Specialist Location: Location Compositional Techniques

The rule of thirds; in doing this, the artist is focusing on a 3 x 3 grid of 9 equal sections, in this, the most important elements are to be displayed either on the (imaginary) lines of the grid or within the grid, composing the image with the intentions of maintaining interest throughout the whole of the image. If this rule is followed correctly, the image (dependant on subject matter) will have the ability to be split into 9 separate images and still still maintain interest in each, making the overall image more complex and compelling to look at. Its a technique commonly used, as a rule of thumb but also sometimes not used, dependant on the intentions of the photographer. This technique will also ensure that the overall image composition is good and not wonky or carelessly taken.

From top to bottom third:

1: Sky and sheep

2: Field

3: Boots

The same can be achieved looking at the image from left to right.

A Pattern; is a recurring event, or object often found in art, architecture, science and maths, commonly found visual patterns like in deco can be stripes, dots and zigzags. Patterns are predictable and consistent, usually used for decoration but can be used in more complex ways to compile the whole scenario like in art, patterns can be used as an extra in deco, i.e. borders, they can also be used to link numerous images together, in a series of images, setting a trend by which they all follow and then in pattern within a single image i.e. mirroring within an image and repetition of subject matter.

Pattern: Lines, shapes and circle, mirrored and reproduced numerous times

Rythm; is a principle of composition, this is the trend represented in an image, used to tour the viewer around different aspects of a scene, with elements that connect elements to another, complimenting different aspects of the image and drawing the viewer into the next piece of interest. The rhythm in an image uses aspects that justify other elements of the image, weaving the image together, strengthening the image as a whole by connecting more than one interesting aspect together. This technique is used to maintain interest for the viewer, helping to move the viewers eyes around the image taking the whole image as one by its individual strong points.

Consistent trends(rythm): Mountains and wall throughout image

Depth of field; is a technique widely used to compose the image in order to change the focus of the viewer around the image, for example; to take the focus off a subject or background and to focus directly on the part of the image desired by the artist. By using this focusing technique, other parts of the image can be ignored or 'pushed to one side' and just to focus on a specific area, while at the same to a shallow depth of focus can be used to add mystery to the image e.g. a subject hiding or neglected and to conceal the identity of a subject.

Top image: Long depth of field

Bottom: Shallow depth of field

Negative Space; This is the space surrounding the subject(s) of an image in which the main focus become the negative space, a space that is distracting the viewers attention from the subject. This could be that a more interesting scene or design, which overpowers the interest towards the subject captures the viewers attention over that of the subject. This is a technique that could be used to tell the story of what is going on around the subject, maybe the subject is infact a passer by of little importance. Although this is a very complex and specific technique that an artist may use, it is not uncommon for this to happen by default, in order to avoid this type of situation the artist has to find a way to promote the subjects importance in the image by ten fold. The negative space will be the area of the image in which the design of the image promotes the viewers interest to be solely on a certain space the place where the viewers interest can rest.

Left image: Negative space = 2 face looking at each other

Right image: Neg space = Vase

Close up; is a compositional technique, usually used for portrait and still life photography, this technique can be used to 'get onto a personal level' with the subject, e.g. to avoid the subject being isolated in the image, keeping the intended main subject, the main subject in the image. This helps avoid unwanted distractions in the image and assures that the subject is fully composed in the frame, close cropped and obviously composed to be the main part of the image. A close up shot would not usually be used for landscape photography as a wider scene is intended and a close up shot is used to display a specified subject on a smaller scale.