The Art of Comp Title Pages 3/14/05 4:43 PM Page 1 Photography the art of composition front matter.qxd 6/4/2007 3:35 PM Page ii The Art of Comp Title Pages 3/14/05 4:43 PM Page 2 Photography the art of composition Bert Krages ALLWORTH PRESS NEW YORK front matter.qxd 6/4/2007 3:35 PM Page iv Photographs and text © 2005 Bert P. Krages II All rights reserved. Copyright under Berne Copyright Convention, Universal Copyright Convention, and Pan-American Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. 09 08 07 06 05 5 4 3 2 1 Published by Allworth Press An imprint of Allworth Communications 10 East 23rd Street, New York NY 10010 Cover design by Derek Bacchus Cover photo credit: Bert P. Krages II Page composition/typography by Bert P. Krages II Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Krages, Bert P. Photography: the art of composition / Bert P. Krages II. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 1-58115-409-7 1. Composition (Photography) I. Title. TR179.K73 2005 771—dc22 2005007652 iv front matter.qxd 6/4/2007 3:35 PM Page v To Kathryn and Meredith Thank you for your patience v front matter.qxd 6/4/2007 3:35 PM Page vi front matter.qxd 6/4/2007 3:35 PM Page vii Table of Contents Acknowledgments ix Chapter 1 The Importance of Visual Skills 1 Learning to See – 1 (cid:127) The Importance of Composition – 7 (cid:127) Viewing Other People’s Photographs – 11 (cid:127) Looking at Art – 13 Chapter 2 The Camera as a Tool 15 The Basic Tool – 15 (cid:127) Operating the Camera – 17 (cid:127) The Tool's Effect on Composition – 19 (cid:127) Exercise 1: The Point of Focus – 21 (cid:127) Exercise 2: Finding Your Slowest Acceptable Handheld Shutter Speed – 22 (cid:127) Exercise 3: Photographing without a Viewfinder – 24 Chapter 3 Doing the Exercises 27 Knowing the Subject – 28 (cid:127) Consider the Genre – 29 (cid:127) Framework of the Exercises – 29 (cid:127) Practical Considerations – 31 (cid:127) Equipment – 32 (cid:127) Monochrome or Color? – 34 (cid:127) Evaluating Your Images – 34 Chapter 4 Points 37 Exercise 1: Rocks – 38 (cid:127) Exercise 2: Signs That Make a Point – 42 (cid:127) Exercise 3: Still Lifes – 46 (cid:127) Exercise 4: Snooker – 50 (cid:127) Exercise 5: Plants – 52 (cid:127) Exercise 6: Eyes in Portraits – 56 (cid:127) Exercise 7: Constellations – 58 (cid:127) Exercise 8: People at a Distance – 60 (cid:127) Exercise 9: Clouds – 62 (cid:127) Exercise 10: Moon and Sun – 64 (cid:127) Exercise 11: Mirrors – 68 (cid:127) Exercise 12: People’s Soles – 70 (cid:127) Exercise 13: Birds on the Ground – 72 (cid:127) Exercise 14: People Eating – 76 (cid:127) Exercise 15: Heads in the Street – 78 (cid:127) Exercise 16: Similar Objects – 82 (cid:127) Exercise 17: Bowling – 84 (cid:127) Exercise 18: Mouths in Motion – 88 (cid:127) Exercise 19: Birds in Flight – 90 (cid:127) Exercise 20: Moving Balls – 94 vii front matter.qxd 6/4/2007 3:35 PM Page viii Chapter 5 Lines 99 Exercise 1: Fork – 100 (cid:127) Exercise 2: Fallen Trees – 102 (cid:127) Exercise 3: Corners – 106 (cid:127) Exercise 4: Florals – 110 (cid:127) Exercise 5: Rivers and Streams – 112 (cid:127) Exercise 6: Still Lifes – 116 (cid:127) Exercise 7: Cracks in Rocks – 118 (cid:127) Exercise 8: Lines of the Hand – 120 (cid:127) Exercise 9: Shadows – 124 (cid:127) Exercise 10: Trees – 126 (cid:127) Exercise 11: People from Overhead – 130 (cid:127) Exercise 12: Strings – 134 (cid:127) Exercise 13: Star Trails – 138 (cid:127) Exercise 14: Portraits – 140 (cid:127) Exer- cise 15: Fingers – 142 (cid:127) Exercise 16: Stairs – 146 (cid:127) Exercise 17: Roads and Paths – 148 (cid:127) Exercise 18: Street Lines – 153 (cid:127) Exercise 19: People at Play – 156 (cid:127) Exercise 20: Skating – 158 Chapter 6 Shapes 161 Exercise 1: Eggs – 162 (cid:127) Exercise 2: Gerberas – 164 (cid:127) Exercise 3: Tangerines – 168 (cid:127) Exercise 4: Blocks – 170 (cid:127) Exercise 5: Doors – 172 (cid:127) Exercise 6: Domestic Shapes – 174 (cid:127) Exercise 7: Plants – 176 (cid:127) Exercise 8: Callas – 180 (cid:127) Exercise 9: Clouds – 182 (cid:127) Exercise 10: Reflections from Water – 18 (cid:127) Exercise 11: Glare – 188 (cid:127) Exercise 12: Boiling Kettle – 190 (cid:127) Exercise 13: Street Shapes – 194 (cid:127) Exercise 14: Static Frames – 198 (cid:127) Exercise 15: Per- sonal Space – 202 (cid:127) Exercise 16: People and Animals – 206 (cid:127) Exercise 17: Dynamic Frames – 210 (cid:127) Exercise 18: Traffic – 212 (cid:127) Exercise 19: Flags – 217 (cid:127) Exercise 20: Athletics – 220 Chapter 7 Thinking Like an Artist 223 History for the Artist – 225 (cid:127) Work Ethic – 229 (cid:127) Knowing Your Goals – 229 (cid:127) The Artist’s Vision – 231 Index 235 About the Author 245 viii front matter.qxd 6/4/2007 3:35 PM Page ix Acknowledgments I wish to express my appreciation for some of the I also thank the staff at Allworth Press for people whose efforts and contributions helped me their assistance; Nicole Potter, for understanding immensely with the book. Daryl Stewart deserves the purpose of the book; Jessica Rozler, for her recognition because his quest for expansive land- thoughtful editing; Derek Bacchus, for his insight scapes exposed me to the many smaller scenes in regarding design; and Nana Greller, for her efforts which I found inspiration for much of the materi- at getting the word out. Their patience and guid- al in the book. Likewise, I am much indebted to ance are much appreciated. John Kirkley, whose broad knowledge of things I would also like to thank my parents, whose artistic and literary was immensely helpful. Spe- gift of a Yashicamat 124G when I was in high cial kudos go to Charis Barasch, whose approach school got me started in photography in a serious to teaching drawing showed me that learning to way. Finally, I thank my wife Kathryn and daugh- see allows a person to understand the world in a ter Meredith, who have enriched my life in so totally different way. many ways. ix