Get an overview of Photography and Video Composition: What, Why and How
- Aug 14, 2021
- 4 min read
I’ve heard the phrase “the best way to learn something is to teach it.”
Boy was that right.
Teaching video production, photography, graphic design, and yearbook to high school students forced me not to fall back on what I already knew, but to move forward in developing new skills. And, that’s why you’re here - to learn new skills.
So here's your overview of photography and video composition
I love the basics. Give me a basic idea and I can run with it. Give me the basics of a concept and I can expand on it. Give you the basics of composition and you can create beautiful digital art, teach others what you’ve learned, or grow your business through visual appeal.
My background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Video Production/Communications, an 18- year career in local television, and 6 years teaching high school media arts. As a child, I loved developing ideas for tv shows, always behind the camera of our home movies, and editing mix tapes with a makeshift tape-to-tape set up. Ah, cassette tapes, VHS, oh how I miss you.
It doesn’t matter what I’m doing, it always seems to revolve around my love of media.
When I switched careers from television promotions to teaching high school, I had just started learning about graphic design. Photography was something I enjoyed since childhood but never fully understood. And putting together a yearbook is definitely harder than it looks.
What I learned in college about video production was a starting point, but to teach all these different digital mediums required a lot of trial and error to figure out the best way for students to understand the content.
Throughout my blog, I''ll be adding some posts about composition that will give you some basics in order to add some interest, uniqueness, or shall I say “pizazz” to your photos and videos. I’m taking the lessons I developed for my high school students and organizing the content into three sections for each composition technique you’ll learn:
What it is
Why you apply it
How to compose it
Don’t worry about learning how to do any of it today. Just get the basic idea of the what, why, and how of composition.
Okay, on with…
...THE WHAT.
Composition Techniques. Rules of Composition. Composition Styles. Composition Principles. No matter what it’s called, it still means the same: where you put things in your picture. I repeat: Composition is where you put things in your picture.
And it doesn’t matter if your photo or video is of a person, a place, or just a blank wall. You are still the one choosing how others see what you see.
Some of the composition styles you’ll learn about include:
Viewpoint
Rule of Thirds
Leading Lines
Symmetry
SubFraming
Rule of Odds
Color
Pattern
As you start applying different techniques, you should start asking yourself questions, such as:
Will I center my parents in the shot or have them off to the side to reveal their grandchildren playing in the background?
What if I keep the background simple to emphasize my subject instead of having them stand with a lot going on behind them?
Should I zoom in on the mountain or have it be part of the bigger landscape including the surrounding hills? (Or, both?)
These type of decisions are part of the composition process, which leads to...
...THE WHY.
Why apply different composition techniques? A picture is just a picture, right?
Nope.
Sure, you can keep taking photos without thinking about composition, but then you probably wouldn’t be interested in reading this blog. And I’m glad you’re here reading this blog because I know your photos and videos are going to be amazing!
Here are some of the whys:
Composition encourages creativity.
It grabs your viewer’s attention.
Shows people what’s important in your picture.
It takes your photos to the next level... sounds cliché? I know. But, true.
Let’s talk about those pictures - you know, those snapshots that are just boring. Photos that scream “been there, done that.” Everyone takes that same landmark photo. Or snaps a picture of their pet.
Yet, I bet you can remember photos that left an impression. A shot that was so interesting or colorful or beautiful or unique… the adjective list goes on and on… that you wish you could replicate it. That’s what understanding composition can do. You can take what might be a boring shot and make it... more. You can turn that same picture or video that everyone else takes and turn it into a one of a kind photo.
Applying what you learn about composition can get your photography and video creations noticed. More importantly, you will be proud of what you are accomplishing.
Finally, the part you’ve been waiting for...
...THE HOW.
First, let’s get this out of the way. Your camera doesn’t matter. Grab your smartphone, old point & shoot, fancy DSLR, or even a Polaroid. Composition relies on you, not your technology.
As you work through this series on the basics of composition, you’re going to learn different styles and techniques. Remember the definition of composition? Composition is where you put things in your picture. As you start understanding all your options, you’ll start having more choices and decisions to make with your photography and video composition.
Here are some ideas we’ll cover in this blog series:
Need to draw attention to something?
Try filling the frame or leading lines.
Aiming for a unique perspective?
Shoot low angle or negative space.
Want to create order or consistency?
Apply symmetry or color theory.
Recognize any of these terms? If not, don’t worry. We’ll cover these ideas and more in this blog to help you become a better photographer and video creator.
But wait! Feeling really creative? You’ll start seeing how to combine two or more techniques. For example, rule of thirds at a high angle with leading lines? Pizazz!
The combinations will be endless, just like your creativity.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab your camera and let’s jump start your imagination.
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