com·po·si·tion

A series of short tutorials on different compositional techniques you can use to make images with stronger impact.

What is composition?

• The nature of something’s ingredients or constituents
• The way in which a whole or mixture is made up.
• The action of putting things together; formation or construction.

Composition is key to providing clean and compelling imagery and goes beyond using the simple “rule of thirds” or “leading lines”. A successful composition draws in the viewer and pulls their eye across the whole image so that everything is taken in. Your composition should support the story and mood you are trying to convey to your viewer.

In the posts below I explore different compositional components and provide tips and recipes for each compositional component.

Using Light

• Using Light – Morro Bay and Moon
• It’s still about the light
• Where is the light?

Using Gesture:

• Gesture on a mission
• Using Gesture
• Not all gestures are created equal
• Gesture is not a grab-shot (with tips for capturing Gesture)

Using Point of View

• Using Point of View, a short tutorial

Macro and Micro Composition – the teachings of Sam Abell

• Pigeons on 12th and Maple – On Composition
• Micro Composition – A lesson with Sam Abell

Using External References

• Using External References, a short tutorial

(Components coming soon)

Using Color

Using Layers

Using Scale

Using Motion

Using Framing