In this exercise we will have room to discuss the last of our elements - framing, people and lines. Not to be confused with the framing we use to mount our pictures. No, this is the framing we can have at our disposal when we compose our photographs.
Framing, like over-hanging branches, fence rails, windows, doorways, tunnels, open structures like bridge girders and electricity pylons. I suppose, in this case, you are only limited by your own imagination.
Framing can be benificial, in that it can also add depth to a scene and can be used as guidelines to direct the eye of the viewer to the centre of interest, but we have to be careful how we use framing, otherwise it can become distracting.
So, when using framing you need to ensure it is only being used as an inconspicuous guideline and does not dominate the scene.
I don't think there is much more I can add about framing, but as I have a bit of space here, I think I might fill you in on what I mean about using people in composition.
A lot of photographers use people for one reason or another, but one obvious reason that comes to mind is, if framing can be used to show depth, people can be used to depict a sense of scale.
Have you ever taken a photograph of a high waterfall, only to get your prints back from the lab and find the waterfall doesn't look as high as it appeared when you saw it through your own eyes?
Imagine photographing a very tall person. If you didn't have another person of regular height standing along side the tall person, then the taller person wouldn't really look as tall at all. Sorry about that!
But anyway, people can be used to provide a sense of scale to a lot of things you wish to take photographs of, including trees, canyon walls, ect., or they can tell a story in travel photos if they are wearing their national dress.Lines:
Lines too, like framing, can be used to guide the eye of the viewer to the main subject matter, or centre of interest.
By lines we refer to things like pathways, roads, fence lines, a line of trees, tree branches, a line of people, clouds, railway lines, piers and jetties, even power lines. They can be straight, curved, circular, angular or jagged.
They can be used as the main subject, or take on a secondary or directional role.
For instance, If you were taking a photograph of a farm house or barn, a roadway or fence line could be used to guide the eye to the main subject. But you have to be aware of any unnoticed lines, because they could guide the eye right out of the picture again.
Another example could be a long, curving road, winding up a hillside and disappearing round a bend. This sort of shot brings on a sense of inquisitiveness as the eye wants to go further to find out what is hidden around the bend.
There are also invisible lines that you may not be aware of. Some photographers will create lines, like I did in the "old days", unknowingly, till it was pointed out to me. Someone once said to me, "I like this shot, it's got good line."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
He then proceded to run his finger across the print, from the bottom left hand corner to the top right hand corner. "You see," He added. "It's got good line."
From lines can also emerge strong emotions. Heavy, strong lines from shadows of people or trees, etc., portray power and strength as with bridge girders and tall straight trees, whilst diagonal lines express movement and straight, flat lines can be seen to be more static or stoic.
There are I suppose many more elements we can use to better our composition, but I think I have just about covered the main ones, so I hope that you will be able to make good use of them.
Next I will talk about angle of view and view point. Two more very important topics we need to cover before we can finally take that long awaited shot. It should be a beauty after all this.
Take this link to part 7
Back to Home Page
