2.1. Composition Composition is the arrangement of your picture, the interplay between foreground and background, the way the subject fills the frame, the way the parts of the picture relate to each other, and so on. Will the shot be clearer, better, or more interesting if you move closer? What about walking around to the other side of the action, or zooming in slightly, or letting tall grass fill the foreground? Would the picture be more interesting if it were framed by horizontal, vertical, or diagonal structures (such as branches, pillars, or a road stretching away)? All of this floats through a veteran photographer's head before the shutter button clicks. It's easy to think, "Hey, it's a picture, not a paintingI have to shoot what's there." However, the fact is that photography is every bit as creative as painting. You have more control over the composition than you realize.
Note: If the primary thrust of your photographic ambition is to take casual vacation pictures, some of the following suggestions for professional composition may strike you as overkill.But read them anyway. If you let some of these tips rub off on you, you'll be able to apply them even in everyday snapshot situations. There's no law against casual vacation pictures being good casual vacation pictures.
2.1.1. The Rule of Thirds Most people assume that the center of the frame should contain the most important element of your shot. In fact, 98 percent of all amateur photos feature the subject of the shot in dead center. Figure 2-1. Top: When shooting a head and shoulder portrait, frame the shot so that her eyes fall on the upper imaginary line a third of the way down the frame.
Bottom: When shooting a landscape, put the horizon on the bottom-third line if you want to emphasize the sky or tall objects like mountains , trees, and buildings . Put the horizon on the upper third line to emphasize what's on the ground, such as the people in the shot. 
For the most visually interesting shots, however, dead center is actually the least compelling location for the subject. Artists and psychologists have found, instead, that following the so-called Rule of Thirds ensures better photos. Imagine that the photo frame is divided into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, as shown in Figure 2-1. The Rule of Thirds contends that the intersections of these lines are the strongest parts of the frame. Putting the most interesting parts of the image at these four points, in other words, makes better composition. Save the center square of the frame for tight close-upsand even then, aim for having the subject's eyes on the upper-third line. 2.1.2. Get Closer Step one to better pictures: Get closer. Step two: Get closer still. Move your feet toward the subject, and don't stop moving them until the subject fills the frame (Figure 2-2). Of course, the zoom lens on your camera can help with this process quite a bit. Figure 2-2. Top: This otter shot seemed like a great photo at the time it was taken. Once it was uploaded to iPhoto, however, it became something of a disappointment. It looks bland , because the otters were too far away and at an uninteresting angle.
Bottom: By getting (or zooming) closer, however, you get far more interesting results. In this case, the photographer had to apply the time-honored skill of patience, waiting for the sea otters to drift within better range. Sometimes getting closer means waiting for the action to come to you. 
Try it with your dog. Take the first picture standing where you normally would standprobably about five feet away and above Rover's head. Now prepare to take a second picturebut first crouch down so that you see the world at dog level. Come close enough to the dog so that he can almost lick your camera lens. (But don't let him do it; dog slobber is very bad for optics.) Take the second picture. Load both photos into iPhoto and study them. The first shot probably looks pretty boring compared to the second one. Clearly, you weren't thinking about composition the first time. You were thinking about taking a picture of your dog. The point is, taking a picture is usually a mindless act that doesn't result in the most memorable photos. Getting closer to create an interesting composition makes for compelling photography.
Tip: Filling the frame with your subject also means that you'll have less uninteresting background to crop out before making prints. As a result, you'll get higher resolution (more pixels) in the printout, which enhances the photo's quality.
2.1.3. Eliminate Busy Backgrounds Busy backgrounds destroy photographs (Figure 2-3, top). Unless the intent of your image is to confuse and irritate the viewer's eye (headbanger music CD album cover, anyone ?), do what you can to eliminate distracting elements from your picture. Remember, you want to make it easy for the viewer to find the key elements of your composition, and enjoy them once they're there. In other words, don't become so enamored with your subject that you don't notice the telephone wires that seem to run through her skull. Train your eye to examine the subject first, and then survey the surrounding scene. Here are some problems to look out for and avoid in the backgrounds of your shots: -
All forms of poles . Telephone poles, fence posts, street signs, and malnourished trees can creep into your photos and ruin them. -
Linear patterns . Avoid busy background elements, such as bricks , paneling, fences, and zebra skins. -
Parts of things . When people see a "part of a thing" in your picturefor example, the front of a tractor, the leg of a ladder, the rear end of a camelthey can't help but wonder what the rest of it looks like, instead of focusing on your subject.
Tip: Get in the habit of scanning all four corners of your frame before clicking the shutter. That way, you'll catch those telephone poles and street signs that you wouldn't normally see until it's too late.
Look for backgrounds that have subtle tones, soft edges, and nondescript elements. Moving your subject forward, away from the background, can help soften the backdrop even more. Figure 2-3. Top: Egads! What's this picture about? The people? The boats? Linear elements in the background usually spell doom for people shots.
Bottom: Avoid the clutter and opt for a more soothing background, such as water, sky, or any other subtle element. Your subjectsand audiencewill thank you. 
2.1.4. Go Low, Go High Change your camera angle often. This is where a flip screen comes in handy, as described in Chapter 1. Put the camera on the ground and study the composition. Raise it over your head and see how the world looks from that angle (Figure 2-4). If possible, walk around the subject and examine it from left to right. Or adopt this technique: When you first approach an interesting subject, take the picture, just to get a safe one in the camera. Then change your angle and take another shot. If you have time, get closer and take a few more. Work the subject for as long as the opportunity presents itself. More often than not, the "safe" shot will be your least favorite of the series. You'll probably find the latter frames far more compelling. Figure 2-4. Top: To really capture the feel of this breakfast nook, raise the angle of the camera, even if it means standing on a chair to do so.
Bottom: Try going low, too. "Getting to the bottom of things" provides you with dramatic angles and impressive images. 
2.1.5. The Right Way to Compose Finally, one last suggestion: Consider the pointers in this chapter as guidelines only. There is no one right way in photography; when you come down to it, the best photos are the ones you like .  |
