Composition In Photography

Composition In Photography📷

Hey guys! Let's talk about Composition in Photography and its importance. It is very important for a picture to have some meaning in it so that the viewer can understand what the picture is talking about. This is called composition. A composition in a photograph is very important which defines the objective of clicking a photo. The composition can also be referred to as ingredients that we have to consider or plan before clicking a perfect shot. We all know how to take a photo but the real challenge is how we compose an image and our composition.

A photo with good composition is when a viewer understands what the actual image is all about. This is the reason why composition is the most important thing that may be due to the unique and creative thing that we see in a photo.

Let us see some important elements that we can practice to make a good photo.

Symmetry Or Patterns 

Filling your image with symmetrical lines or patterns can add volume and meaning to your photo. You will find these symmetrical lines or patterns everywhere, most probably, good for street photography. The street is the place where you will find most of the lines or mirror images that depict symmetry. A symmetrical photo can be achieved if the two halves of an image are similar focusing on one point. Basically, we have to balance the left and right part or the top or bottom part of the image to produce a symmetrical image.
Patterns can also prove to be a great composite image where shapes and lines repeat and form a pattern for an image. We can play with patterns and place an object to look appealing.

You can find symmetry in man-made architects as well. Check the image below:

Rule Of Thirds

Rule of thirds means dividing the picture with imaginary lines into three parts. It can be horizontally or vertically. We can practice the rule of thirds by using guidelines in our camera settings or even in a normal smartphone camera we get an option to use guideline lines. So, why do we do that? Basically, the rule of thirds works if we want to place the object in either of the four intersecting lines rather then putting the object in the middle of an image. Doing this adds volume to the image and also creates a dynamic and a better view for the viewers. Rule of thirds is also an important aspect of a good photograph. Placing objects in the middle of the image might feel a little boring.
So from where this "Rule Of Thirds" came from? Well, in 1797, John Thomas Smith first wrote this term in his book called Remarks on Rural Scenery.

The image below shows how we can use guidelines to place the subjects in either of the four intersections to make the image look attractive.

Visualizing Lines

Visualizing lines that lead to the point can be a powerful element in producing an image that looks appealing to the viewer. Lines can help your image gain more attention. These lines can be diagonal, horizontal, vertical, parallel or curved lines. The viewer's eyes are naturally drawn to that fixed point where these lines meet. How do we find it? We need to find the perfect angle for this as lines are present everywhere buildings, rail tracks, walls, wire, curves, benches, etc. They don't have to perfect or straight line. Some lines can also be created by lights with long exposure.

Foreground And Background

A picture has two things to look at, a foreground and a background. A Foreground is what lies between you and your subject and background is everything behind the subject. We tend to focus on mid-ground and the background and forget about the foreground and this is what most of us make this mistake often. The foreground is as important as the background of the image which adds some compliments to the image and the background. A picture can be boring but adding a foreground element to it can enhance your photo. Therefore, a foreground is equally important like the background of the image. In the image above, the stone adds a perfect volume and meaning to the image.

Focal Length 

The focal length depends on what kind of lens you are using. This is basically the distance between a lens and the camera image sensor. It is measured in millimeters (mm). The focal length in mm tells us how much of the scene will be captured and with how much of magnification. The lens is named after the length of their focal so if we are using a 35mm lens then a focal length is 35mm. The focal length is important as it tells how much of a scene is captured. The longer the focal length the narrower the angle of view and on the other hand the shorter the focal length the wider the angle of view. The longer focal length is best suited for portraits or subjects which are far and shorter focal length is suited for landscape photo capturing a wider view. The objects appear larger using a larger focal length and appear small if the focal length is less.

"A picture is worth a thousand words", you might have heard this phrase many times but unless the composition is not good a picture is of no value. The composition is what makes a picture more than a thousand words. I hope this blog is useful to you and helps you in bringing photography to the next level.