Color composition in photography. Composition in Photography – Basics and Meaning

Why do we, viewers, like some films, but watching others makes us sad? Everyone has their own favorites - films that we are ready to watch for the tenth time in a row. What influences our attachment?

Every frame in the film plays a big role. The impression of the film as a whole depends on how ideal the picture on the screen is. It’s easy to distinguish a professionally shot movie from a mediocre one: if you take a still frame, the picture will look like a work of art, or like a good photograph.

How to achieve this effect? It's simple. You need to know the rules of framing. Many people work on composition (the arrangement of objects in the frame). At the helm is the director of photography, his skill is the key to success for any film.

A competent cameraman knows the secrets that help him correctly create an interesting picture.

Do you want to learn the most important compositional techniques? Then, let's go!

Rule of thirds

Perhaps the most used technique in cinema. It is simple, but at the same time it works 100%.

Still from the film "The Great Gatsby". We immediately pay attention to the heroine’s eyes, which is what the cameraman wanted.

How ? We divide the screen into three parts horizontally and vertically. The intersections of the dividing lines will be the very areas where you need to place significant objects in the frame. The picture looks dynamic and attracts the attention of viewers.

Still from the film "The Martian". The horizon line runs along the upper third, which makes the surface of Mars more expressive.

In the case of the horizon, there are two possible options for its location: in the first third (increase attention to the ground) or the second (emphasis on the sky).

Focus

Another common case when the operator wants to highlight a specific object is to bring it into focus. Everything around, on the contrary, is blurred, thereby placing emphasis on the image in focus.

Light

"Light! Camera! Motor!". For any film set light is a vital attribute. It’s impossible without him. The possibilities of light are endless. By using them wisely in the frame, it is easy to achieve the desired effect.

Look how skillfully the cinematographer of the film “The Great Gatsby” approached the framing of the shot. We see two techniques at once: focus and light, which illuminates the hero’s face, thereby directing the audience’s attention to the right place.

The operator of “The Martian” brilliantly managed to use the “trick” with light. On a subconscious level, we immediately turn our gaze to the illuminated place, which stands out against the general darkened background. In addition, the heroine’s eyes show us where to look.

Saturation

Still from the film "The Great Gatsby". The appearance of the heroine clearly stands out from the overall picture. The light that falls on it from the right further emphasizes its brightness.

How else can you attract attention? Make the subject bright and stand out from everything else in the frame. We subconsciously react to bright, colorful colors.

Symmetry

By using symmetry wisely, you can achieve amazing results. This phenomenon does not occur in nature, which is why the symmetry in the frame is so attractive to our eyes. However, you should be careful with this technique. Too many shots like this distract from the story.

Diagonal and perspective

A person perceives the time scale in a special way: on the left side is the past, and on the right is the future. You should remember this and frame the frame diagonally.

Still from the film "The Great Gatsby". The staircase is a perfect example of the use of diagonals in a frame.

What is perspective? For clarity, imagine two parallel rails that converge at one point on the horizon.

The presence of perspective in the frame gives the necessary volume and depth. The picture looks much more interesting.

Various plans

Surely you have heard about the plans in the frame. Front, middle and far. Each of them is used depending on what the audience should pay attention to.

There is another option that combines several plans at once. This composition looks much more interesting, and the picture is no longer flat.

So you learned about the “tricks” that make our favorite films so cool. Amazing world cinema has opened its veil a little more. It became clear how directors and cameramen achieve the perfect composition in the frame.

Now, go ahead and watch your favorite movies and count the tricks! 🙂

15 rules for beginners

Each of us has held photographic equipment in our hands at least once in our lives. A film camera, a digital point-and-shoot camera, a SLR camera, or, at worst, a cell phone with a built-in photo system. And each of us has our own vision and understanding of how photographs should be taken. For many, the algorithm “saw (no matter what), pointed the camera (no matter how), focused (something made a peep/fart in the camera) and pressed the trigger (both, cool photo)” is enough. Far fewer people think about other camera controls other than the shutter button and automatic shooting modes, and what all of this is actually intended for. And a very small contingent of those who take photos are constantly not satisfied with the result, then they try to find information, read, find out, analyze, try to shoot, learn to process pictures... and only after many, many attempts and experiments, they begin to enjoy what they have it turns out. And their photographs are strikingly different from the disgrace that they produced on initial stage knowledge of photographic technology.

