Photography Composition Part Two
Direction, Framing And Drawing The Eye Inward
January 15, 2012 12:35 PM ADT
If you're going to show off a photo I'm betting you're going to want people to do more than quickly skim over it. Hopefully in this article I can help you avoid that by talking about a few things that help to draw eyes to the center of a photo.
Direction is the first and one of the strongest. You should always try to face your subject into the center of the photo (towards the furthest edge), rather than out of it (towards the closest edge). If your subject doesn't have a definite front then pointing any lone extremities towards the center works as well.
The next point I would like to make is that when you look at a picture your eyes will "follow" strong lines. An example of a strong line would include a road, river, fence or anything that has lots of contrast.
This means that having lines that move outside of a photo is a bad idea, as the viewer is more likely to lose interest. On the flip side it also means if a line moves into a photo the viewer is more likely to look at the photo longer.
So how do you define a line moving into or out of a photo? Well, that's a tough question. Usually a line starting from a corner that moves towards the center would be a line moving in. If a line is at its widest at the edge of a photo and gradually gets smaller it would also be a line moving in. Another indication of a line moving in is if it ends inside the photo.
The same in reverse is true for lines moving outward. If the line gets larger as it moves in (uncommon) or ends on the edge that it starts then it can be said to be moving outward.
There are exceptions, and there is no set in stone definition. A line that goes straight across doesn’t necessarily mean it is drawing the eye in or out. This rule usually only applies to lines with depth. Your best bet is to stop and ask yourself whether or not the line is moving in or out; use common sense. Be careful to not over think it or all your lines will end up moving outward in your head.
If you can't get around a line moving outside of a photo, the effect may be dampened by framing your photograph, and I don't mean with wood.
To frame a photograph is to compose what would resemble a traditional picture frame using elements around you. This can be accomplished by using the branches of a tree, buildings or basically anything that covers an edge of the photo. The frame doesn't necessarily have to cover all edges of your photo.
I said it in my last article and I will say it again, rules are meant to be broken - at least in photography. The final composition should come down to you as the photographer. Perhaps your photo is made up only of lines, or maybe you're aiming for an abstract or surreal feel. Whatever the case try taking your shot from as many perspectives and using as many concepts as you have time for.
All photos posted were taken by the author unless stated otherwise. Originals can usually be found on isock.deviantart.com
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