Notes on Composition:What is composition? - Composition refers to how the elements of an image are arranged. Composition is used by both filmmakers and photographers to get the best look for their shot as possible. There are a number of ways to compose an image that creates a pleasing effect. Firstly, some arrangements are made by placing figures or objects in certain positions. Others are made by choosing a point of view. You can shift a camera very slightly to make a change in a shot's composition. Composition consists of 10 affecting factors:The Rule of Thirds LineSymmetry and PatternBackgroundBalancing ElementsFramingDepthCroppingViewpointExperimentation

The Rule Of Thirds: within a frame, the image is imaginarily divided into 9 equal segments by 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines. The rule of thirds says that you should position the most important elements in your scene along these lines, or at the points where they intersect. Doing so will add balance and interest to the shot.

Line: when people look at an image our eyes are naturally drawn along lines. By considering about how we place lines into the composition of our shot, we can affect the way we view the image, pulling us into the picture, towards the subject, or on a journey "through" the scene. There is also are many different types of line - straight, diagonal, curvy, zigzag, radial etc.

Symmetry and Pattern: symmetry and patterns in sceneries can be both natural and man-made. They can make for very eye-catching compositions, particularly in situations where they are not expected. Another technique is to break the symmetry or pattern in some way, therefore introducing tension and a focal point to the scene.

Background: The human eye is excellent at distinguishing between different elements in a scene, whereas a camera has a tendency to flatten the foreground and background, and this can often ruin an otherwise great shot. It is best for your composition if you look around for a plain and unobtrusive background, then use that in your shot so that it doesn't distract or detract attention from the subject.

Balancing Elements: by placing your main subject off-centre (as with the rule of thirds) it creates a more interesting shot, but it can leave a void in the scene which can make it feel empty. It is neccesary to balance the "weight" of your subject by including another object of lesser importance to fill the space.

Framing: there are many natural things that compose perfect natural frames, such as trees, archways and holes. And by placing these around the edge of the composition it helps isolate the main subject from the outside world. The result is a more focused image which draws your eye naturally to the main point of interest.

Depth: becuase photography and film are mostly 2-dimensional mediums, we have to choose our composition carefully to convey the sense of depth that was present in the actual scene. We can create depth in a photo by including objects in the foreground, middle ground and background. Another compositional technique is overlapping, where you partially obscure one object with another. The human eye naturally recognises these layers and mentally separates them out, creating an image with more depth.

Cropping: often a shot will lack impact because the main subject is so small it becomes lost among the clutter of its surroundings. By cropping tight around the subject you eliminate the background "noise", ensuring the subject gets the viewer's undivided attention.

Viewpoint: before taking the photo of film of your subject, it is best to take time thinking about where you will shoot it from. Our viewpoint has a massive impact on the composition of our shot, and as a result it can greatly affect the message that it conveys. Rather than just shooting from eye level, consider taking it from high above, down at ground level, from the side, from the back, from a long way away, from very close up, and so on.

Experimentation: from the effecting factors of the digital age, we can take as many shots as we like with no extra cost of film or photograph processing. This means that experimenting with our composition has become a real possibility; we can take tons of shots and delete the unwanted ones later. We can take advantage of this fact and experiment with our composition.