When an image grabs your attention, stop and ask yourself why. I expect that most of the time, the answer has to do with a unique, different, or compelling perspective. For powerful images, perspective is one of the most influential tools the photographer has in his aresenal -- the others being control of light and color, selection of depth of view, and the representation of motion. In this lesson, I will focus on some general considerations (their really are no "rules") for rendering a 3D scene into a 2D format.
The "Rule" of Thirds
You have perhaps heard of the so called "Rule of Thirds". This "rule" is simple, but very powerful, and following it will quickly result in improved image composition. In general, the idea is to place your main subject off center both top-to-bottom and side-to-side such that it is framed about 1/3 the frame width from one side and about 1/3 the frame height from either top or bottom. Additionally, the subject should then lead the viewer into the image. This representation creates a dynamic image composition. Of course, rules are made to be broken and this one is really more of a guideline than a rule. The point is to try not to fall victim to the common trap of always centering your subject. Centering the subject is an easy thing to do since most of us use the center focus point to autofocus the subject, and remembering to recompose before snapping the image is not always natural. Your goal here is to discipline yourself to focs and then always consider recomposing the frame before tripping the shutter. Here's a few example images to consider the effect the composition has on the overall impact.
Keep your subject off-center for greater impact; try to keep the overall flow in towards the center of the image.
Get Into It!
It is often important for the artist to sacrifice for the shot. When you want an image to stand out from the crowd, you need to do the same. Think about unique angles for protraying your subject. Be prepared to sprall on the ground or climb a tree (be mindful of safety and other considerations, please) if that is what it takes to get the shot. Putting yourself out there is often the difference between an impactful image and one that falls dead. Often, photographers will put their models through amazing feats to get the shot, but wouldn't think of doing similar gymnastics themselves!
These images were all taken with me laying on the ground. In the balloon shot, I was actually on the ground, flat on my back.
The Effect of Focal Length
Composition of the subject within the frame is just one component of perspective to consider. Another powerful tool is focal length selection. Focal length selection can have a dramatic effect on the final image. Not only does it have a marked effect on DOF, but it allows you to compress or expand the background. Moving to a longer focal length, you'll find that you can be more selective of the background whereas a wide-angle lens will show all, making it harder to eliminate distracting background elements.
Focal length also has an effect on the feel of the image. Short focal length lenses from about 24mm (35mm full-frame reference) and down will begin to distort the image, bending straight lines in a fisheye manner, especially at the edges of the frame. This can be very appealing in certain instances, such as architectural photography and certain scenics. Combined with a high DOF (small aperture), imagery with these lenses can take on a real different feel.
This image was taken with a 24-70mm zoom lens at 24mm. The wide angle and high aperture accentuates the leg and provides an element to draw the viewer into the image.
Of course, long focal length lenses provide a means to get close without encroaching on your subject, which makes them ideal for wildlife photography. But because these lenses also allow the photographer to compress the background or highlight what would otherwise be almost inconsequential elements of the background, they are often used in on-location portrait work as well. Consider how to render a sunset behind a model on the beach. A wide angle will show a broad range of the horizon, the setting sun being a small part of that horizon; whereas, using a telephoto, the sun can be a second focal point for the image.
This image was taken with a 70-200mm zoom lens at 98mm. The longer focal length allowed me to select a small set of Christmas lights as the background.
Your Asignment
For this lesson, you will shoot and post at least 3 images.
Image 1:
Find a willing (or inanimate) subject and compose a picture demonstrating use of the "rule of thirds".
Images 2 and 3:
Again, with your willing (or unable to do otherwise) subject, shoot images at two different focal lengths. The objective is to observe the effect on the background. Longer focal lengths will compress the background whereas short focal lengths will expand the background. Post a couple shots that dramatically demonstrate this effect.
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