What is Composition?

Summary

This video script delves into the art of photographic composition, exploring how photographers strategically arrange visual elements to create compelling images. It introduces the concept of composition as both an art and a science, emphasizing its importance in photography. The script highlights the work of Dutch painter Vermeer, known for his masterful compositions, and uses his paintings to illustrate key compositional rules like the 'rule of thirds.' It also outlines fundamental elements of design, including lines, shapes, color or tone, texture, form, value, and space, which photographers use to craft their shots. The lesson aims to equip viewers with the knowledge to enhance their own photography by understanding and applying these compositional principles.

Takeaways

• 📸 Composition is a crucial aspect of photography, involving the arrangement of visual elements within a photograph.
• 🎨 The definition of composition includes the placement and arrangement of elements, which is key to creating a visually appealing photograph.
• 👨‍🎨 Johannes Vermeer, a 17th-century Dutch painter, is highlighted as an influential figure in the history of composition, known for his clear and rule-abiding portrayals.
• 📐 The 'Rule of Thirds' is a fundamental principle in composition, where the image is divided into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, to align the main subjects.
• 🔍 Photographers should be adept at identifying and utilizing lines within a scene to guide the viewer's eye and create a sense of depth.
• 🟥 Color and tone are essential in composition, whether in color or black and white photography, they help set the mood and draw attention to certain areas.
• 🧩 Shapes add structure and interest to a photograph, with the human form and geometric shapes like circles and squares being common elements.
• 🖌️ Texture gives a photograph a tactile quality, adding depth and realism to the image, as seen in the example of a hot air balloon's fabric.
• 🏞️ Form and space work together to create a three-dimensional feel in a two-dimensional photograph, helping to convey the size and scale of subjects.
• 🌈 Value, or the range of lightness and darkness, is used to emphasize form and create a sense of depth, with shadows and highlights playing a significant role.

Q & A

What is the definition of composition in photography?

Composition in photography refers to the placement and arrangement of visual elements within a photograph. It's about how you arrange the photograph to create a visually appealing and meaningful image.

Why is composition considered an important element in photography courses?

Composition is considered an important element in photography courses because it is a fundamental aspect of creating aesthetically pleasing and impactful photographs. It helps photographers to arrange visual elements in a way that guides the viewer's eye and conveys the intended message.

Who is Vermeer and how is he related to composition in art?

Vermeer was a famous Dutch painter from the 17th century known for his meticulous compositions. He followed many of the traditional rules of composition that are still taught to photographers today, such as the rule of thirds, which involves aligning subjects along imaginary lines to create balance and interest.

What is the rule of thirds and how does it apply to photography?

The rule of thirds is a principle in photography where an image is divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines. Photographers align the main subjects along these lines or at their intersections to create a balanced and engaging composition.

What are the basic elements of design and composition in photography?

The basic elements of design and composition in photography include lines, shapes, color or tone, texture, form, value, and space. These elements are used by photographers to create visually appealing and meaningful images.

How do lines function in a photograph in terms of composition?

Lines in a photograph guide the viewer's eye and can lead to a focal point. They can be used to create a sense of depth, direction, and structure in an image, contributing to the overall composition.

What role do shapes play in the composition of a photograph?

Shapes in a photograph contribute to the overall visual structure and can be used to create balance, contrast, and visual interest. They can also help to define the subject and guide the viewer's attention within the frame.

Why is texture important in photography and how does it affect the composition?

Texture adds depth and dimension to a photograph, making it more engaging and realistic. It can be used to create contrast, emphasize certain elements, or provide a sense of scale and realism to the image.

How does the concept of form relate to composition in photography?

Form in photography refers to the three-dimensional quality of objects within the image. It helps to create a sense of depth and space, allowing the viewer to perceive the shape and volume of subjects within the two-dimensional photograph.

What is value in photography and how does it contribute to the composition?

Value in photography refers to the lightness or darkness of areas in an image and is closely related to color and tone. It helps to define form, create contrast, and add depth to the photograph, contributing to the overall composition.

How does the concept of space influence the composition of a photograph?

Space in photography refers to the perceived volume and distance within an image. It helps to create a sense of depth and can be used to direct the viewer's attention to specific areas of the photograph, enhancing the overall composition.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Understanding Photography Composition

This paragraph introduces the concept of composition in photography, which refers to the arrangement of visual elements within a photograph. It emphasizes that composition is a fundamental aspect of the art of photography, distinguishing it from the more technical aspects. The paragraph discusses the historical figure Vermeer, a Dutch painter from the 1600s known for his skillful compositions that followed traditional rules, such as the rule of thirds. The importance of understanding and applying basic elements of design and composition, like lines, shapes, and color or tone, is highlighted as essential for creating compelling photographs. The paragraph sets the stage for further lessons on the specifics of these compositional rules and elements.