This article is intended for the second group of those listed, because the first group is “incurably happy” even without our advice, and the third group is great, they have already achieved everything themselves, or they read more professional, competent literature than this blog. However, the second group also needs first aid, advice presented as simply as possible, which will not alienate curious users of photographic equipment, but, on the contrary, will guide them on the right path, and then they will have a wonderful chance to move into the third category of inquisitive photography enthusiasts.

So, the topic of today's post is basics of composition in photography. What is composition? Let's first turn to our frequently read Wikipedia;)

Composition(from Latin compositio - folding, joining, combination) - one of the main categories artistic creativity. Unlike drawing, color, line, volume, space is not one of the components artistic form, and artistic-figurative, content-formal integrity is the most complex and perfect type of structure, in which all elements are organically interconnected. Such integrity in architecture, painting, graphics, sculpture, decorative and applied arts and design has an irrational nature, is achieved by the artist intuitively, it is original and unique. In other words, a single, unique combination of elements constitutes the essence of compositional integrity. This specific integrity is based on the following principles: novelty, clarity, integrity, development.

In simpler terms, we can say that the composition, if it is present in the frame, distinguishes a well-constructed, artistically verified frame from mindless clicking of the shutter and tons of junk that is then thrown into the “Trash.”

However, even though the architect L. B. Alberti said in his treatise “Three Books on Painting” (1435-1436) that Composition is a composition, invention, invention, as an act of free artistic will . But this kind of free creativity is not available to the majority of people involved in photography; they need an algorithm, a sequence of actions at the initial stage, certain rules that allow them to assemble a meaningful picture in a frame. Therefore, today we will consider the basics of composition in the form of a sequential study of the main and most simple rules, which, in fact, any sane person can put into practice.

The basic rule of composition is considered to be Golden ratio(golden proportion, division in extreme and mean ratio, harmonic division). The golden ratio is the ratio of two quantities b and a, a > b, when a/b = (a+b)/a is true. The number equal to the ratio a/b is usually denoted by the capital Greek letter Φ, in honor of the ancient Greek sculptor and architect Phidias, or less commonly by the Greek letter τ. A simplified model of the golden ratio is Rule of thirds.

Rule #1 . Rule of thirds is a principle of composition based on the simplified rule of the golden ratio. The rule of thirds applies to drawing, photography and design.
When determining visual centers, the frame is usually divided by lines parallel to its sides, in proportions 3:5, 2:3 or 1:2 (consecutive Fibonacci numbers are taken). The latter option divides the frame into three equal parts (thirds) along each side.
Despite the noticeable difference in the position of the centers of attention obtained by the rule of thirds from the golden ratio, technological simplicity and clarity made this composition scheme more popular.
A grid based on the rule of thirds is used in some camera viewfinders to aid in composition.

The rule states that the image should be considered divided into nine equal parts by two equidistant parallel horizontal and two parallel vertical lines. Important parts of the composition should be located along these lines, or at their intersection - at the so-called power points. Proponents of this principle argue that lining up important parts behind these dots and lines creates an impression of emphasis, more tension, energy, and more interest in the composition than simply placing the subject in the center of the frame.

The correct choice of the point or line on which the main subject is located allows you to increase the expressiveness of the photo. All other things being equal, the following applies: if there is only one object in the picture, it is advisable to place it on the left side of the frame. The recommendation is based on the habit developed by reading of viewing images from left to right (similarly for readers from right to left).

In this photo, the most expressive part of the composition is the snake’s eyes; they are located at the intersection of two lines of thirds, the horizontal top and vertical right.

