Forget the Rule of Thirds, do this instead…
TLDRIn this video, the speaker discusses the importance of composition in photography, emphasizing the relationship between the main subject and supporting subjects. They argue that while traditional composition rules like the rule of thirds are useful, focusing on the subject matter and how it interacts with its surroundings can lead to more impactful images. The speaker shares examples from their portfolio to illustrate how they decide what to include or exclude in a frame to enhance the main subject without causing distraction. They also highlight the significance of deliberate choices when composing a shot, whether it involves negative space or multiple competing subjects. The video concludes with a sponsorship message for Squarespace, which the speaker uses to curate and display their portfolio of photographs.
Takeaways
- 📷 **Subject Selection**: The first step in photography is choosing an interesting subject that catches your eye, as it's the easiest part and personal preferences vary widely.
- 🎭 **Supporting Elements**: Just like in films, supporting subjects in a photograph help to accentuate the main subject by adding context, enhancing beauty, size, texture, or mood.
- 🌳 **Balance is Key**: Striking a balance between the main subject and supporting elements is crucial. Too much of a supporting subject can distract from the main subject.
- 📐 **Compositional Choices**: The decision on how much of the supporting subject to include is a key aspect of composition, aiming to complement without overshadowing the main subject.
- 🚫 **Avoiding Distractions**: Be deliberate about what to include and exclude from the frame to avoid clutter and distraction, enhancing the impact of the main subject.
- 🔍 **Spatial Awareness**: When there are multiple elements in a scene, careful attention to spacing and timing is essential to create a harmonious composition.
- 📚 **Portfolio Curation**: A website can serve as a portfolio to curate and sequence images, allowing for a personal touch and reflection of the photographer's journey.
- 🤔 **Personal Preference**: The photographer's personal opinion plays a significant role in deciding what adds to or detracts from the story a photograph tells.
- 🏞️ **Environmental Context**: Including environmental context can enhance a photograph, but it's important to ensure it supports rather than competes with the main subject.
- 🔄 **Iterative Process**: Photography involves an iterative process of finding the right balance between the main and supporting subjects, adjusting focal lengths, and positioning.
- 🌟 **Maximizing Impact**: The goal is to use supporting subjects to maximize the prominence and impact of the main subject within the frame, considering the overall narrative and emotional response.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the video?
-The main focus of the video is to discuss composition in photography, specifically how to choose what to photograph and how to shoot it in a way that is interesting and impactful.
Why does the speaker believe that focusing on the subject matter is crucial in photography?
-The speaker believes that focusing on the subject matter is crucial because even with perfect composition techniques, a boring subject will still result in a boring photograph.
What is the role of supporting subjects in a photograph according to the video?
-Supporting subjects are meant to accentuate the main subject in a photograph. They can help highlight the beauty, size, texture, or mood of the main subject, making it stand out more effectively.
How does the speaker decide on the quantity of supporting subjects to include in a photograph?
-The speaker decides on the quantity by considering how much of the supporting subject is needed to adequately support the main subject without distracting from it. This involves a balance between including enough to tell the story and not so much that it dilutes the impact of the main subject.
What is the importance of deliberate framing when including supporting subjects?
-Deliberate framing is important to avoid a cluttered or distracting appearance. It ensures that there is space between the subjects and the edge of the frame, which can prevent the image from looking like a mistake or becoming too overwhelming.
How does the speaker approach a scene with multiple potential subjects?
-When there are multiple potential subjects, the speaker emphasizes the importance of spacing and waiting. They consider how each element can be arranged to create a harmonious composition that adds to the overall story without overwhelming the viewer.
What is the significance of the relationship between the main subject and supporting subjects in photography?
-The relationship between the main subject and supporting subjects is crucial for creating a compelling narrative in a photograph. It's about how these elements can complement each other to enhance the overall impact and tell a more engaging story.
Why does the speaker suggest not always including the entirety of a supporting subject?
-The speaker suggests not always including the entirety of a supporting subject because including too much might dilute the impact of the main subject. It's about finding a balance where the supporting subject adds to the scene without overshadowing the main focus.
How does the speaker determine what to include or exclude in a photograph?
-The speaker determines what to include or exclude based on whether it adds to or distracts from the main subject. This decision is often based on personal preference and the desired impact on the viewer.
