Composition is the grammar of visual language. What are the three basic elements of visual composition?
the frame, positive space (where stuff is), negative space (where stuff isn’t)
What is figure to ground? a clear separation between positive and negative space
Assignment One
Read this article about the the ten criteria of the decisive moment (DM): http://truecenterpublishing.com/photopsy/decisive_moment.htm
Your assignment is to capture a DM. Instead of publishing online, send me a one page paper about how your photo meets the qualifications of a DM laid out in the above article. Email me your paper along with the photo by Friday, February 19th.
This is from an email I sent out. Basically I summarised the article for you.
“If you haven't submitted your paper yet, please make sure you read the article I linked, and make sure you use the criteria listed to see if your photo qualifies as a decisive moment. If you do not include aspects of the article, you have not done the assignment that I requested.
I am going to rewrite the ten criteria for the DM as outlined in the article. Please make sure you read the original article because it will help you when you take the mid-term.
The 10 criteria of the DM
Does it have good composition?
Does it have a good figure to ground?
Does your mind seek to complete the story of the photo? Is there anticipation? Does your photo show an "almost complete" scene? (Think of the Farside cartoon with the lion's tail almost being trapped in the elevator door)
Does the photo make your viewer curious or leave unanswered questions? Does it create mystery?
Does it capture a moment in time? Was it a one-chance shot?
6, 7. Is your photo of people in real life situations? Did the people know they were being photographed? Does your photo depict real life?
Does your photo elicit emotion or a response from the viewer?
Did you, as the photographer, feel a release of tension upon taking this shot?
How did your technical abilities come into play when taking this shot>. Examples: Did you expose it correctly? Did you have to be physically adept to take the shot? Did your knowledge of people help you capture the DM? Were you mindful?”
I don't anticipate that all of these elements will be in your photo. The article ponders, "Does any one photo meet all these criteria?" However, I want you to be extremely thoughtful about your photography. Many of you are athletes. You would probably agree with me that you don't perform your best every game. However, you know the elements of performing well, and you aspire to it. That's the point of the article. And that is why I wanted you to study it, and write the paper. Identifying all that goes into making a photo great, is how we get to greatness.
Assignment Two
Watch this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-sbOzrg2vo&t=625s
Make a list of compositional techniques he points out and/or uses in the video.
My list:
Color helps separate the subject from the background. In black and white, you need to follow other ways of separating subject from background.
Look for gestures
Figure to Ground
Assignment Three
Slow-Looking
Humans have short attention spans. We usually look at a photo for less than 8 seconds, and then we move on to something new. The purpose of slow-looking exercises is to increase the time and intensity at which we look at the world around us. With slow-looking, look at details, ask questions, and immerse yourself in the world you observe.
Print off this PDF (you only need the second page).
https://pz.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/Slow%20Looking%20-%207.11.2018.pdf
2. Slow-look through this article and photo-essay: "In the Studio- Mattise by Henri Cartier-Bresson." What can we learn about artist Mattise by slow-looking at the photos Bresson took? Be sure to zoom in the details and also to take in the entire image. Look at the corners of each photo, not just at the focal point. What things do we wonder about Mattise after looking at these photos?
Reference Articles:
Understanding Dynamic Symmetry
https://photographycourse.net/dynamic-symmetry/
(the videos in the article are excellent)
Here is the website for this same Youtuber. If you digest all the info he has on composition, you’re going to have an excellent understanding of photo composition: