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How to Compose a Photograph

Composition in photography is this:

To construct, to build, prepare, and put together/arrange an image.

Opposite of destroy?

The word “destroy” comes from de-struo (to un-create).

Thus, in simple words: composition in photography is to construct/build an image. You do this by 1) Preparing for the photograph (planning to take a photo BEFORE a decisive moment), and 2) Placing and arrange visual elements in a frame.


1. How to arrange visual elements in a frame

Consider photography like visual Tetris. You look for building blocks, and decide how to re-arrange the blocks:

For example, look at the picture above. Some questions I might ask myself:

  1. How much of the red should I show, versus the blue?
  2. Do I prefer to shoot this picture as a vertical (portrait orientation) or a horizontal (landscape orientation)? Or– do I prefer to tilt the photo?
  3. How close do I get to the thing I want to photograph, or how far away? For example in the above picture, I took lots of photos on 28mm lens (Ricoh GR II), at different distances. I took around 10 photos, and decided to keep the above photo, because I felt it had the most dynamic balance.

2. What is my subject-matter (what do I want to photograph)?

If you want to make a good photo, you need a strong single subject-matter to photograph. This can be your hand, a body part, a face, or something else.

As a practical tip:

When you’re photographing a scene, try to highlight the 1 primary subject.


3. Keep it simple

When you’re composing a scene, keep it simple. My suggestion is to get close to your subject-matter, and fill the frame with it. You can do this by looking at the corners of the frame while you’re composing.

An activity:

Try to make an ‘extremely simple’ photograph– by only showing the extreme minimum in the photo.


4. Center the eye

Put your subject’s eye in the center of the frame. Raphael did this well with his portraits.


5. Outline

Edge detection. You need to have separation between visual elements in your frame and the background.


6. Analyze your photos after-the-fact

seoul-2009-umbrella-eric-kim-street-photograpy-black-and-white-monochrome-11374600342.jpg
umbrella 1 composition lines
Leading lines of umbrella lady. Seoul, 2009
Leading lines of umbrella lady. Seoul, 2009
Abstract walking woman with umbrella. Seoul. 2009
Abstract walking woman with umbrella. Seoul. 2009
Bauahaus Annette Kim leading lines walking lady umbrella elegance.
Elegance. Eric Kim umbrella composition Bauhaus. Annette Kim / haptic industries

When you are shooting photos, it is difficult to always ascertain whether a composition will be good or not. Thus, analyze your photos after-the-fact.


Conclusion: Compose like a child

Study the paintings, drawings, and compositions of children. They do it quite naturally.

Remember– to compose is to create. Compose more photos; create more photos.

ERIC


Composition 101

 

Master composition for yourself:

Photography Composition Concepts

  • Edge Detection Photography Composition
  • Vector (Arrow) Photography Composition
  • Clear and Obscure (Chiaroscuro) Photography Composition

Photography Composition Tips

  • How to Photograph Motion
  • Photography Composition: Which Direction is Your Subject Looking?
  • Blocking Technique in Photography
  • How to Shoot a Triangle Photography Composition
  • How to shoot a golden triangle composition in street photography
  • 8 Simple Curve Composition Tips
  • 5 Simple Henri Cartier-Bresson Composition Tips
  • Foot Zoom
  • Photography Composition: Light and Dark
  • Street Photography Composition Lesson #16: Scale
  • Shape, Arrangement, Position (S.A.P.) and Contour, Inter-Contact, Position (C.I.A.) in Photography
  • 10 Tips How to Fill the Frame in Photography
  • Look Up! 16 Photography Composition Perspective Tips
  • 5 Simple Street Photography Composition Tips
  • Depth Perception
  • Golden Angle Composition in Street Photography
  • Photographer as an “Arranging Artist”
  • Dynamic Off-Center Street Photography Compositions
  • 5 Essential Composition Tips in Photography

Color Theory

Color wheel theory: Dynamic tension between opposing colors.
Color wheel theory: Dynamic tension between opposing colors. Image from CREATIVE EVERY DAY
  • Red and Green Composition Color Theory For Photographers
  • The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Color Photography
  • Opponent Process Color Theory For Photographers
  • Color Theory For Photographers
  • Color Manual
  • How to Shoot Color Street Photography

