Composition: Part I

May 27, 2001 - © Wendy Folse

portrays downward motion? Which skier lools like its caught in a mid-air jump? Which one best displays speed? Which one exhibits the hazards of skiing?

In this series of examples, what can be said about the placement of the subject? All four images are in a horizontal format. In the first image, the photographer considers the vertical division of the rule of thirds. In the three other images the placement is located along horizontal divisions. Which works better? That depends on the photographer's intended theme. Obvisously, there seems to be no good reason for the composition in frame 2. Frame one might work if there are other strong elements in the landscape that occupy the other two-thirds of the frame.

Frames 3 and 4 draw direct attention to the barn as the subject, whereas frames 1 and 2 represent the landscape as the subject. In frames 3 and 4 the photographer has a choice of where to place the subject in relation to the horizon line. Which is the stronger composition? Frame three places the horizon line dead center of the frame. This could work except for one small detail, the fence. Is there a valid reason for the fence floating around in mid-air? If the foreground contained cows or horses, maybe so. Or if the barn sat on the top of a hill and the photographer wished to emphasis this fact, then this composition would also work. However, frame four clearly shows the stronger composition and the fence helps to frame the subject, the barn.

Look at frame 4 again. There is another point to consider in this composition that becomes important to well balanced compositions. Consider the placement of the sky. The sky occupies two-thirds of the frame. Now consider the barn. It also occupies two-thirds of the frame. This composition is said to be in perfect balance. Balance is an important element in composition. Both positive and negative spaces are said to have weight. When an image appears to be tipping over or falling out of the frame there is an unequal distribution of weight caused by a lack of balance in the composition. We will discuss more on balance in a future article devoted to just this concept.

Next week's article is Composition: Part II