Happy Accidents Photography Workshop…Lesson 1- Composition

Welcome!

This is the first lesson in a series of photography posts I will be sharing. These posts are helpful tips, lessons and tutorials to improve your photography skills whether you are a Instagrammer, hobbyist or serious photographer. There will be “homework” assignments at the end of each post for you to practice the tips and information I have shared. I also have created a Facebook group for everyone using these lessons. PLEASE join this group…it is where the fun stuff will be. In the group you will be encouraged to share your assignments and photos, get critiques, find links to new posts and lessons, and more!

Click here to join the Facebook Group!

Composition

Whether you have a great camera that you are trying to learn how to use, have been doing photography for a while and want to get more serious about it or just love taking iPhone photos for Instagram, learning good composition is always the best place to start. No matter how good of a technical photographer you are or how great your editing skills might be, the composition of your photo is where the good stuff is and without it no amount of skills or editing will create a great photo.

Yesterday a Happy Accident happened. I was getting all caught up on Facebook and a friend posted some wonderful photos she took of her beautiful girls. I was scrolling through them when I came across one that made me stop. The composition was nothing short of magical. There were just SO many things right about it. I knew right away I wanted to play with it in Photoshop. As soon as I was finished cleaning up from dinner I sat down to my computer and had SO. MUCH. FUN. with this photo. I went back to her post to share my creation with her and found that another friend of hers felt the same urge to play with it. That’s what I call an inspiring photo! I was already preparing to write this post and thought this was a fantastic example of great composition. With her permission I’m sharing her image here:

And here is my edit:

While my edits may have added to the image, it already had the important elements that can’t be edited into a photo to make it great. It was just a pleasing, happy photo without any editing at all.

So how do you achieve great composition? Well, sometimes it’s just plain luck but there are several techniques and tricks that can help you turn “snapshots” into works of art…or at least make them more interesting. Here are a few of my favorites:

The Rule of Thirds

By definition the Rule Of Thirds in photography is a type of composition in which an image is divided evenly into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, and the subject of the image is placed at the intersection of those dividing lines, or along one of the lines itself. This often makes the image more interesting or pleasing to the eye than placing the subject directly in the center. I’ll be the first to admit I break this “rule” a lot. There are often times that placing your subject smack dab in the center or along the bottom or top of an image works best. So which should you do? I follow my gut but if you are new to this rule chances are you are already in the habit of centering your subject most or all the time. While you are experimenting with this technique try taking a couple of shots for each photo. Center your subject in one and then take the same shot but use the “Rule of Thirds”. Which do you like better? In time you will start to learn whether following the “rule” or breaking it works best for each specific shot.

Leading Lines

This composition technique refers to lines in an image that lead the viewers attention to the main subject of the photo. This could be a road or path, a staircase, fence or many other objects that can create lines in a photography. Leading lines are a great way to add interest to an image while still keeping the subject the center of attention.

**Note…Railroad Tracks are often used for leading lines. While they may work well for this purpose, I am strongly against shooting on railroad tracks. It is illegal and dangerous. Even non-working tracks are a bad idea because these photos often encourage other people to try railroad track photo shoots. Regardless whether you are a professional photographer, hobby photographer, or parent please DO NOT SHOOT ON RAILROAD TRACKS EVER!

Framing

Another great way to add interest to your image while still drawing attention to your main subject is a technique called “framing”. This technique, like leading lines, uses other objects to draw the eye to your subject. With framing instead of using lines to lead to your subject the objects you use wrap around or partially around them to frame them. Architectural elements, tree branches, archways, and windows all work well as common frames.

Patterns

Finding and using interesting patterns is a technique that can add interest, texture, and depth to your images. Plus they are just fun! Patterns can come from interesting background objects, fences, quilts, blinds and even light!

Try new angles

When taking photographs we put a lot of thought into the position of our subjects. This can be nerve wracking when shooting kids and pets who often don’t appreciate our pose ideas or like to sit still for long. One of the easiest ways to add some creativity to your images though is for YOU to change positions. When shooting kids and pets, try getting down on their level. Try taking some shots from above your subject or below when possible to mix things up a bit.

Rule of Space

This rule states that if the subject is not looking directly to the camera, or looks out of the frame, there should be enough space for the subject to look into. This technique creates intrigue in the minds of the viewers. A good example of this rule is my friend’s photo of her little girl from the beginning of this post. This rule also applies to photographing a moving object or subject. There should be space for the subject to travel into. For this rule, I like to think of the edge of the image as a “wall”. In my example image below, if there was a lot of space behind her and she was all the way to the left edge of the image it would feel strange and like she was facing the imaginary wall created by the edge of the photo.

Avoid Limb Chops

The term limb chops refers to cutting off a subjects body part in an unflattering way. This does not mean that you have to include a person’s entire body in every image. There are just good and bad places to crop bodies in your frame. For instance at the wrist or ankles looks awkward and like you lopped off a hand or foot. The diagram below shows good and bad places to crop limbs and bodies.

Background

While you are focusing (both literally and mentally) on your subject, it can be easy to ignore the background. The background can make or break your images though. Even with Photoshop skills, it isn’t fun to try and remove garbage cans, cars, or random people from the background of your otherwise wonderful photos. Before shooting, check out your background and if necessary and possible move or turn your subject to get rid of unwanted items in the shot. Life doesn’t always happen in front of pretty backdrops though. When shooting kids and candid moments or memories are happening… capture them first, regardless of the background. Then try moving them to slightly different area or angle to see if you can get a better shot. There are tricks you can learn both in your camera settings and editing that can make unsightly backgrounds less noticeable but it’s still always a good idea to keep unwanted items out of your shots when possible.

Homework:

• Pick a subject and plan a little photo shoot. Try using the “Rule of Thirds”. Take the same shot centering your subject.
• Create images using 2 other techniques of your choice listed above.
• Join the Facebook group if you haven’t already and share your images!