Composition

Composition is basically how you frame the subject when you look through the viewfinder. It is a subject that can depend very much on personal taste though I will talk about some basics that may give you some ideas. First of all decide whether you are going to take the photograph in landscape format, which means holding the camera the right way up, or portrait which means rotating the camera 90 degrees.

When you look through the viewfinder look into all 4 corners to make sure that you have included and excluded everything that you want. If not you can either move closer of further away of use the zoom lens on the camera if it has one.

Now decide what you want your picture to say. If its a landscape picture try to avoid putting the horizon across the center of the photograph as it tends to cut the picture in half. Instead decide if the sky or the foreground is more interesting then move the horizon either nearer to the top or the bottom.

If you are photographing say your children running then position them towards the side of the picture so that they appear to be running into the picture.

Consider using the rule of thirds. The diagram above shows the viewfinder divided into thirds. If you position your main subject at the point where any of the lines cross you are using a composition technique called 'The rule of thirds' which can make the photograph more pleasing to the eye.

These 2 photographs show the different effects that can be achieved using the rule of thirds. The photo on the left shows the more traditional approach to composition however it leaves the admirer wondering what the boy (my son) is looking at. the photo on the right answers this question. Notice my son is looking into the photograph. If he had been facing the other way it would not have worked.

Finally remember that the area on the negative on 35mm film measures 36mm x 24mm.A ratio of 3:2. This will fit exactly in a print 6" x 4" or 9" x 6" but if you get your prints 8" x 6" or 10" x 8" some cropping will occur at the sides so take this into consideration when taking the photograph.

Camera / Lens / Film / Exposure / Composition