Started to-day's posts at the crack of dawn - too late now to load images. The original camera image and an intermediate picture are helpful to show the process of composing, please come back for them if you have to. Until a scanner is installed recent digital pictures are all I have to work with, but will get out more now that spring is on its way.
Composition is a wide subject, and only partly a matter of geometry. Personal habits of framing the picture develop slowly but one of the most basic habits to acquire is to avoid centralizing the main subject every time. This requires a little effort with auto-focus because the area that focuses is always central on simple cameras. If you focus on the subject (or main subject), keep the release half pressed, and then frame your picture, you will have taken a step towards creating a picture - rather than being an automatic extension of an automatic camera!
A second very important habit to acquire is being prepared to move around a bit (if possible) to avoid distracting details near your main subject. Posts or trees 'growing' out of a person's head is the great cliche for this. A good editing program is a modern miracle for the photographer, and 'clone stamp' or 'healing brush' are fabulous tools.
Don't forget to send me any picture you like, maybe to play with at this end. Go well.
Bob,
ReplyDeleteThe photo is wonderful and captures a lovely moment as well as good composition. Ah, you have the soul of an artist!