{"id":77092,"date":"2018-02-11T12:52:41","date_gmt":"2018-02-11T20:52:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=77092"},"modified":"2018-02-11T13:40:15","modified_gmt":"2018-02-11T21:40:15","slug":"dynamic-off-center-street-photography-compositions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/11\/dynamic-off-center-street-photography-compositions\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Dynamic Off-Center Street Photography Compositions"},"content":{"rendered":"

To make better compositions, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t center your subjects. To make your compositions more dynamic, put your subjects off to the side.<\/p>\n

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Why off-center composition?<\/h2>\n
\"Golden
Golden triangle composition in yellow. Lisbon, man in suit, 2018<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To make more dynamic<\/a> photos in street photography, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t center your subjects. Symmetry is boring.<\/p>\n

Rather, put your subjects off to the extreme left or the extreme right of your frame. Make your frame a little unbalanced, and try to apply the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Golden triangle<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d composition to your photos.<\/p>\n

Below are some street photography composition<\/a> examples:<\/p>\n

1. People entering your frame<\/h2>\n

In this scene, I was going down an escalator at a mall in Tokyo. A woman was walking downwards past me, and I just shot a picture with my RICOH GR II<\/a> in Program mode and flash<\/a>. I took a photo as she was entering.<\/p>\n

Note she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s in the far right of the frame, an intense look on her face, and strong diagonal<\/a> composition lines.<\/p>\n

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2. Low-angle off-center<\/h2>\n

For this photo, I saw a man in a suit walking towards me who looked interesting. I liked the trees around him, so I crouched down, and shot with a flash (28mm<\/a> on Ricoh GR II).<\/p>\n

The photograph works because the expression of the man is pensive, and the fact he is off-center in the bottom left of the frame. Note the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Golden triangle<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d composition outlined in yellow.<\/p>\n

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3. Depth and off-center<\/h2>\n

This scene is interesting: I was photographing a woman walking up stairs, and I was from a higher perspective, shooting downwards.<\/p>\n

She eventually made it all the way up, and passed me walking to the left.<\/p>\n

This composition is interesting because you can see the depth on the right side of the frame that leads your eyes down the stairs. But you also have the woman walking out of the frame, on the extreme left of the frame.<\/p>\n

\"Lisbon<\/p>\n

\"Portugal<\/p>\n

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4. Flash, head-on, subject leaving the frame<\/h2>\n

Another interesting composition: shooting street photography<\/a> head-on, with a flash<\/a>, as the subject is leaving the frame.<\/p>\n

This is a good aggressive<\/a> street photography approach and technique<\/a>. The composition is dynamic, off-center, and has energy.<\/p>\n

\"Walking<\/p>\n

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\"Kyoto<\/p>\n

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5. Dutch angle (tilted frame), with subject very small in the background<\/h2>\n

Follow your subject, look for leading lines<\/a>, and make them look very small in the frame. But don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t center your subject.<\/p>\n

Also experiment tilting your camera (Dutch angle<\/a>) to make a more dynamic composition.<\/p>\n

\"Dutch
Dutch angle. Diagonal tilt. Tokyo, 2018<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Diagonals
Diagonals and dutch angle outlined in red. Tokyo, 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Dutch
Dutch angle contact sheet, Tokyo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another example of a tilted frame, this time Dutch angle + fishing technique<\/a> (waiting for someone to enter the frame):<\/p>\n

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Conclusion: Takeaway points and Assignments<\/h2>\n
\"London
London off-center woman, 2018<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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  1. Photograph your subjects as they enter<\/em> your frame<\/li>\n
  2. Photographs your subjects as they exit<\/em> your frame<\/li>\n
  3. Crouch down low, and shoot your subjects off-center from a dynamic low-angle perspective<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Tilt your camera for more dynamic compositions (Dutch angle<\/a>)<\/li>\n
  5. Spend a month only shooting street photography<\/a> with dynamic, off-center compositions<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    BE BOLD,
    \nERIC<\/p>\n

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    Photography Composition 101<\/a><\/h1>\n

    Fundamentals of photography composition<\/h2>\n