Photographic Composition

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Elements and Principles of Photography

Leading Lines

When lines in a composition draw the viewer's eye to the main subject.

I really enjoy walking along the pier when I go to the beach.

Vertical Lines

Lines leading up and down (north and south) lead the viewer's eye in an upwards or downwards direction to draw focus to the subject of the photo.

I live in the middle of the woods so naturally, one of my favorite spots to relax and think is among the trees in the woods.

Horizontal Lines
Lines going from left to right that usually convey a message of "stability or rest"

The lines and stripes of colors in the sunset make my eye go from left to right, left to right (and this sunset has my favorite colors in it)

Diagonal Lines
These lines add a dynamic feel and action to an image. They can also lead the eye in a certain direction.

I like chilling on the deck on summer nights and the planks of wood in this shot remind me of that.

Curved Lines
Draw the eye into frame by using a line that isn't straight.

I really like walking along the railroad, especially in the fall like this shot.

Symmetrical Balance
Creating a sense of balance by having both sides of the image almost identically match up.

I'm truly terrified of heights but I face my fears anyway because I like the views once I  get high up.

Asymmetrical Balance

Sides of the shot would not exactly match up when folded in half.

I drink either tea or coffee everyday so naturally this shot of tea cups drew me in.

Unity
When you take parts of a shot and bring them together with something to combine into a better whole

I really take an interest into different people and each person's different histories, etc and this shot captures a lot of people and their stories in just a photo of their hands. 

Variety
Using differences in hues, texture, lines, and shapes to create a sense of excitement or diversity in a piece.

Since I'm italian, I'm addicted to cooking and these vegetables just remind me of being in the kitchen getting ready to cook.

Movement/Rhythm
Different elements move the eye around the shot and occur regularly to create a sense of balance.

I took ballet for 10 years and had to quit because of my knee, so this photo reminds me of my ballet days.

Emphasis
Area or object within the artwork that draws attention and becomes a focal point

I really enjoy gardening and this flower and the way the colors are so bright just strike my eye.

Proportion/Scale
When a subject is bigger or smaller than something in comparison to it to show its  true size

I love the way the snail looks so dainty and cute in comparison to the blueberries.

Repetition/Pattern
When a subject occurs multiple times throughout a shot to create interest

One of my favorite places in the world to relax is the beach and the bumps of the waves onto the sand are just natural beauty to me.

Bird's eye view
Shot taken from above looking down

NYC is my favorite place in the world, not that I could take a photo like this for my project but it would be really amazing if i could.

Worm's eye View
Shot that is taken close to the ground looking up at a subject or straight up at a subject

Again, I love the city, and this shot is just really cool yet simple, and it just really inspires me

Horizon Line

Natural line going left to right across a shot to separate the top and bottom halves naturally

                

I love sunsets and sunrises and the colors in these photos just really inspires me to get up early and go out to get a shot of a beautiful sunrise like this.

Rule of Thirds
Using the "tic tac toe" board to align a subject along one third of the shot to add interest

Dogs are one of my favorite animals so naturally I'm drawn to this example.

Framing
Using previously existing objects to surround a particular subject to draw the eye to focus on that subject

This would probably be my dream location to take a photo because it's just so beautiful.

Simplicity

When one subject in the photo draws all the attention with no clutter or obstruction surrounding it

I like the grain of the wood and the boring colors in contrast to the vibrant yellow dandelion.

Texture
Shot that shows the subject's roughness, softness, etc.

I like how clear and in focus the texture on this reptile is and it inspires me to go take a close up shot for texture so the viewer can REALLY see the texture.

