I think composition is mostly about movement. In two-dimensional work
like photography it's about movement of the eyes of the viewer, a sort
of simulated motion.
I'd submit that why your photo of the iron and flame doesn't work
compositionally is that it doesn't make the viewer's eyes move around
the frame. There's nowhere to go but back and forth across the
center. In other words, it's rather one dimensional. See http://img.skitch.com/20090912-fs294t8y94pkcqi21f3hnph22d.jpg
The best compositions lead the eye around the frame. Movement is
simulated (or stimulated?) by lines, shapes and their relative
position, also by relationships in scale--one big thing (object,
negative space, etc) can balance out two or more smaller things.
To add another dimension to your iron and flame photo you might have
had the face of the smith leaning into the frame, yielding a
triangular composition something like this: http://img.skitch.com/20090912-dfdsra968ukgrhfr2iehs8hqh4.jpg
A slightly looser cropping (slightly wider lens, maybe) with the
elements not being so close to the edge of the frame might also have
helped.
Then there's the matter of distracting elements which don't add to the
composition. In this example there's a blurry bright object in the
background below the hands and iron, and the irons in the lower left
which are out of focus and don't really add enough in terms of
composition--another reason I think a looser framing would have been
nice.
To answer your question as to how one improves the instinctive feel
for composition, one way is to consider that we are photographing
three dimensional space onto a two dimensional plane. To make a
composition most effective we need to find ways to simulate that third
dimension--depth. Leading lines, such as more of the irons in your
photo used to draw the eye into the picture, are one way. Using
objects near and far to convey scale differences is another. And then
there's the S-curve and the zig zag. In short, anything that leads
the viewer into and around the frame.
Your assignment for this week is to go out and look for leading
lines. A path, sidewalk or road receding into the background. Or
maybe a fence, wall or row of houses. Something that will pull our
eyes from a corner into the frame.
Rich
On Sep 11, 2009, at 2:17 PM, David Dyer-Bennet wrote:
So how does one work on one's "eye", by which I think I mean one's
instinctive grasp of composition? Or for that matter, how does one
improve one's sense of composition at any level? I'm reasonably sure
that's the weakest point in my photography, and at least one commenter
this week seems to agree.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, dd-b@xxxxxxxx; http://dd-b.net/
Snapshots: http://dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/data/
Photos: http://dd-b.net/photography/gallery/
Dragaera: http://dragaera.info