05:02

🎨 Exploring the Elements of Design in Photography

The second paragraph delves deeper into the elements of design that are crucial for photography composition. It discusses the significance of lines, shapes, color or tone, texture, form, value, and space. Each element is explained with reference to a hot air balloon image, illustrating how they contribute to the photograph's composition. Lines are noted for leading the viewer's eye and creating focus points. Shapes add structure, while color or tone and texture provide visual interest and depth. Form gives a sense of three-dimensionality, value helps define form through shading, and space creates a sense of scale and distance. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing that these elements can be found in everyday scenes, not just grand subjects, and are tools that photographers can use to enhance their work.

Keywords

💡Composition

Composition in photography refers to the arrangement of visual elements within a frame to create a visually appealing and meaningful image. It is a fundamental concept in the art of photography, as it determines how a photographer organizes the scene in front of the camera. In the video, composition is discussed as the process of 'putting together' a photograph, with examples such as the placement of the horizon and subjects according to the 'rule of thirds', showcasing how these elements contribute to the overall impact and storytelling of the image.

💡Rule of Thirds

The 'Rule of Thirds' is a basic principle of composition in visual arts, where an image is divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines. The key elements of the scene are placed along these lines or at their intersections to create a more balanced and interesting composition. The video uses a painting by Vermeer as an example, where the horizon and subjects are aligned with these imaginary lines, demonstrating the rule's application in creating harmonious and engaging visual narratives.

💡Lines

In photography, lines are a crucial element of composition as they guide the viewer's eye through the image, create a sense of depth, and establish a visual path. The video emphasizes the importance of identifying and utilizing lines in a photograph, such as leading lines that draw the viewer's attention to a focal point. An example from the script is the use of lines in the self-portrait by Vermeer, where the lines in the painting lead the viewer's gaze towards the central action of painting.

💡Shapes

Shapes are two-dimensional forms that can be found within a photograph and contribute to its overall composition. They can be geometric or organic and are used to create visual interest, balance, and contrast. The video mentions shapes as one of the basic elements of design in photography, with the example of a circle in the middle of an image, highlighting how shapes can be used to create focal points and add structure to a photograph.

💡Color or Tone

Color and tone are essential in photography for setting mood, creating contrast, and guiding the viewer's attention. Color refers to the actual hues present in an image, while tone refers to the lightness or darkness of these colors. The video script discusses the importance of considering color or tone in composition, especially in black and white photography where tones replace colors, and how they can be used to enhance the visual appeal and emotional impact of a photograph.

💡Texture

Texture in photography refers to the surface quality of an object or scene, which can be smooth, rough, or patterned. It adds depth and interest to an image by creating a tactile quality that engages the viewer's senses. The video uses the example of a hot air balloon's surface, which is ruffled and wrinkled, to illustrate how texture can be used in composition to give a sense of three-dimensionality and realism to a two-dimensional photograph.

💡Form

Form in photography is the three-dimensional aspect of a subject, which can be implied or directly shown. It helps to create a sense of depth and volume in an image. The video explains form as a way to show the 3D element of a subject, using the example of a hot air balloon where the form is suggested by the shape and the space it occupies, contributing to the viewer's perception of the balloon's size and presence within the scene.

💡Value

Value in photography pertains to the lightness or darkness of an area in an image, which can be used to create depth, define shapes, and direct the viewer's focus. It is closely related to color and tone but specifically refers to the range of light and shadow. The video script uses the example of a hot air balloon, where the value changes as the color gets darker towards the bottom, indicating the form and the three-dimensionality of the balloon as it catches different amounts of light.

💡Space

Space in photography is the representation of the three-dimensional world on a two-dimensional plane. It is used to create a sense of depth, distance, and scale within an image. The video discusses space as an element of composition, using the example of a photograph taken inside a hot air balloon, where the space is used to convey the vastness and scale of the balloon, making the viewer feel as though they are inside the scene.

