Basic Photography Principles

Basic Photography Rules

Rules are meant to be broken! If you intend to break a rule you should always learn it first to make sure your breaking of it is all the more effective!

Discussion points
Rule of thirds Active Space Angles Background Contrast Fill your frame Framing Lines (SOLTAX) Number of objects Additional elements

The Rule of Thirds

Divide into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines

The Rule of Thirds

Place points of interest in the intersections or along the lines Peoples eyes usually go to one of the intersection points most naturally rather than the centre of the shot Aligning a subject with the intersection points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would What are the points of interest in the shot? Where am I intentionally placing them?

In this image the head of the subject is placed on one of the intersecting points - especially his eyes which are a natural point of focus for a portrait. His tie and flower also take up a secondary point of interest.

Active / Dead Space

If the object is centered in the photograph, theres no balance for the viewer. Create active space the area in which the subject is moving into A person facing left should be placed on the right allowing the person to look into the photo. If your subject (be it a person, dog, elephant, whatever) is facing a certain direction, the space should be given to that side Using the dead space behind your subject will capture the entire scene.

Angles
Think outside the box and explore different angles If you were to get down onto the ground and angle your camera up and towards the subject, the result of that photo would portray superiority (youre looking up to it and emphasis the size of the object) If you angle down and towards the object, the end result will be that object is looking up to you (inferior). Try to use different angles in landscape photos.

Background
A background can either make or break the overall result of a photograph The wrong background can pull a viewers attention away from the point of interest, distracting them and taking all the flavour from the photograph Photographs present us with images in 2D, rather than 3D. Before taking your photo, check your background to be sure there are no people that shouldnt be there, colours that clash with your point of interest which will pull the eye from your subject or any other object that just doesnt belong.

Background
If your background doesnt compliment your point of interest, consider: Moving your subject into a more appropriate position Waiting for the background to become more suitable (people getting out of the way, for example) Changing your position and shoot from an alternative angle Filling your frame with the subject, eliminating the background completely Fade out your background by playing with your F-stops Photo-editing afterwards (Photoshop)

Contrast
Creating contrast to enhance an image High contrast will create a vibrant, solid and loud image that will steal the attention of the viewer.
Using blacks and whites with very little or no use of greys. Use opposite colours

Low contrast will produce a warm and soft image, creating a soothing or mellow image.
Use similar shades, very little difference from the darkest part of the photo to the lightest. Colours which are close to each other on the colour wheel will create a low-contrast photo.

Contrasts
Less is more. Bringing additional colours into the image will decrease the level of contrast. The viewers attention will tend to shift away from your focal points when other colours are present. Ratio Impact. Having more of one contrasting colour will help your focal point stand out, as opposed to having equal amounts of both contrasting colours. A single red poppy set against a field of green will have greater contrast and impact than a photograph of a poppy set against a sea of other poppies.

Fill your frame

Filling your frame with your point of interest will not only eliminate background distractions, it will also have a more intimate and significant impact on the overall results of your photograph. Your photographs perspective holds a lot more strength if you physically move in closer to your subject. Features will become considerably more detailed and remarkable. Ask yourself what youre trying to illustrate and focus on that.

Framing
A frame should correlate with the point of interest Depth of field should be considered when framing a subject. Would your photograph look better with the frame or subject in focus, or maybe both? Alternatively, a photograph may benefit by having the foreground (the frame) out of focus, while the subject is in focus. A frame doesnt necessarily need to completely surround the subject, nor does it need to be in the foreground When deciding on a frame, think about using other composition techniques to further enhance your photo, such as contrast, texture and shape Using a frame that is darker than the subject will draw more attention to the subject.

Forms and Lines

SOLTAX
Using lines and forms lead the eye to the point of interest and prevent the eye from wandering. More impressive outcome and stronger composition if your leading line begins at the corner of your photograph. Present diagonal lines from the bottom left of the photo to the top right, this is because our eyes naturally scan from left to right. To prevent the photo from looking split, try positioning your diagonal lines to begin slightly above or below the corner of the photo.

Forms and Lines

Keep vertical lines parallel with the sides of your photograph as much as possible Horizontal lines should be kept as horizontal as possible, especially with water (sea, lake, etc.) S curves dont necessarily need to be S-shaped; any form of a winding line can be used. Some examples include rivers, streams, paths and even the human body.

Additional elements
Primary numbers are stronger.
Use 1 rather than 2, 3 rather than 2 or 4, etc.

Keep the corners and edges clean. Example: Tree branches should not touch the edge of the photo Eliminate distracting elements If it doesn't contribute to the overall image, get rid of it. Golden hour - 1 hour after sunrise, 1 hour before sunset

Be creative! Enjoy! Have Fun! Break the rules!