Tom Clark - Digital Photography Composition For Dummies

If a human subject in an image is looking at a specific area in the scene, for example, viewers look at that area to see what the subject is looking at. Compositionally speaking, a subject's line of sight can work as an invisible line to guide your eyes to another area of the image. You can combine implied lines with literal lines for even more dynamics in a composition. And keep in mind that implied lines can carry the same qualities as literal lines with regard to being horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and curvy.

Figure 4–5 represents an image with

implied lines. The eye contact that

the woman is making with herself in 50mm '/30sec V2.5,400

the mirror helps keep viewers looking Figure 4–5: Line of sight being used as an

back and forth between her and her implied compositional line.

reflection.

Motion is another type of implied line. You follow the direction in which a subject is moving as if to see where it's going. And if two points of interest are lined up with each other across the frame and nothing but negative space stands between them, you most likely cut across the image in a straight line from one to the other, creating an implied line. These are good techniques to use when a scene doesn't provide any useful lines in the literal sense.

When lines connect to seal off a specific area in a composition, they create shapes and forms. One line that goes around in a loop creates a circle, and three lines that intersect create a triangle. Refer to Figure 4–3, for instance, and notice the following combinations of lines that create different shapes:

The lines that make up the road form a triangle as they move into the distance.

The horizon line combined with the frame's edges and the area where the brush meets the road outline diamond shapes.

The trees make triangles, and so do the wires.

The sky takes on a similar shape to the diamonds in the foreground created by the brush.

Shapes and forms work together with lines to say even more about a particular scene. Understanding what shapes and forms convey in your message and being able to differentiate the two is necessary to create beautiful and descriptive compositions.

In the following sections, I explain the differences between shape and form and show you how to highlight each in your compositions.

In photographic composition, shape and form are related but separate. Elements can have similar shapes but different forms. The shape of a racquetball is similar to that of an orange, for example, but the two are very different in form. The racquetball is perfectly spherical, while the orange has natural flaws in its shape. Also, the texture of an orange is rougher than that of a racquetball. You would approach each differently in terms of composition based on what you wanted to reveal about them.

To distinguish between the two, here's what you need to know:

An element's shape is represented by its outline.A shape is two-dimensional and takes up a specific amount of your frame's space. A human silhouette is a recognizable shape, as is that of a tree or a chair.

In photography, form is the three-dimensional representation of a shape.Your images are two-dimensional, but they can give the feeling of three-dimensionality by revealing a sense of space.

In Figure 4–6, a circle sits on the left side of the composition. It only takes up space on the surface of the frame. The element on the right has the same shape as the element on the left but is a sphere. It takes up space inside the frame, which you see because of light and shadow. Figure 4–6:The element on the left is a shape and

the element on the right is a form. The following sections tell you more about shape and form and when you want to use each.

Understanding how shapes fit into a frame and relate to other shapes is an important step in photographic design. The way you position shapes and show how they compare with one another creates their relationship in a composition.

Look at the couple in Figure 4–7. The shapes of their bodies come together to create a new shape that's recognizable and visually pleasing. The compositional element of shape alone creates the message in this image. If you had no other details to interpret, you would still get the idea that this image is about a couple in love.

Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when considering how to portray shapes in your compositions:

Represent the shape of your subject in the best possible way.Your goal should be to make your subject as recognizable as you can. For instance, a human silhouette is more clearly recognizable when viewers can make out the shape of the head and limbs. And appropriate separation between certain body parts helps tell the story. A person who's running ideally has one leg in front and the other behind; the same goes for the arms. The runner's knees and elbows are bent and the body leans on a forward diagonal. A person who's dancing may have her arms above her head and her hip would swing out to one side.

50mm, 1/1000 sec, f/2.8, 100

Figure 4–7:Shapes and their relationships to each other lay the foundation for a photo's message.

" Choose an appropriate angle.The angle from which you shoot determines how your image reveals the shape of a subject. A silhouette of a cat that's photographed from the front or side view and from a very low angle is more descriptive than one photographed from a high angle behind the cat.

• Consider your subject's shape and how it fits into the shape of your frame.A person, for example, is made up of organic shapes (natural and curvy), and the frame of your shot is geometric (uniform and not often found in nature). This contrast creates an interesting relationship when you execute it properly.

Look at how the silhouette in Figure 4–8 fits in the frame. The black area represents the organic shapes of the person; the white area represents the geometric shape of the frame combined with the organic shape of the subject. The white area around the subject has just as much visual importance as the area that represents the subject.

• Create a sense of balance and flow around the subject.You can do so

by leaving some space around the edges of the frame and by creating interesting shapes. If the subject in Figure 4–8 was standing straight up with no accented curves in her posture and was positioned dead center in the frame, the results would be far less attractive than the final image you see.

An element's two-dimensional shape is defined by how much of the frame's space it takes up and in what manner. (See the preceding section for more on shape.) Its form, on the other hand, is defined by how much space it takes up inside the space of the frame.

Forms work together with lines and shapes to convey meaning in a composition. Because a form includes more detail than the other two compositional elements, it conveys a message in a more literal sense.

Figure 4–7 tells the story of a loving couple through shape and form. Squint your eyes when viewing it and notice how the pose of the couple creates a recognizable shape that you know as two people embracing. Form reveals the more literal narrative qualities, such as facial expressions, detailed hand gestures, the type of clothing people have on, and so on.

How you reveal form in an image depends on how you position the lines and shapes of your scene, but it also depends on lighting and shadows. Chapter 10 explains different