The composition of an image will strongly affect the impact it will have on its viewers. Below, you’ll find some tips and techniques to help you give your digital photos their maximum impact.
The Rule of Thirds (the “Golden Grid”)
The ancient Greeks used the Rule of Thirds in their art. To employ this rule in your digital photography, mentally divide your viewfinder into three vertical and three horizontal segments. A non-moving subject should be positioned at one of the segments’ intersections. If your subject is horizontally-oriented it should be on a horizontal line; a vertically-oriented static subject should be positioned on a vertical line. Using the Rule of Thirds to compose your photos will improve them noticeably.
Other factors can also give impact to your digital photos, including: framing, depth, focus, viewpoint, and color.
Framing
Skillful photographers utilize a technique called “framing” to pull a viewer’s eyes in and direct them at the photo’s subject. Once you start looking for things to frame your subjects, you’ll begin to see them wherever you look. Framing objects can be man-made or natural. Doorways, tree branches and windows all make great frames for subjects. Don’t make the common beginner’s mistake of placing your subject too far from your frame, however. Doing that will just make your subject disappear in the frame – it will seem too small.
Depth
Depth is an illusion created when a noticeable distance exists between the background and foreground of an image, with the subject located somewhere in between. Like framing, depth tends to pull viewers’ eyes “into” your digital images. The illusion of depth exists when two objects that are roughly the same size look like they’re different sizes. The smaller object is interpreted by the viewer’s eye as being more distant. The illusion is enhanced when atmospheric haze makes the smaller object’s color seem lighter.
Focus
The eye is drawn automatically to an object in focus, and selective focusing can turn this tendency to your advantage. When your subject is in focus but the remainder of the image is slightly out-of-focus, you’re using selective focusing. Simply use a low f-stop setting (like f/4, for example) and put some distance between the background of the image and its subject. You’ll ensure your subject is within the small plane of focus by focusing there. Distance between the background and your subject is important, because the farther away you move from the plane of focus, the more out-of-focus objects will seem.
Viewpoint
Your camera will be in one location and your subject in another. The relationship between those two positions is known as the “viewpoint.” Before you take any photos, look around you for some different potential viewpoints. You might be able to position your camera at a horizontal angle to your subject, or perhaps higher or lower than your subject. Different viewpoints will alter the way your subject looks in your camera’s viewfinder. Finding the right one frequently requires only a minor change in your camera’s position.
Experiment with these compositional factors the next time you shoot digital photos. If you are visually aware of compositional elements these factors, your digital photos will improve and have impact.
For photos that capture memories that last a life time visit Melanie Acker Photography at St Louis Child Photographer. or her blog at Senior Photography St Louis. Melanie specializes in newborn, children, maternity, engaged couples & high school senior fine art portrait photography.