Learn From the Masters of Composition

Sergio Larrain Compositions
Sergio Larrain Compositions
  • 10 Lessons Matisse Can Teach You About Art and Life
  • Henri Cartier-Bresson Composition
  • 10 Timeless Lessons Edward Weston Can Teach You About Photography
  • 10 Inspirational Sergio Larrain Compositions
  • 5 Henri Cartier-Bresson Photography Composition Lessons

Dynamic Photography Composition 101

Leading lines. ERIC KIM DYNAMIC COMPOSITION
Leading lines. ERIC KIM DYNAMIC COMPOSITION
  • Introduction to Dynamic Photography Composition
  • How to Visually Analyze Your Photography Compositions
  • Dynamic Tension: Opponent Based Theory For Photography
  • Opponent Process Color Theory For Photographers
  • Dynamic Photography Composition 101: Figure to Ground

Painting Compositions

Vermeer
  • Johannes Vermeer
  • Raphael

Dynamic Photography Composition Tips

Chiaroscuro. DYNAMIC LIGHT AND SHADOW. Hanoi, 2016 by ERIC KIM
Chiaroscuro. DYNAMIC LIGHT AND SHADOW. Hanoi, 2016 by ERIC KIM
  • 7 Simple Photography Composition Tips
  • How to Make Aggressive Photography Compositions
  • 10 Dynamic Photography Composition Tips
  • How to Make More Dynamic Picture Compositions
  • Unorthodox Photography Composition Techniques
  • Deconstructed: Saigon Eric Kim Photos

Composition Theory

Dynamic low angle composition. Tokyo, 2011 by ERIC KIM
Dynamic low angle composition. Tokyo, 2011 by ERIC KIM

Take your composition to the next level:

  • Gestalt Theory
  • Juxtaposition
  • Center Eye
  • Low-Angle
  • Dutch Angle
  • Deep Depth
  • Spacing
  • Silhouette
  • Leading Lines
  • Figure to Ground
  • Fibonacci Spiral
  • Cropping
  • Emotion
  • Composition by Eric Kim

Street Photography Composition 101

DYNAMIC REFLECTIONS. Man and three reflections by ERIC KIM
DYNAMIC REFLECTIONS. Man and three reflections by ERIC KIM

For distilled lessons on composition, read the free ebook: “The Street Photography Composition Manual.”

Further articles to improve your compositions in photography:

  • Composition Lesson #1: Triangles
  • Composition Lesson #2: Figure-to-ground
  • Composition Lesson #3: Diagonals
  • Composition Lesson #4: Leading Lines
  • Composition Lesson #5: Depth
  • Composition Lesson #6: Framing
  • Composition Lesson #7: Perspective
  • Composition Lesson #8: Curves
  • Composition Lesson #9: Self-Portraits
  • Composition Lesson #10: Urban Landscapes
  • Composition Lesson #11: “Spot the not”
  • Composition Lesson #12: Color Theory
  • Composition Lesson #13: Multiple-Subjects
  • Composition Lesson #14: Square Format

Composition Theory

Chiaroscuro. DYNAMIC LIGHT AND SHADOW. Hanoi, 2016 by ERIC KIM
Woman and door. Chiaroscuro. DYNAMIC LIGHT AND SHADOW. Hanoi, 2016 by ERIC KIM

Learn compositional theory:

  • Why is Composition Important?
  • Don’t Think About Composition When You’re Shooting Street Photography
  • How to Use Negative Space
  • Street Photography Composition 101
  • The Theory of Composition in Street Photography: 7 Lessons from Henri Cartier-Bresson

Compositional lessons from the masters of art

  • Composition Lessons Raphael Can Teach You About Photography
  • In-Progress: Leonardo da Vinci

Composition lectures


Composition pictures/grids

Eric Kim photography Bauhaus Piet Mondrian


Golden Diagonal Composition

golden diagonal composition
Golden Diagonal Composition / Kyoto Station, 2018

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