💡Visual Elements

Visual elements are the fundamental components that make up a photograph, including lines, shapes, colors, textures, and forms. The video script emphasizes the importance of understanding and运用 these elements to create compelling compositions. Each element serves a purpose in guiding the viewer's eye, setting the mood, and conveying the photographer's message. For instance, the script mentions how lines can lead the viewer's gaze and how shapes can create focal points within a photograph.

Highlights

Photographers use composition to decide how to set up their photographs.

Composition is defined as the placement and arrangement of visual elements in a photograph.

Photography is both an art and a science, with composition being a key part of its artistic aspect.

Johannes Vermeer, a 17th-century Dutch painter, is noted for his influential compositions.

Vermeer's works often follow traditional rules of composition, such as the rule of thirds.

The rule of thirds is a fundamental principle in composition, dividing the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically.

Basic elements of design and composition include lines, shapes, color or tone, texture, form, value, and space.

Lines in photography are important for leading the viewer's eye and creating a sense of direction.

Shapes add structure and form to a photograph, contributing to its overall composition.

Color or tone is essential for creating mood and depth in a photograph.

Texture adds visual interest and can convey a sense of touch or surface quality.

Form helps to represent the three-dimensional aspect of a subject within a two-dimensional photograph.

Value, or the range of light and dark areas, is crucial for emphasizing form and creating a sense of space.

Space in a photograph can be used to create a sense of depth and scale.

Everyday moments can be captured with strong composition, making ordinary scenes visually compelling.

Understanding and applying these compositional elements can elevate the quality of photographs, even of simple subjects.

