Composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients in a work of art, as distinct from the subject of a work. It can also be thought of as the organization of the elements of art according to the principles of art.
Questions tagged [composition]
216 questions
18
votes
4 answers
What does it mean when something is "distracting"?
I asked for opinions on a photograph I took, and someone told me that an object in the background is "distracting". I wasn't sure exactly what this means, so I did some searching. I found many articles of advice — for example, Tips for Avoiding…
mattdm
- 143,140
- 52
- 417
- 741
17
votes
7 answers
How to compose such that the context does not overpower the subject?
Intention was to shoot a kid from a upper class family playing with bricks and sand in a not so clean area.
I have purposely not blurred the background. I think adding context is important in this case. However, I feel that the context overpowering…
Aquarius_Girl
- 5,602
- 16
- 59
- 115
17
votes
3 answers
When does "Fill the frame" become "Too tightly framed"?
Many times I have noticed people critiquing other people's pictures, saying either - "It is too tightly framed" or "you haven't filled the frame".
Below are two photographs taken by me. I don't know whether they are too tightly framed (bad) or I…
Aquarius_Girl
- 5,602
- 16
- 59
- 115
13
votes
6 answers
What are the main things to avoid in photographic composition?
Considering only the frame and it's content, putting the issues of color rendering, sharpness, exposition, brightness, contrast, optical aberration, unpleasant flash/noise aside.
I think of:
Inappropriate depth of field
Inappropriate focal…
Capsize
- 365
- 1
- 2
- 8
13
votes
6 answers
What's wrong with portrait orientation?
When I first showed my photos to relatively wide audience online, several photographers commented about the amount of portrait-oriented shots. The essense was that I should take more landscape-oriented photos, because it is easier to compose in…
faleichik
- 437
- 3
- 9
12
votes
6 answers
When are people or cars in photos not the subject?
I have a photo of a parking lot in overcast, rainy conditions. I personally consider my subject or theme to be the state of the weather and the condition of the quality of the humid air. A friend observed that he thought it was not a good photo…
Jason P Sallinger
- 251
- 1
- 8
12
votes
3 answers
When should the negative space not be used to bring attention to a subject?
Considering https://photo.stackexchange.com/a/21378/5205
I tried to bring attention to this bud by leaving a lot of space on the right, but nearly everyone told me to crop that space off. http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3606242
What I want to…
Aquarius_Girl
- 5,602
- 16
- 59
- 115
11
votes
2 answers
What is a negative space in a photograph?
From here: http://1x.com/forum/photo-critique/31871
you have far too much negative space so the eye goes toward the back...of the picture, and there is not much to see there...either.
What qualifies to be a negative space in a photograph?…
Aquarius_Girl
- 5,602
- 16
- 59
- 115
9
votes
5 answers
My attention gets repeatedly distracted by the elements needed for the context in this picture. Where am I going wrong?
I am posting this photo as example but I suggest the answerers to remain generalized.
I took this photo yesterday. Intension was to show the bonding between the father and the daughter as well as the scenic beauty of the location.
Now, I find…
Aquarius_Girl
- 5,602
- 16
- 59
- 115
9
votes
4 answers
When can cropping off a part or including the whole subject's body be considered a distraction?
Basically the question is that when am I free to chop off the subject's body part and when I am not?
These photos are taken by me. Can you see the chopped body parts here?
I wish to understand the human psychology.
In which cases can cropping off a…
Aquarius_Girl
- 5,602
- 16
- 59
- 115
8
votes
8 answers
In which scenarios does it make sense to have the subject look straight into the camera?
I have often seen many people write critiques such as -
Subject is not looking in the camera so I don't feel connected!
on photos where the subject is not engaged in some particular activity like cooking, playing with an object, writing etc.
I…
Aquarius_Girl
- 5,602
- 16
- 59
- 115
8
votes
2 answers
Are there guidelines for using "Dutch angles"?
Some authors such as this and this suggest tilting the camera so that the horizon is not level, presumably adding interest to a photograph.
Are there any guidelines for a beginner like me on when to use this technique (apparently known as Dutch…
Gnubie
- 843
- 1
- 6
- 12
7
votes
7 answers
How to show great heights and depths without the road dividing the picture into two halves?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bolivia_Yunga_Road.jpg
Here I could notice great height and depth because the road and the vehicles were placed in the center of the picture. Therefore they were looking quite tiny.
But, I don't find that…
Aquarius_Girl
- 5,602
- 16
- 59
- 115
7
votes
6 answers
How to shoot for wide website hero image?
I'm an in-house web developer who is in charge of the technical aspect of a companies website. I have also dabbled in photography in the past, so I do have some photography knowledge. I am also the person who does all the graphics work, and photo…
danbroooks
- 173
- 6
6
votes
4 answers
What is the proper composition when shooting two persons standing by each another?
EDITED
When shooting a photo with two persons in the foreground and an out of focus/blurred background (no objects apart of the couple), what is the proper composition to place them?
EDITED
I made this simple sketch (using the original photo by Jim…
Frantisek
- 2,683
- 9
- 31
- 38