AnandTech Guide to Better Photos: Composition
by Stephen Caston on November 19, 2004 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Digital Camera
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In addition to the compositional concepts, which we have already mentioned, there are a few more points that we would like to bring up. Something that rarely occurs to people is the importance of perspective when shooting. If many of your shots are taken at eye level while standing, they will all have a similar "look" to them. However, if you experiment with different camera angles and perspectives, you will probably find that the results are far more interesting than "standard" perspective pictures.
In the picture above, we used a low angle approach to highlight the strong contrast between the dark red stop sign and the dark blue sky. By using this low angle, we were able to simplify the image by removing distracting background elements that would have appeared in a "standard" perspective shot.
Don't hesitate to get down on the ground. In this picture, we were able to contrast this duck against the Atlanta cityscape by lying on the ground by this pond.
One of the most important things to keep in mind with composition is to stay creative. Experiment with different angles and compositions that you haven't tried before. With a digital camera, there is absolutely no excuse for a lack of experimentation. If the picture turns out bad, you can just delete it before anyone else sees it. This is really the only way to develop an eye for your unique photographic style.
Another way to build your compositional awareness is to look for pre-existing compositions around you. Bring your camera with you whenever possible and you may find some unlikely subjects.
For example, at this concert, something struck us about the circular arrangement of this singer's feet, the beer bottle, cigarettes with a lighter, and effects pedal. If you see "naturally" occurring compositions, you may feel compelled to photograph them and this is a great way to experiment with different composition ideas.
On a similar subject, we want to challenge you to take good pictures of ordinary things. Too many people think that to take an interesting picture, you must have interesting subjects. A good example of this line of thought is that people are often waiting to see something present itself as a "photo op". This passive way of thinking is sure to present you with few pictures and very little experience. The real challenge is to exercise your ability to turn any situation into an opportunity for good pictures. So please, especially if you have a digicam, shoot away and try out new things. You have absolutely nothing to lose. The worst that you can do is improve your photographic ability.
Hopefully, you've been able to take something from this first article of our AnandTech Guide to Better Photos. At the very least, we hope that you will become more aware of your composition when shooting. The smallest adjustments can make the biggest differences in your pictures. With this article, our goal is to make you aware of some basic concepts for improving your own photography. Keep in mind, though, that all the theory in the world won't produce better pictures - only shooting can do that! In our next article, we will take a look at some techniques for taking great portrait pictures. Until then, get out there and compose!
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SKC - Saturday, November 27, 2004 - link
Great article. #5, thanks for the reminder that this shouldn't be the end-all book on photography, but it did renew/pique my interest. I also totally support the photography forum idea.rrezende - Monday, November 22, 2004 - link
Great article! Very nice pics.CmdrFly - Monday, November 22, 2004 - link
I agree with the thought of adding a Photography forum. AT has always been the first place I would turn to for on-the-line fair reviews of hardware (unlike some biased ____hardwareguide .com's), plus the people are knowledgeable and for the most part friendly about their critique of your articles.A place where we could discuss ideas, examples, and experiences with photography would be an excellent source of info.
kcma - Friday, November 19, 2004 - link
#21I went to art school. You learn basic techniques, and then you have non-stop crits. You get feedbacks on what works and what doesnt work, you get crits on how 1 color looks and feels next to another, you get feedbacks on cropping, etc. But you never ever learn how to take better pictures or how to compose better, that you do on your own.
And yes, I am aware that's not how all art school work, there are art classes that teachs common techniques and themes in composition, etc. But that's such a bad bandaid solotion. It makes you feel a bit better and not care to try new things out. Many of you guys are gamers, and I will use an analogy that you all understand. I'm sure many of you know ppl who exploit bugs and flaws and unbalances to win in multiplayer games. well, that works, until they patch it right? How about overclocking your computer? Do you want to be informed on how each CPU, chipset, MB, RAM work with each other? or would you like to be told to buy CPU A, MB B, RAM C, and put it together without any understanding of why you just bought what you did?
Anyway, I'm not going to argue with you guys. You can't teach ppl who dont want to learn, and I think all the "idiot's guide" books, and watered down shortcut guides eventually do more disservice than they are helpful. same can be applied to cooking, working on cars, etc, etc, etc... If you care enough to learn something, learn it right.
drwho9437 - Friday, November 19, 2004 - link
#5While you are correct that creativity cannot be taught, why do people take art classes, are not compositional techniquies taught in such classes. Many "fine artists" go to school not all are self taught. There are no rules of composition, but there are themes, some common composition discussed any by me that's fine.
kcma - Friday, November 19, 2004 - link
I'll be happy to write up a guide for how aperature/shutter speed/iso/depth of field/filmsize (sensor area)/etc all work together. Things you learn in basic photo. It's a good place to start a journy of learning photography and the very basic tool to allow you to experiement and be creative on your own.I think these basics are more useful than composition because once you learned it, you can constructively criticize yourself and try new things out. Taking cuse from lines, etc, might help you get a few good pictures but it doesn't inform you how to get there as much. And composition is one of those things that as you make more photographs, you will develop your distinct style that give your photos personality (give it time, it'll come).
seems like there are enough of you interested in photography, start a new forum? :)
stephencaston - Friday, November 19, 2004 - link
Jeff, thanks for the suggestions. We'll keep those ideas in mind. For a bit of information on F-stops and Shutter speeds, check out our glossary in the Digital Camera Review Guide.http://www.anandtech.com/digitalcameras/showdoc.as...
Also, be sure to read the part about Depth-of-Field. Hope that helps to clear up some things. Thanks again for the ideas!
Jeff7181 - Friday, November 19, 2004 - link
Stephen... I'd like to see more detailed explanations of how to shoot in "manual mode." For example... people have tried to explain it to me before, but I still don't know what f stops are, or when to change that setting and what to change it to. Also maybe some tips for editing photos once they're taken and transferred to a computer. Maybe some tips for using the flash effectively too.stephencaston - Friday, November 19, 2004 - link
Thanks for all the great comments! Please let us know if there is anything in particular you would like us to cover in future additions to the guide ;-)Clay1039 - Friday, November 19, 2004 - link
Just want to say that I really liked this artice. Sure it is just touching on a lot of the basics, some of which I have read before elsewhere, but I benefit from being reminded of these things, and from hearing them presented in a new way, as I am a beginning photographer. I am looking forward to the rest of the articles in this series and will enjoy reading them. Keep them coming!