Compostion

[JAPhotography]

Hello out there. Before I start I apologise if this is a silly question, but, for my A-Level photography class we have to describe composition and how various photographers use composition. I was wondering if anyone out there could give me tips on how one would describe composition, and any photographers who use composition effectively?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Alastair]

Every photograph has a composition. Take a series of images and see what compositional elements you can identify in them, decide how the overall composition (which may include multiple compositional elements) works as the result of the elements included.

A definition of composition shouldn't be too hard to find, and there are several resources that list typical compositional elements and arrangements (for example The Photographer's Eye by Freeman).

To get you started.. thirds, golden ratio, leading lines..

 

[JAPhotography]

Thanks for that, it just shot to the top of my shopping basket and reading list.

 

[Martyn...]

Google is a students friend 'Rule Of Thirds' , explains one of the basics of composition

 

[den]

Hi , i have found charity shops a great place to find old photography books,my latest one is from the eighties titled successfull colour photography by c.angeloglou all for 50pence ,worth a look you never know what you find

 

[JAPhotography]

Thanks to you both first of all, secondly, thanks den, for your advice money is always an important factor and the new copies of the books are quite expensive! Thanks also Martyn... as I said money is always something I am keen to save away! I had already checked google, but what with the enourmous amount of information out there it is sometimes hard to tell what is correct and what is pulling your leg!

 

[Alastair]

Be aware of the limitations Google.. I noticed that several of the frontpage hits mixed "thirds" and "golden ratio".. whilst close, they're not the same.

You could try some of the more reliable websites, I'm sure Luminous Landscapes will have something on composition. The Wiki entries look pretty reasonable. I think the Amazon listing for The Photographer's Eye include a preview of the chapter index.. that should give you plenty of terms to look up online

 

[Suvv]

Have a look at the articles on composition here: http://www.ronbigelow.com/articles/articles.htm

There may be more information than you need but studying the articles will give you an understanding of what good composition is and you will then be able to explain it.
Once you have a grasp of the fundamentals you should be able to look at various photographers's work and see where they have applied the "rules" and where they have ignored them.