If there are multiple objects in the photo, the dominant object should be placed at the bottom right point. This technique is especially useful when photographing images with emotional overtones. The recommendation is based on enhancing the perception of the latest information received. The rule of thirds is one of the most basic rules of composition, but there are other rules of composition. Thus, the famous Soviet and Russian photographer Alexander Lapin believed: “the so-called rule of thirds was invented for beginners who simply do not know how to compose a frame.”

Rule #2 . Diagonal method(method of diagonals) is one of the rules of composition in photography, painting and graphics. Dutch photographer Edwin Westhoff came across this method by accident while he was visually experimenting to explore why the rule of thirds is so imprecise. After studying numerous photographs, paintings and engravings, he discovered that the details of the images that attract the most attention lie on the diagonal of the square.

Frame is a rectangle in a ratio of 4:3 or 3:2. The viewer pays more attention to the details located on the four bisectors passing through the corners of the frame. The details in images that attract the most attention are often located, with millimeter precision, on one or more diagonal lines lying at an angle of 45° and passing through the corners of the frame. In contrast to other rules of composition, such as the rule of thirds and golden ratio, the diagonal method does not give of great importance to where the lines intersect and focuses attention on an arbitrary position lying along the diagonal. As long as these details lie on diagonal lines running through the corners of the frame, they attract attention. However, the diagonal method requires that these image details lie exactly diagonally, with a maximum deviation of 1 mm on A4 size. Unlike other rules of composition, the method is not used to improve the composition itself.

Edwin Westhoff discovered that if you draw lines on an image at a 45° angle, you can see what details the artist wanted to highlight. Research has shown, for example, that the most important details paintings and engravings by Rembrandt van Rijn lie precisely along the diagonals: eyes, hands, household items.

The diagonal method is used only for images in which certain details need to be emphasized or highlighted: for example, a portrait, where certain parts of the body deserve more attention, or an advertising photo of a product. Some photographs of landscapes contain important details, such as people, separately standing trees or a building, which can lie on diagonals, but usually in photographs of landscapes and buildings you need to see the overall picture, where often other lines determine the construction of the picture, for example the horizon.
A few examples of photographs taken using the diagonal method: http://www.diagonalmethod.info/

Rule #3 . Symmetry. Symmetrical scenes are ideal for centered compositions. This is a very powerful composition tool. Mirror frames are another opportunity to use symmetry.

In nature, a large number of visual images obey the law of symmetry. That is why symmetry is easily perceived in composition. IN fine arts symmetry is achieved by arranging objects in such a way that one part of the composition seems to be a mirror image of another. The axis of symmetry passes through the geometric center. A symmetrical composition serves to convey peace, stability, reliability, and sometimes majesty. However, you should not create an image that is absolutely symmetrical. After all, nothing is perfect in nature.

Rule #4 . Defocus. Using depth of field when the main semantic object of the photograph is in sharp focus, and other objects are blurred. This is a great way to add a sense of depth to the frame. Photographs are two-dimensional in nature, but this technique allows you to achieve a three-dimensional effect. A similar effect can be achieved by bleaching the background, but these are software post-processing methods.

Rule #5 . Framing. A frame within a frame (or "frame to frame") is another in an efficient way images of the depth of the composition. It is necessary to pay attention to elements such as windows, arches or overhanging branches. The "frame" doesn't have to surround the entire frame to make it effective. This is another way of depicting depth and perspective, giving the frame a three-dimensional feel.

Rule #6 . Lines. Lines work best as guides: the eye catches the line and follows it, from left to right and from bottom to top. Thus, the line leads the viewer's eye across the frame, focusing attention on the main subject. The guide lines do not have to be straight. Curved lines can be a very attractive compositional feature.

In this shot, the overall lines of the bridge and the imaginary lines of lamplight on both sides of the center of the frame “lead” us to the main subject of the photograph - the Temple. This composition also uses the symmetry method.

