Get critiques on your submitted photos from the instructors who are professional photographers who enjoy teaching all levels.

ppsop.com (This is the site of Bryan Petterson whose book Understanding Exposure is often mentioned here)

http://www.ppsop.com

betterphoto.com (some amazing photographers teach here whose attitudes are not at all condescending towards beginners or students of any abilities)

Photography Classes Online: Have a photography pro at your side - online, all the time!

Great share! Thanks!

 

[sashbar]

The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos: Amazon.co.uk: Michael Freeman: Books

 

[Mikemaz]

You should read different books and reviews of other photographers regarding composition. It really requires lots of study.

 

[bribrius]

sounds like a lot of work.........

im totally not worrying about this crap anymore. what a kill joy.

Not to mention a lot of the people that go through all this, still suck. They just suck more educated.


I saw a photograph today in a magazine, by photographer......( I wont mention names).
it sucked. pro my azz.

 

[agp]

I really don't think reading books will help as much as some people think. I believe that photo composition isn't something you learn by reading, it's something you learn by doing and watching, but more importantly, it's an artistic vision. And if you have it then you have it, if not then you don't. It's like, with all the designers (fashion designer, architect, interior decorator, any artsy profession), how come some are running million dollar companies while others are struggling to pay rent? Some just get it.

And those "rules" of photography, design, fashion, art, beauty, etc are just derivatives of fundamental rules of what appeals to the eye. If you have an artistic vision, any form of art is up for your conquering.

 

[Overread]

The idea that art is "artistic vision" that some people are born with and others are not I think stems mostly from the fact that art is a very badly supported subject at most schools. Whilst most school art teachers might be half good they more bank on "natural talent" in their students than they do upon teaching the fundamentals of the subject to the whole class. We've also had a major influx of the whole "everything is art if you can justify it" viewpoint which allows even some very rubbishy works to progress through the system.

The result is people grow up thinking that you either have it or you don't when it comes to art; with a great many thinking that its some how some mysterious thing that can't be learned nor taught.


I don't agree with that.

Whilst it is true that some people take to it quicker than others, and some are more "aware" of it at a younger age its not impossible for others to learn. There are core fundamentals of both the process and the artistic construction. These fundamentals can be taught and learned and, when combined with others, can be used to give a person artistic freedom to express.

The important thing to realise is that learning theories isn't slowing you down. It's just like learning the technical mechanics of how to use the camera. When you start out you are slow in fact most people are very slow. Settings take time, rechecking the meter, preshots, chimping etc.... It's also a complex muddle in most peoples minds of various theories (low ISO - handholding shutter speed - motion stopping shutter speed - depth of field - sharpness - focus - blur - lighting - angles of lighting - dynamic range).
However with practice and repetition most of those thoughts soon become background thoughts - sitting at the back of the mind almost like instinct.

Artistic theory is the same, the more you shoot and the more you know the more you'll be able to put it in the back of the mind.



Note - a great many good artists might learn simply by observation - copying and repeating what they like/what others like. Chances are most are using core theories in certain combinations that favour the situations they are in. Just because they don't "know" what they are doing at a level that allows them to explain it to another person doesn't mean that they can't be using those same construction blocks.

 

[AlanKlein]

There are differences between a craftsman and an artist. The former learns and applies techniques for exposure etc. The artist has and applies vision. The latter requires the ability to see. Once you see then the craft allows you to produce a artistic picture from your vision.

Most photographers can learn to be craftsmen. Being an artist requires an inner vision that cannot be taught.

 

[shaylou]

https://www.youtube.com/user/BHPhotoVideoProAudio/search?query=composition

Learn the rules, study the rules, live the rules, then break them.

And look at photos you like, detach yourself from the happy photo brain, and study the composition of the photos, what did they do that you like, and look for that in the world around you.

For me it was slowing down and mentally going though the composition checklist. Looking though the viewfinder as if I was looking at a photo, and not worrying about the other stuff. I have also printed some of my photos on plain paper and drawn lines on them, and studied to see what happened.

Could not agree more. Some say to not worry about the rules but when you do not have a grasp of composition these rules will lead you through. It is only then that you can break free and bend, modify and break the basic rules and make it work. What I do is look at back grounds first. I do a lot of street shots I spot a subject and immediately look at the back ground to see how the composition will flow. This will help you find lines, hide distractions and ultimately create a better composition. So think about the rules, look at back grounds and arrange your shot so it will highlight your subject in the most flattering way.

 

[manaheim]

When you look at a scene, rather than looking at the objects in the scene, look at the colors and the lines. Look at how objects create lines and patterns.

I do this. It affects a lot of my work.

 

[IronMaskDuval]

Have a band. Steal someone's photo. Tell said photographer he she is being a kunt for complaining. Post on Facebook about how much you hate piracy but like to pirate too

 

[chuasam]

Ignore the rules
Just take pictures of things that mean something to you

 

[manny212]

See something you like ..

Look a the light and how it plays with your subject .

Step back , take a deep breath .

Forget for a second what everyone else says is a fantastic image .

Picture it in your minds eyes,

Snap Image ...repeat whilst looking at i from different perspectives because each one will exude it's own beauty .

If your happy an like your Image than go with it . No one here or on any forum will agree on what you did right or wrong . BTW dont listen to most .


Learn , but experiment , rules are meant to be broken . Admiration from others is a fallacy , they will be jealous and mock , or they will ignore totally .


SHOOT , SHOOT , SHHOT to your hearts content . HAVE FUN !

 

[Azile]

For me, I learned that the subject is more interesting when it's not in the center of the photo. The angle of the shot makes a difference. When I was just learning, I took many shots, and kept the ones that looked interesting to me. I tried to repeat the same concept in other photos and found it easier to accomplish the look I wanted. It also helps to go someplace you want to take pictures of. Look through your viewfinder as you move the camera around pointing it at different areas, and if it looks interesting to you, it is! Take that picture as you see it. That's what makes the picture personal to you, and it may start telling a story to those who see the pictures you take.