Being canny with compositions

Being canny with compositions
Malcolm Birkitt






	Picture A is how we tend to compose normally, with equal weight given to areas above and below the main subject. By changing the amount of foreground (pic B) or sky (pic C) included in the composition, the image takes on a different feel and emphasis.

How do you choose which elements to include in your viewfinder, and what items to leave out, when setting up an architectural shot? To some this process is as natural as breathing - you just organise the important bits in a photogenic fashion, and make sure any extraneous elements are safely beyond the confines of the composition. Easy peasy, surely? Well, not for some - the entire business of framing and composition remains a mystery to them, so here's some thoughts and pointers on how to make the most of various picture-taking situations.

First, a few fundamentals. For a simple composition involving one main subject, the stark choice is where to place it. Positioned at the dead centre of the frame, you'll often end up with a rather dull or boring picture. Offset to the right or left is nearly always a superior arrangement, as this feels better balanced and allows less important elements in the shot to counterpoint the main subject. There's no need to go into the merits of the proportions of the Golden Section here, but aim for a point about two-thirds across the frame and you won't go far wrong.

Now things start to get interesting. What happens when the main subject is placed higher or lower in the frame, instead of in the middle as usual. Suddenly you realise that there's a lot of control involved, and all the cards are yours to play. A main subject positioned high in the frame means there's greater emphasis placed on the foreground, and less on the sky. It goes without saying, therefore, that a blank expanse of anything such as grass, tarmac or concrete simply won't do as it looks too bare. You need to find a viewpoint that gives foreground interest and leads the eye to the main subject without distracting too much attention from it.

Similarly, if you place the main subject low in the frame, the sky suddenly takes on greater importance. A featureless, colourless expanse of sky won't do your picture any favours, so if this is the type of composition you prefer, aim for a more interesting view of the heavens, with clouds or colours provided by sunsets, storms or rainbows. Notice how the foreground has diminished in significance once the main subject is low in the frame.

For those who always struggle with framing and composition, the realisation that a few simple rules can reap huge benefits in making pictures more effective is a godsend. Having taken in the above basics, here's some more useful tips. Instead of seeing pictures at eye-level, try to shoot your main subject from more interesting angles. From a low viewpoint looking up, you can make a relatively small structure appear grand and imposing. Conversely, from a lofty camera position, even tall buildings can seem small and insignificant. Use these rules in combination to shift the emphasis of your picture and say what you want about the subject.

Other variables within your control are the amount of subject you include in the frame, and the shape of the image. Most cameras use a rectangular film format, and are usually designed so that the oblong viewfinder is horizontal when held normally. Whether it is familiarity or laziness I do not know, but we should strive to get away from the regular way of holding the camera and framing the image. Just the small act of turning the camera through a right angle to give a vertical picture format can wake up your senses and allows you to see new ways of composing.

The assumption usually is that a horizontal shot is used for a wide view of a subject, but I like to break the rules as the accompanying pair of French images show. To capture a broader view of a picturesque town by the Seine in Normandy, I deliberately framed a vertical image - this was to show the linear shape of the town's buildings hemmed in between the river and the higher ground, and the sweep of the river into the distance and underneath the cliffs.


	Shooting from a low viewpoint up towards a building increases its importance and stature, while using an elevated camera position has the opposite effect.

Changing from a healthy wideangle to a long telephoto, the second image of the same subject from the same viewpoint has an entirely different feel. First the composition is now horizontal, water fills most of the frame and the boat becomes a central element. However the buildings and trees add useful information and interest, and it would be hard to imagine this shot being as successful without these lesser elements. It is this use of different focal lengths allied to framing devices that will bring about your own vocabulary of composition.

It is hard to emphasise enough the importance of really thinking about your subject and how much of it you want to include in the frame. Again I've included three images to illustrate my point. The first shot is a broader view of an old cottage, and apart from the lovely architecture we can see a lawn in front and a patch of blue sky beyond. So far so fine. But what happens when you crop that image down, either by using a longer focal length or moving to a nearer viewpoint. In the second shot, all outside references are lost and we are concentrating solely on the architectural style. Taking this to the extreme, the third shot has moved in to a very close viewpoint, leaving us with just a tightly framed detail. Three shots of the same subject, but each with a very different look and feel. With cropping and framing, again the choice of expression is in your hands.


	A broad view of Les Andelys by the Seine in Normandy, but shot with an unconventional vertical picture format. Reverting to horizontal framing and switching to a powerful telephoto leads to a very different image, even though both were shot from the same viewpoint.

As a final word on framing, don't forget to look out for those which occur in front of you. Using a frame you've found to frame something else can lead to some very effective compositions. I like using bridges and arches to form a natural border for the view underneath, remembering to expose carefully as the dark expanse can easily fool an exposure meter. Doors and windows can prove just as successful, providing there's the right view beyond. For an architectural photographer, frames within frames can be a blessing, if you can spot them.



Three very different pictures of the same subject which prove that your choices when cropping are vitally important.



Look out for frames within frames - here's examples using a doors, an archway and a bridge.