Rule No. 7 . Geometry: triangles and diagonals. Triangles and diagonals add "dynamic tension" to the frame. This is one of the most effective compositional techniques- diagonal composition. Its essence is very simple: we place the main objects of the frame along the diagonal of the frame. For example, from the top left corner of the frame to the bottom right. This technique is good because such a composition continuously leads the viewer’s eye through the entire photograph.

Rule #8 . Patterns and textures. Patterns in photography are repeating objects that can be used to compose a shot. There are a lot of patterns around us, especially in the urban landscape. Texture itself doesn't matter. The role played by the light that falls on the texture and creates volume due to shadows.

Rule #9 .Odd Object Rule. The rule is that an image is more visually appealing if there are an odd number of objects in the frame. According to this theory, even number elements in a scene are distracting because the viewer is not sure which one to focus their attention on. An odd number of elements is seen as more natural and easier on the eye. To be fair, there are many cases where this is not the case, but it certainly applies in certain situations.

Rule No. 10 . Frame Filling. Filling the frame with your subject, leaving little or no space around them, can be very effective in certain situations. This technique helps you fully concentrate on the main object, the center of the composition, without any distractions. It also allows the viewer to examine details that would not be possible if you were photographing from a long distance.

Rule No. 11 . Changing the height of the survey point. Perspective is the basis of everything. The camera (and, accordingly, the shooting point) needs to be moved not only horizontally, but also vertically. One of the most common shooting points is to install it at the level of a person’s eyes: in this case, the shape of the object, its volume, perspective pattern and relationship with the background are familiar to the eye.
Such shooting points are called normal in height. In this case, the image is almost not distorted. Most photographs in the world are taken from a "normal" vantage point. But, often the use of upper and lower shooting points helps to realize a creative idea.

Rule No. 12 . More free space in the frame, or simple backgrounds. Leaving a lot empty space(or air) around your subject, you'll get very attractive images with a sense of simplicity and minimalism. Like filling the frame, this helps keep the viewer focused on the main subject without distractions. Often photographs are taken using simple backgrounds that do not distract from the main subject. You can also create a simple composition by zooming in on part of your subject and focusing on a specific detail.

Rule No. 13 . Direction and space. You need to leave space in the frame for the imaginary movement of objects moving in the frame. This rule can also be used when photographing people. The rule of direction and space requires that the subject must look into the lens or have their gaze fall on something in the frame. If the subject's imaginary line of sight quickly falls out of the frame, it seems strange, the frame becomes unsaid. Roughly speaking, if a person in the frame is located on the left, then he should look either into the lens or to the right, but not to the left.

In the photo on the left, the ship is sailing from left to right, and space is left in the frame for its imaginary movement, to the right of the ship.

Rule No. 14 . Balance. Balance or poise is very important. The tricky part of compositional balance is that there is no single correct recommendation. You will have to be guided not only by the rules, but also by your innate sense of balance.
The first compositional guideline was the “rule of thirds.” This, of course, means that we often place the main subject of the photograph away from the center of the frame, along one of the vertical grid lines. But sometimes it can lead to imbalance if you leave some kind of "voids" in the rest of the frame.
To overcome this, you can take a photo where the subject of minor or lesser importance (or size) is on the other side of the frame. This will balance the composition without taking too much attention away from your main subject.

Rule No. 15 . Complement/contrast. Likeness or contrast is a very powerful tool in photographic composition. This technique means including two or more elements in a frame that either contrast or complement each other. Both approaches can work very well, and play an important role in photography - they help tell a story.

In this photograph, in the background is the Moulin Rouge entertainment establishment in Paris, in the foreground are multi-colored ribbons wriggling in the air flow, which complement each other with the building of the famous French cabaret, enhancing the festive atmosphere in the picture.

All photos - photomatika

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The ability to build a composition is one of essential skills every photographer. The problem is that the basics of composition are quite difficult to master, because... It's such a subjective thing that a composition that pleases one photographer may be disgusting to another. But there is good news - there are some fundamental principles that will still allow you to understand what composition is.

