HOW TO MASTER COMPOSITION
FIX YOUR FRAMING!
Learn how to create images with added impact using these tried and trusted techniques and expert insights from Jon Adams and Andrew James
I fthere’s a single thing that separates a good photo from a not-so-good one, it’s composition. Whether it’s a scenic I landscape, a portrait, an architectural study or a wildlife picture, how you frame up and arrange your shot is the most defining element in terms of impacting the viewer of the image. We all know that a smartphone in the right hands will capture a better shot than a top-end camera in the wrong ones, and this is because composition is the photographer’s primary weapon. Other factors play their part, like having good light and sharpness in the right areas, but none of that matters if you haven’t framed the shot effectively to tell the story.
As the great Ansel Adams once said, “There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer.” With your choice of composition, you need to cover both perspectives – framing the shot so it works for you, and communicating the contents of the frame effectively for the viewer.
Over the next 11 pages, we’re going to approach this core subject in a fresh way by breaking down the art of framing into seven bite-sized chunks, so you can digest the theory and put it into practice next time you’re out with your camera.
CONTENTS
1 Crop out the clutter page 51 2 Designing your shot 52 3 Rules & when to break them 54 4 Capturing the decisive moment 56 5 Shoot loose and compose later 57 6 Try different framing formats 58 7 Using software to recompose 59
This derelict boat, lit by dappled sunlight shining through nearby trees, is the simple core ingredient of the frame, but is also balanced by the creek curving out to sea in the middle ground.
1 Crop out the clutter Keep the frame simple
A busy, cluttered frame can be confusing for a viewer, so when you come across a scene that you think has potential as a shot, think about why it has potential – what are the major ingredients that attracted your eye A and made you reach for your camera? Make a mental note and log these elements, as they are the things that made you consider picking up your camera in the first place, and are therefore what your shot is about. Just as important as what your shot is about is what it is not about! When you frame up – balancing the key elements within the viewfinder (more on that over the page) – look carefully around the edges. If you have included any components that are not part of the story you’re telling, then they shouldn’t be there. Crop them out, either by using your zoom or moving your feet, so your shot does not contain anything that is not contributing.
What you exclude is just as important as what you include, and checking the edges of the frame is a vital habit to get into. It’s all too easy to be so absorbed by the main elements that you overlook any distractions that may be poking in, disrupting the simplicity of the composition and ultimately reducing its impact.
2
Designing your shot with shapes and space
Use the position and angle of your camera, plus the focal length of your lens, to frame up with confidence