Learning Photographic Composition

[marcookie]

Hi,
do you have any suggestion on where to learn something about photographic composition?
The web just turned 25 years old and my hope is that it is full of good quality free resources. Any idea? Thanks

 

[table1349]

Define good.

 

[john.margetts]

To learn composition look at as many pictures as possible. Separate them into those you like and those you don't. You don't need someone else to tell you.

 

[TamingRoman]

^^^ this.

 

[Overread]

To learn composition look at as many pictures as possible. Separate them into those you like and those you don't. You don't need someone else to tell you.

Study certainly works; but its hit and miss as a method for learning. Because not everyone can break an image down visually (without training and experience) into components that they can identify. They might see a photo of a tiger staring at them and love the photo and assume that the eye contact is the key; but they might totally overlook patterns or positioning or a thousand other little details - some deliberate on the part of the photographer and some parts random (photography outside of fully studio controlled always has a variable level of random and uncontrolled situation).

To learn the key is to realise that photography is essentially the same as painting or sculpting or drawing or a myriad of other art forms. It's about telling a story, a message and about capturing your audiences attention and drawing that attention where you want in the photo.


Thus I would advise reading and studying about composition for artwork in general. Indeed you might well find it easier to find more advanced discussion on drawing and sketching than upon photography composition if just because photography is rather overwhelmed with the "rule of thirds" theory to the point where many websites laud it as the almost one and only "rule".



Also note - composition is built up of theories. Understanding why those theories work is key to being able to choose and adapt them to your own situation. Furthermore breaking or twisting one theory might well just mean you're bringing into play a new theory that you might not yet know about formally.




You can learn much of this through study of past great works; but it can be hit or miss as to what you pick up and how you pick it up. It can also take FAR longer to learn this informal way. Even basic formal learning will help you a lot.

You might start with The Photographer's Eye by Michael Freeman's who also has a few other composition publications to his name. Other than that I can't suggest any great references. But go out there and read and study and look into artwork not just photography resources.

 

[marcookie]

Thanks for the replies. I found this interesting talk that seems to be a good starting point. It's not complete but still a lot of good points.

 

[table1349]

Depending on where you live, your public library will have many resources on the basics of composition etc. Understand they are not rules but rather general suggestions from which you can experiment to find what you like.

 

[TamingRoman]

Huy Nygen was one of my teachers and a great lesson he taught me was the "brutal crop" He would shoot wide, and then crop the crap out of it. Try it several ways. It's really an amazing technique.

 

[TamingRoman]

I'm also a huge fan of dead space. Not for everyone, but I love it. In the photo above the tree is in the center, which makes it the center focus. The main subject is to the right, and that is where I think the brutal crop should be. Try it like that and see what you think.

Opps sorry, just saw it was a vid. Thanks for sharing. Great stuff.

 

[marcookie]

Depending on where you live, your public library will have many resources on the basics of composition etc. Understand they are not rules but rather general suggestions from which you can experiment to find what you like.

Great, simple idea.

Huy Nygen was one of my teachers and a great lesson he taught me was the "brutal crop" He would shoot wide, and then crop the crap out of it. Try it several ways. It's really an amazing technique.

I will give it a try. Well more than one..

 

[The_Traveler]

I made a try at describing how I see it.

Composition and Critique - understanding a photograph

Getting to the image - how people see and how the photographer can use that. Pt 1

 

[Gary A.]

There are many 'rules' for composition and Google will find them all for you.

I never forgot a lesson from one my early mentors.

The Rules of Thirds (Google it) is a very fundamental compositional tool. My mentor told me that "When all else fails, use the Rule of Thirds."

When you explore all the compositional rules, guides, suggestions, et al ... remember that they are not written in stone. When all else fails, fall back on the 'rules' and you'll get a nice image. Breaking the rules will deliver a lot of unsuccessful images ... But breaking the rules, shooting outside the box, will also increase your odds for the exceptional image.

 

[marcookie]

I made a try at describing how I see it.

Composition and Critique - understanding a photograph

Getting to the image - how people see and how the photographer can use that. Pt 1

Looks very interesting, it's a shame that I just got to work... no time.

There are many 'rules' for composition and Google will find them all for you.

I never forgot a lesson from one my early mentors.

The Rules of Thirds (Google it) is a very fundamental compositional tool. My mentor told me that "When all else fails, use the Rule of Thirds."

When you explore all the compositional rules, guides, suggestions, et al ... remember that they are not written in stone. When all else fails, fall back on the 'rules' and you'll get a nice image. Breaking the rules will deliver a lot of unsuccessful images ... But breaking the rules, shooting outside the box, will also increase your odds for the exceptional image.

Thanks. My ultimate goal is to become familiar with all the "rules", so that then I can use them or break them with purpose. I'm noticing that studying composition and structure just makes me want to go out and shoot and experiment more.

 

[KenC]

As others have mentioned, read books on composition in art. This is a good start: https://www.amazon.com/Pictorial-Composition-Art-Dover-Instruction/dp/0486233588. Some books written by photographers who did not study art do not really do a great job, imo.

 

[jcdeboever]

The art of photography videos on YouTube have some good videos on the different aspects of composition, using actual photographs from the master photographers. He breaks them down very well, however he talks very fast. Just Google "the art of photography composition" and select the video tab.