ERIC KIM

How to Compose in Photography

Composition means to figure out what to add to your frame, and what to subtract from your frame. Some practical thoughts:

1. Consider the box

The first very pragmatic thought is this: consider that when you’re framing and composing, you have a box. But reality exists beyond the box. And therefore, what do you want to capture, and contain inside your box, which is your viewfinder or your LCD screen?

2. Is composition your primary interest, or an afterthought?

It can be either or. Sometimes if you want to practice your composition, best for you to choose a composition assignment and pursue it, another time it is better for you to just shoot intuitively, and then figure out the composition after the fact.

3. Less is superior

Photography composition as a more zen approach and concept than an additive one. Also in writing, the skill of editing down and paring down your work takes more skill than writing it.

Once again, to compose a photo, subtract from the photo.

COMPOSITION by KIM

In pursuit of making (greater) compositions!

THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY COMPOSITION

  • STREET by KIM42 clear and dark
  1. WHAT MAKES A GOOD PHOTO?
  2. Creative Focus in Photography
  3. DISCLARITY
  4. Study Great Compositions
  5. Self Study Composition
  6. The Human Body is Poetry
  7. How to level-up your own photography composition
  8. Composition is Everywhere
  9. Low-Key Photography
  10. 12 Photography Composition Ideas
  11. Chiaroscuro in Photography

VIRTUAL REALITY COMPOSITION

  • three dimensional composition ERIC KIM
  • leading lines
  • leading lines walking lady

The Game of Composition

composition-layers-ERIC-KIM-

Technical compositions

Composition Studies

  1. Helmut Newton Photography Composition Studies
  2. W. Eugene Smith Composition Studies
  3. PDF: ERIC KIM Photography Composition Studies
  4. PDF: Josef Koudelka Photography Composition Studies
  5. PDF: Richard Avedon Photography Composition Studies
  6. PDF: Henri Cartier-Bresson Photography Composition Studies

Philosophy of Composition

Henri Cartier-Bresson Composition Simplified GIF
Henri Cartier-Bresson Composition Simplified

Aesthetics

Downtown LA, 2015 (shot on a Ricoh GR with the fixed-focal 28mm lens)

ERIC KIM X ANNETTE KIM X BAUHAUS REMIX

Master composition for yourself:

Photography Composition Concepts

Street Photography Composition Tips

Tokyo, 2017
Tokyo, 2017

Photography Composition Tips

Color Theory

Color wheel theory: Dynamic tension between opposing colors.
Color wheel theory: Dynamic tension between opposing colors. Image from CREATIVE EVERY DAY

Learn From the Masters of Composition

Sergio Larrain Compositions
Sergio Larrain Compositions

Dynamic Photography Composition 101

Leading lines. ERIC KIM DYNAMIC COMPOSITION
Leading lines. ERIC KIM DYNAMIC COMPOSITION

Painting Compositions

Vermeer

Dynamic Photography Composition Tips

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

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:

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 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:

Compositional lessons from the masters of art

Composition lectures

Composition pictures/grids

Eric Kim photography Bauhaus Piet Mondrian

Golden Diagonal Composition

golden diagonal composition
Golden Diagonal Composition / Kyoto Station, 2018