Compositional Match Game

Image	E/P of Design	Rational
	Framing	The hole in the wood draws the eye to that specific area and frames up the area of the shot. (direct attention towards a subject using elements existing in the scene)
	pattern/repetition	Obviously, there are probably 100 of the little leaves that give off a certain feel because it keeps repeating and gradually spiraling in.
	Bird's eye view	This shot seems like it was taken from above the street looking down onto the subject.
	Rule of Thirds	The subject is right in the intersection point of the rule of thirds and draws you eye to the subject.
	Symmetrical Balance	If I cut this picture in half and it would literally be the same on both sides.
	Vertical Lines	The lines lead the eye up and down and meet in the middle to view the subject of the shot. (Grandness and spirituality)
	Diagonal Lines (unity)	The lines from the edges of the pencils lead the eye inward to the points of the pencils in the center of the photo. (all elements of a piece work together to produce a balanced, harmoniuous, complete whole)
	Simplicity	This is simplicity to me because its just a basic natural shot with trees and very naturalistic things that make the shot feel calm and tranquil.
	Leading Lines	The rail lines lead my eye inward and directly to the center and the main focus.
	Horizontal Lines	The rows of branches lead my eye from left to right and back like I'm reading a book. (represent an idea of calmness and tranquility)
	movement/rhythm	Since the water is caught in mid action and the girl is laughing, it makes the shot feel like it was caught mid- movement.
	Worm's eye view	I feel like since worms stay on the ground they would come up and see this since it's so low to the ground.
	texture	The ropes and how they overlap make the shot feel like I could reach out and feel the texture of the rope.
	curved lines	The curved lines lead your eye and make you follow along the curves off the edge. (comfort, safety, familiarity, relaxation)
	unity	Since it's black and white and the subjects are the same they give off a vibe of unity to me.
	Asymmetrical Balance	The basketball hoop is so small and on the complete opposite side you have a huge person coming in meeting in the center of the shot.
	Proportion/scale (Emphasis)	The little plant thing is so small in reality compared to the bricks, but in the photo it seems massive since the shot is so close to the subject. (elements in a piece that are given dominance or attract attention)
	Variety	There are a hundred different colors and shapes and things that make your eye want to travel around and look at everything in the shot. (differences in elements and principles of design that give interest to a composition)
	Emphasis (simplicity)	Since the egg is the only subject in the shot, and it has a deep contrasted shadow, it's the only thing that draws the eye in and puts a huge emphasis on the subject. (singling out an item from their surroundings)
	Horizon line	The tree is in the middle ground and the line in the back where the ground meets the sky just draws your eye back and gives me a sense of tranquility and softness.

What is Composition?

1.     What is composition? 
Composition is the arrangement of all the visual elements within the frame of your photograph. 

2.     What is it important to understand & utilize composition in photography? 
The most important elements in photography are line, texture, shape, light, motion, and perspective. I agree with all these because when you combine all of these elements in your photo, you can come up with an amazing photo.  

3.     Describe aspects of a “snapshot”. 
A snapshot is a casual record of some event, person, or even objects. These shots are used to "capture the memory" and usually don't have much thought going into them. 

4.     Describe aspects of a “photograph”. 
A photograph is an artistic interpretation of an event, person, or an object. Its purpose is to tell a story or something about its subject.

5.     “Photography is the art of ____DISCOVERY______”

a.     Describe what interests you the most about this art form or what drew you to this form of communication.
I was intrigued by photography because I have the freedom to control and establish a story behind a photo instead of just capturing a random moment. As a photographer, I love that I can put thought into a picture and it has a lot of meaning in it and shares a moment or memory every time a viewer looks at it. 

Photography Quiz Group B

 1. Create a Large Depth of Field 

ISO- 800

Shutter Speed- 1.0"

F/stop- 22.0

For this photo I took an area with a lot of leading lines so it would direct your eye back. Because the shutter speed was an entire second I sat the camera on the railing going up towards this area. I made the f/stop a high number so I would get a large depth of field in this photo. 

 2. Create a shot with blur but keep the background in focus

ISO- 800

Shutter Speed- 0.4

F/stop- 22.0

For this shot I had someone walk in front of the camera and I had a slow shutter speed to create the blur. I also put the camera at a high f/stop in this shot too just to keep the background in focus while the subject was blurred. 

 3. Take a shot using the self times with a low depth of field

ISO- 400

Shutter Speed- 1/8

F/stop- 4.0

With this "Selfie," I just set up the 10 second timer on my camera and set up the tripod and let the camera do its magic. But I did set the f/stop at a low number to make the subject (me) in focus and the background not as prevalent. 

4. Create a shot with a lot of grain

ISO- 12800

Shutter Speed- 1/20 

F/stop- 22.0

For this shot I put my camera up to the highest ISO in somewhat dull lighting and I went in close to the sign to create as much visible grain as possible. In my mind, I was mostly trying to find something at my height with a dark color because darker muted colors give off a higher grain look in the end, in my opinion. 

Throughout this unit I have learned that all the exposures and different things that go into different shots, all effect each other in one way or another. I also learned that you can use different methods like the ones we used in this quiz to add interest and originality to our photographs. 

Understanding Focal Length

 18 mm
ISO- 400
F/stop- 22.0
Shutter Speed- 1/6

 24 mm
ISO- 400
F/stop- 22.0
Shutter Speed- 0.3

 35 mm
ISO- 400
F/stop- 22.0
Shutter Speed- 0.5

55 mm
ISO- 400
F/stop- 22.0
Shutter Speed- 0.3

I learned that there are 4 "primary" focal lengths that I can and will use on this particular lens, 18mm, 24mm, 35 mm, and 55 mm. I also learned the actual formal definition of focal length which is "the calculation of an optical distance from the point where light rays converge to form a sharp image of an object to the digital sensor."