Composition I: Balance

YOU’VE GOT A CAMERA, GRASPED THE BASIC CONCEPTS OF LIGHT, AND ARE READY TO START SHOOTING. NOW WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU PUT IN THE FRAME?

Composition is the most basic building block of a photo; it’s about what you put it in the frame, where each item is within the picture, and how the different elements fit together to create an image. Whole books can, and have, been written on composition, but for these next posts, I’m going to take you through three key elements: balance, guidance, and focus.

What do you think of when you hear the word balance? Maybe a gymnast performing on a beam, or an adrenaline junkie slack lining over a canyon. But balance is something we seek out every day without even knowing it; it makes us feel stable, calm. Yet when something is unbalanced, we can’t help but notice it, and this is where the placement of your subject can make a real difference in your image. The first step in composition is deliberately making the decision about how to create, or interrupt, balance.

Let me introduce you to a fun little thing called the ‘rule of thirds’, a term known by all who’ve stepped into the world of photography; lauded by some, admonished by others. Nevertheless, we’ve all used it at one point or another, because it’s an incredibly useful tool.

Positioning this marmoset according to the rule of thirds adds contrast to the vine twisting directly through the center, and emphasizes the little creature's absurdly long tail

Positioning this marmoset according to the rule of thirds adds contrast to the vine twisting directly through the center, and emphasizes the little creature’s absurdly long tail

Basically, the rule of thirds dictates the placement of your subject within the frame, stating that your subject would do best falling on one of the four intersections of the lines. Keeping your subject purposefully off center is a little less predictable, and can add interest to your image.

Positioning the subject off center, in this case with the center of the face at the top right intersection, contributes to this image's curious tone

The rule of thirds is often used in portraiture to fill the frame. Photographers will put the subjects on one of the lines as opposed to dead center. In a close up, this means the eyes are often positioned on the top line, and in a standing picture, the shoulders or head will fall on this line.

Likewise, the lines created by the rule of thirds can be used in landscape photos to dictate the position of the horizon. Putting it lower in the frame emphasizes the sky, whereas putting it level to the top third emphasizes the land or sea below.

Putting the border between the lake and mountains on the top line of this image lets the crashing waves dominate over an impressive landscape

Another way of using the rule of thirds is to position vertical subjects, like trees or buildings, along one of the two lines.

The center line of the statue’s pedestal was placed along the right hand line, allowing the viewer to compare the height of the statue to the towering building behind.

As you can see, the rule of thirds is quite useful. Try to find it in different photographer’s works; You’ll be surprised how often it comes up. 

A more dynamic version of the rule of thirds, known as the golden spiral, is employed to create movement, or to guide the viewer through the image. We’ll cover this more in the next post on guidance.

In contrast to the rule of thirds, sometimes a subject desires to be dead center in the frame. Perhaps it’s a particularly commanding thing, or maybe the symmetry created by its placement is more powerful or interesting than if it had been off center.

Positioning the sky tower dead center emphasizes its height and central presence in the city

Now that I’ve given you a head start on the basic building blocks of balance, I’m going to give you one last piece of advice: sometimes you have to ignore them all. Sometimes you will compose a photo, and the rules just can’t be followed. The subject needs to be right on the edge, or slightly off center. The trick is, if you’re going to break the rules, you need to have a damn good reason for doing it. Don’t simply throw the subject off to the side, or vaguely center it because it’s easier. Figure out why you want your subject somewhere it ‘shouldn’t’ be. If it’s a good reason, follow your gut and do it. If not, it’s best to play by the rules.

The eye of this reptile stares at you from near dead center of the image, but its body is cut off, its foot right at the edge of the frame