Transcripts

do you ever wonder how photographers

decide how to set up their photograph so

what to put where and why this process

is called composition and it basically

is how you put together a photograph and

the definition as it would be found in

maybe most um sort of dictionaries would

be something along the lines of the

placement and arrangement of the visual

elements or the ingredients in a work of

art or the or photograph um but I put

down here uh putting together as well

would be another way of defining

composition it's basically how you

arrange the photograph and we'll talk a

little bit about some with some examples

here in just a second but um first of

all it might just be good to set this

definition up because this is going to

be an important element of this course

so we're going to have we have sections

of this course called composition and

other courses that are more Technical

and cover some of the more technical

aspects of Photography again photography

is it's both an art and a science and so

um this composition bit is a little bit

more the art of photography now let's

take a look at one of the fathers of

kind of modern composition in the sort

of in the western Tradition at least not

necessarily everywhere in the world um

but this guy his name is

vermier vermier was a very famous Dutch

painter I'll put Dutch right there and

he lived in the 1600s so in the 17th

century in the 1600s verir was really

famous for his compositions he was he's

he has many much more famous images than

even this one here to the right um but

vermier is famous for choosing the way

that he portrayed his people would be um

very clear or the way he portrayed

scenes was very clear and set up and

followed many of the rules that you

would um now follow as as as a

photographer this P this is actually a

self-portrait of sorts right here where

he and I think he called it the art of

painting um and he's just actually it's

just a painting of himself painting

someone and here to the right you've got

an image that follows many of the kind

of traditional rules of conver of

composition you can see here it actually

follows What's called the rule of thirds

and we'll talk about that in a separate

lesson you can see the Horizon is on one

of the thirds in the image we can divide

this up here and also these people fall

on a thirds line as well so there's a

lot to talk about we'll get more into

the details of of the different rules a

little bit later but for right now we're

going to stick to the basics the basic

elements of design and composition which

are really important to understanding

the things that we'll talk about in

later lessons

now this image has just about all of the

elements of design in them and there are

there are quite a few there's something

like seven or so and we're going to

start out by talking about lines so one

of the most important things that you're

going to need as a photographer you're

going to need to be able to look for

lines so you can see in here lines are

all over the place and we're going to

write it right here because I've got a

dark color so lines are really important

you're going to want to watch when

you're taking photographs to to find

lines that are interesting and appealing

uh along with that your your lines are

often going to lead to a focus Point

that's something we'll talk about

separately in another lesson but you'll

want to keep pay attention to the way

lines um kind of interact with Focus

points and and with your the way that

you read a photograph you also want to

look for shapes so here for example

you've got a circle in the middle um you

also have all these really great spokes

in this image so you've got lots of

different shapes going on here you've

got the shape even of a human and you've

got this line across the bottom as well

this very strong line um which also

creates a sort of positive and negative

space which we talk about in a little

bit of a second so in a second here so

I'm going want to write shapes on here

somewhere I'll put it right here I don't

I hope that you guys can all read this

because it's hard to write on a rainbow

background actually it's hard to find a

color to match you also need something

speaking of colors you need color or you

need tone so if you don't have tone or

if you don't have colors then you'll

take tone so in case when you're in case

you're uh shooting in black and white

you'll then be using tones so color or

tone are also important you need texture

which you're kind of seeing down here on

the bottom with this this is actually an

image of a hot air balloon in turkey

that's being uh inflated I believe and

this person is standing here sort of

picking up the lines and getting it all

ready um and here on the ground the the

the tarp or the the um the balloon part

of the balloon is is laying on the

ground and it's all ruffled up and

you've got a really cool texture so

texture is another one this is um this

is number four so we've got there we got

four one was our lines two was

shapes three is color or tone four was

our

texture we've also got form so form is

basically kind of it's trying to show

the 3D uh element of something so here

for example this image is kind of hard

to tell what form it has and actually

you're inside of this um you're inside

of this hot air balloon I believe so

when you're looking at it it's actually

kind of hard to tell that but one place

where you do see form is right here in

the foreground you can kind of see that

there is a little bit of space here at

the bottom and it's kind of giving you a

sense of space and the size of the human

is also an example of form you can kind

of see that he is not all the way inside

of the space he's not all the way at the

back but he's also he's also not close

to you he's quite far away and it also

gives you a spe an idea of the size

because you know okay this unless this

is a really small person this is a

really big space this is huge so you

want to uh think about ways of using

form and I'm just going to put 3D next

to that you want to try to show the

shape or the space that you're working

with so that was number

five now next thing you want to cut want

to be looking for is value so value is

related to color we'll kind of put it

over here in the color side of our image

put value oh that is the wrong color

we're going to have to see if I can find

a better color let's see here I'll go

with a red and I'll put it on Blue

value so this is number six value is

again related to color and it has to do

with sort of the tonal range of

something so it has to do with um not

even the tonal range how do I put this

value has to do with um H it's I guess

shading so it's kind of emphasizing form

and so value kind of is a space that

fits between color and form so maybe for

example value a good example of value is

down here you can kind of see as the as

the hot air balloon is expanding it's

kind of getting a little bit more it's

kind of bowing right above the Earth and

you can kind of see that there's this

sort of dark spot right here and this is

kind of showing that the balloon is sort

of bending at the edge in a way the

color gets a little bit darker as it

gets closer to the ground because it's

just lifting off the ground it's not

getting as much light as this up here

which is getting full sunlight for

example up here at the very top I'll

Circle it in red I need to keep pay a

lot of attention to what I'm using here

for colors you can also see here these

wrinkles are actually an example sort of

of value the the the color changes

because the wrinkle is catching

different sort of pieces different sort

of directions of sunlight and creating

little Shadows that kind of give you an

idea of your form so the value the color

value is sort of is sort of defining

your form and giving you an idea of the

space um form is also um form and value

are also sort of evident here where you

can see that it actually is getting

darker as you're moving back into the

balloon you can see that less light is

making it back you can see in the front

the colors are tiny bit brighter than

they are back here and these are

naturally darker colors blue and purple

and things like that but um they're also

just a little bit l lit and you can see

that according to the value and then

there is space which we've talked about

a little bit here with form you can kind

of see that the the photographer used

form and and and space kind of together

in this instance to create the the

feeling of massiveness that that is the

the feeling you would have if you were

inside of this of this balloon so we're

going to write in space as our number

seven so you've got all these things

let's do one more quick review we've got

lines is number one we've got shapes

color or tone we've got um that takes us

down here to number four of texture then

we've got form and we've got value and

we've got space so these are all things

that you're going to be using when

you're taking a photograph um and things

that you're going to want to use as

Tools in your

toolkit now your image doesn't have to

be anything particularly massive or

expansive or or special like a hot air a

balloon blowing up to have all some of

these elements or all of these elements

you can see here that we've created you

know a line for example and we've

created we're following What's called

the rule of third so we've got here um

elements that are falling on these sort

of lines right here and you've also got

um you've also got some some texture

here you've got these trees all in the

background you've got texture you've got

shape obviously just like with

everything you've got boxes and and

things like that you've got space you

can kind of see the distance and and um

from here in the foreground to here in

the background so you've got lots of

different things happening and these are

all part of composition they're all

things that you can use to make strong

photographs even of everyday moments

like looking out over the

city all right that was your

introduction to composition we're going

to be doing a lot of other lessons about

composition and getting more into the

details of that here at alvers

or