What is the role of personal opinion in composing a photograph?
-Personal opinion plays a significant role in composing a photograph as it influences decisions about what elements to include or exclude, how much of a supporting subject to show, and the overall balance between the main subject and supporting subjects.
How does the speaker use Squarespace for their portfolio?
-The speaker uses Squarespace to curate and display their favorite images in a portfolio on their website. They enjoy the process of arranging and sequencing their photos to tell a story or convey a certain mood.
What advice does the speaker give for creating a compelling photograph?
-The speaker advises finding something that looks nice to photograph, looking for supporting subjects that add to the main subject, deciding on the quantities of these supporting subjects, and using techniques like focal lengths or camera positioning to emphasize the relationship between the main and supporting subjects.
Outlines
📸 Understanding Composition in Photography
The first paragraph introduces the topic of composition in photography, a subject frequently asked about by beginners. The speaker emphasizes that while compositional rules like the rule of thirds are useful, they should not overshadow the importance of the subject itself. The key is to consider both the main subject and supporting subjects, ensuring that the latter enhances rather than distracts from the former. The speaker uses the example of a caravan and a tree to illustrate how supporting subjects can add context and depth to the main subject without overwhelming it. The challenge lies in determining the right balance and quantity of supporting elements to include in a photograph.
🎬 Balancing Main and Supporting Subjects
The second paragraph delves deeper into the concept of balancing the main subject with supporting subjects. The speaker discusses the idea that, much like in films, supporting actors enhance the lead actor's performance, supporting subjects in photography should highlight the main subject. The speaker shares personal experiences from photographing a mine in Cornwall and a scene with wheelbarrows to illustrate how the inclusion or exclusion of supporting subjects can impact the narrative and visual appeal of a photograph. The importance of being deliberate with the framing and spacing of subjects is highlighted, as is the subjective nature of what constitutes a distraction or an enhancement in a photograph.
🌟 Maximizing Impact Through Composition
The third paragraph wraps up the discussion on composition by emphasizing the importance of understanding how to shoot a subject to maximize its impact. The speaker shares their approach to finding a subject that catches their eye and then looking for elements that can support and enhance that subject. The goal is to determine what adds to the story of the photograph and what detracts from it. The speaker also touches on the challenge of dealing with multiple subjects in a scene, where spacing and timing become crucial. The paragraph concludes with a reminder that composition is not just about following rules but also about creating a harmonious and impactful scene, where the supporting elements work together with the main subject to create a compelling photograph.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Composition
💡Rule of Thirds
💡Main Subject
💡Supporting Subjects
💡Leading Lines
💡Negative Space
💡Focal Length
💡Cropping
💡Impact
💡Personal Preference
💡Squarespace
Highlights
The video discusses the importance of composition in photography and how it can be more impactful than following traditional rules like the rule of thirds.
Photography composition should focus on the subject and how supporting elements can enhance or detract from the main subject.
The concept of a 'main subject' and 'supporting subjects' in a photograph is compared to the roles of lead and supporting actors in a film.
Supporting subjects should accentuate the main subject, possibly by emphasizing its beauty, size, texture, or mood.
The presenter shares a personal example of a caravan photo, where a tree acts as a supporting subject.
Discusses the balance between including enough of a supporting subject without distracting from the main subject.
The importance of being deliberate with the inclusion or exclusion of a supporting subject in a photograph.
The presenter's approach to photography involves finding a subject that looks nice and then determining what adds or distracts from it.
The presenter emphasizes the need for spacing and waiting when there are multiple elements in a scene.
Different perspectives on what adds or distracts in a photograph are acknowledged as being subjective.
The presenter shares examples of photographs where the inclusion or exclusion of supporting subjects was a deliberate choice.
The video highlights the need for a clear understanding of how supporting elements interact with the main subject to tell a story.
The presenter talks about the joy of curating a portfolio and the importance of sequencing photos to tell a cohesive story.
Squarespace is mentioned as a platform for creating a portfolio website, which allows for easy organization and presentation of photographs.
The presenter offers a discount for Squarespace through a provided link for viewers interested in creating their own portfolio website.
The video concludes with a reminder that composition in photography is about creating an impactful shot by understanding the relationship between the main and supporting subjects.