In this photography tutorial, I'll outline some of these and show creative exercises to help you understand these principles. But you shouldn’t take these principles as dogma, these are just some ideas designed to help you understand the composition. There are and cannot be any rules here, there is only a general direction that you are free to interpret in your own way.

Shoot in black and white

The best way to understand the principles of composition is to shoot in black and white. And here's the reason. Color is significant integral part of any image, and color itself is a powerful composition tool. But the problem is that it takes attention away from the fundamental elements of every good photo, such as line, tonal contrast, texture, shape and outline of the subject.

Even if you are not a fan of black and white photography, take pictures purely for educational purposes. Black and white photography will help you understand more clearly the basics of good composition.

Color is a strong distractor and can hide compositional flaws. In black and white photography there is nothing to hide behind. This is why it is very good for educational purposes. By passing the ideas of this article through your prism of perception, you will improve your skills in black and white photography. But most importantly, color photographs will also become much more expressive.

Look at the two photos above and you will see what I mean. Which one is easier to see the lines on the wall? Or the structure of a tree and a girl's coat? What about the contrast between dark and light? Don't worry if you still don't understand what I mean - everything should become clearer by the end of the article.

Pay attention to the lines when shooting

Lines are an important part of many compositions in photography.

There are three main types of lines.

Straight lines, such as the horizon line, that extend from one end of an image to the other.

These lines bring a feeling of calm and tranquility, especially if you use panoramic photography (one of the reasons why some landscape photographers use it).

Diagonal lines running from one part of the image to another.

Such lines seem to guide the viewer through the image and create a feeling of movement and dynamism. In contrast to the peaceful mood, these lines contribute a certain amount of energy.

Curved, twisting lines.

Curved lines and S-shaped lines resemble relaxed diagonal lines. They help create peaceful movement in a photograph. This can be seen in landscapes.

Both are photojournalists and with their photographs they try to tell a story. As you view their work, consider the following: How do their compositional techniques differ from those of the landscape photographers listed above? What do they have in common? Consider how you can use their approach in your specific case.

Recognized masters

Many recognized masters of photography started with black and white photographs. In fact, some have worked in this genre for almost their entire career. I invite you to get acquainted with the works of these photographers. All of them are known for their ability to build a composition. As you look through their photos, think about what techniques described above they use and how you can apply their ideas to your photos. These photographers are:

Conclusion

The basic principles of composition are very easy to learn, but practicing and perfecting these skills can take a lifetime. And, unfortunately, there is no shortcut here. But working in black and white photography will definitely help you understand the basics of good composition. And then you can transfer that into color photography.

Publication date: 30.12.2013

In this article we will get acquainted with the basics of composition and framing. Some simple techniques will make our photos more beautiful and clearer. All the shots shown here were shot on a Nokia Lumia 1020 camera phone.


Frame format

The aspect ratio of the frame is called the aspect ratio; in addition, a vertical or horizontal orientation of the frame is distinguished. You can select the format that suits you in the settings, right during shooting, or after, during framing.

Some of the common frame formats are:

1:1 Square or “one to one”

3:2 Classic 35mm film aspect ratio or “three to two”

2:3 Portrait orientation of the same format

4:5 Classic, more thorough “four to five” format - glass photo plates, format and some medium format cameras were made in this format

16:9 Young and dynamic widescreen format, known to us from cinema and video, and now found in photography

These are not all existing formats, but the main ones are. By the way, it is often wise to crop works not in a free format, but in one of the ones described above - people are accustomed to these aspect ratios, and series of photographs look much better if the frame sizes do not vary from photo to photo.

Which format should I choose for a specific frame or the entire shoot?

The square is good for calm, complete, harmonious plots. Including for still lifes or portraits of people in the appropriate mood:

But for comparison, here is the original, full frame from which the square was cropped:

Lumia 1020 SETTINGS: ISO 160, F2.2, 1/45 sec

Vertical frames convey well the unstable balance, some intention or possibility of falling, movement, change:

Lumia 1020 SETTINGS: ISO 100, F2.2, 1/110 sec

If you need to shoot a tall building or a tightrope walker balancing on a rope, a vertical frame is the best solution. And here is an example when the dangerous and hysterical personality of the image just asks for a vertical, unstable frame.

