Photography 1: The Art of Photography

Project: Looking through the viewfinder.
Exercise: Object in different positions in the frame.

For this exercise the subject, here two tugs steaming along in a harbour was placed in different positions in the frame.  The results were then compared one to another and put in order of preference, A-G.

A: Hong Kong Tugs 4, Subject a little way from the centre.

This photograph is the best of the set.  The tugs are placed slightly to the left of centre.  There is room for the tugs to move into the picture.  The subject is prominent in the scene and the relationship between the subject and its background is good.

B: Hong Kong Tugs 6, Subject close to left edge.

This framing is the next best image.  The tugs are perhaps a little too close to the left edge of the frame but still have room to move into the frame.  The background is more dominant in the frame than the subject.

C: Hong Kong Tugs 8, Subject close to bottom left corner.

Here the subject is placed in the bottom left corner of the frame.  The background is tending to overshadow the subject.  The subject is not particularly prominent in the frame.

D: Hong Kong Tugs 3, Subject right in the centre.

Here the subject has been placed directly in the centre of the frame.  As the tugs are also steaming straight ahead, this has given the photograph a static feel.  The subject is prominent in the frame.  The subject does not work well with the background.

E: Hong Kong Tugs 2, Photograph taken quickly without much time for composition.

Although this photograph was taken quickly and without much thought given to composition, I like it better than the photographs below.  There is a reasonable balance between the subject and the background.  The subject is below the horizontal centre line of the frame and slightly to the right of the vertical centre line so it does not have quite the static feel of photograph D.  There is still sufficient room for the tugs to steam into the frame.

F: Hong Kong Tugs 7, Subject close to top right corner.

I feel that the subject is not well placed within the frame.  The tugs appear to be about to steam out of the picture, which gives the photograph an odd unbalanced feel to it.  The relationship between the subject and its background does not work well.

G: Hong Kong Tugs 5, Subject on right edge.

Once again I feel that the subject is not well placed within the frame.  The relationship between the subject and its background does not work well.  The tugs here also appear to be about to steam out of the picture, which gives the photograph an odd unbalanced feel to it.

What have I learned from this exercise ?

When taking pictures it is important to keep the camera to the eye in order to be able to "see" potential photographs.  The position of the subject within the frame and its relationship to the background can alter the way in which they work together.  Don't make rules out of techniques of composition.