The more traditional and vintage 4:5 format is great for classic portraiture, nodding to photography's historical analogue roots. Let me give you an example of footage from a Nokia Lumia 1020 camera phone, stylized as analogue shooting and printing in the Snapseed program:

Horizontal formats are good for landscapes and scenes with a large number of characters. When there is something to show in the background - be it the interior, views of the city or nature.

Lumia 1020 SETTINGS: ISO 800, F2.2, 1/9 sec

They are also great for obvious movement and dynamics in a portrait. Even the 16:9 widescreen format looks justified in this situation.

Don't be afraid to experiment with frame formats and orientation - changing the window can make the world behind it newer and more interesting :-)

Model and background

The relationship between model and background is a complex and very important issue. The very first thing you need to master is separating the model from the background. On the flat surface of the picture, the world is a little different from reality - a noticeable object sticking out from the model’s head or “glued” to the side (a line, a horizon, a bright spot on the background) can spoil the correct sense of space and take away the viewer’s pleasure.

It’s good when the model is noticeably lighter or darker than the background - this is called “tonal separation”

To be brief, pay close attention to the background - it should frame the model, revolve around it, but not conflict with it.

Lumia 1020 SETTINGS: ISO 100, F2.2, 1/2100 sec

During shooting, do not ignore noticeable objects and lines in the background, which will certainly catch the eye of your viewers as a result, but use them to your advantage - creating composition, balance, concentrating attention on the model and her condition.

Point of view

Try unusual angles, camera positions and points of view - they will make your photos more interesting and show the viewer familiar things from a new perspective.

10 simple rules for creating a composition in a frame.

1. Contrast

How to attract the viewer's attention to your photo? There should be contrast in the frame:

• A lighter object is photographed against a dark background, and a dark object against a light one.
• Do not photograph people against a yellow or brown background, the color of the photo will be unnatural.
• Do not photograph people against a colorful background; such a background distracts the viewer’s attention from the model.

2. Accommodation

Important plot elements should not be placed randomly. It is better that they form simple geometric shapes.

3. Balance

Objects located in different parts frame must correspond to each other in volume, size and tone.

4. Golden ratio

The golden ratio was known back in ancient Egypt, its properties were studied by Euclid and Leonardo da Vinci. The simplest description of the golden ratio: the best point to position the subject is approximately 1/3 of the horizontal or vertical border of the frame. The placement of important objects at these visual points looks natural and attracts the viewer's attention.

5. Diagonals

One of the most effective compositional patterns is the diagonal composition.

Its essence is very simple: we place the main objects of the frame along the diagonal of the frame. For example, from the top left corner of the frame to the bottom right.

This technique is good because such a composition continuously leads the viewer’s eye through the entire photograph.

6. Format

If the frame is dominated by vertical objects, shoot vertical frames. If you photograph a landscape, shoot horizontal frames.

7. Shooting point

The choice of shooting point directly affects the emotional perception of the photo. Let's remember a few simple rules:

• For a portrait, the best point is at eye level.
• For a portrait in full height- at waist level.
• Try to frame the frame so that the horizon line does not divide the photo in half. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the viewer to focus on the objects in the frame.
• Keep your camera level with your subject or you risk skewed proportions. An object taken from above appears smaller than it actually is. So, when photographing a person from the top point, you will get a short person in the photograph. When photographing children or animals, get down to their eye level.

8. Direction

When building a composition, always take this point into account.

9. Color spot

If there is a spot of color in one part of the frame, then there should be something in another that will attract the viewer's attention. This could be a different spot of color or, for example, an action in the frame.

10. Movement in the frame

When photographing a moving subject (car, cyclist), always leave some space in front of the subject. Simply put, position the subject as if it had just “entered” the frame, rather than “exiting” it.