Hey friend!
As promised in the last blog post, I want to start a short series of posts where I talk about the basics of portrait photography. If you haven’t read my last blog post about What is Studio Portrait Photography? go check it out! Since some of the people that follow my work are fellow photographers, I think I can give a few good pointers about photography and how to use it as a way to express more than just a pretty picture. For this new blog, I’ll be talking about one of my favorite tools as a photographer: Composition.
Composition is one of the most important aspects of portrait photography, sometimes overlooked and other times overplayed. In basic terms, composition is the way in which you arrange elements in your frame to create a visually pleasing and meaningful image. Composition can be considered as part of the way you talk with your camera, it’s what we call your visual language. In this blog post, we're going to dive into the basics of composition, including the rule of thirds and leading lines, and how to use them to make your portraits pop!
The Rule of Thirds in use for this Portrait Photograph. Photographed by Yeya Monroig.
Rules of Thirds
First up, let's talk about the rule of thirds! Okay, now you must imagine a tic-tact-toe board in your framing; two lines crossing horizontally and two crossing vertically. You could also setup your in-camera grid lines, this will easily help you understand framing. This is a guideline that suggests dividing the frame into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, and placing the subject of the photograph along one of these lines or at the intersection of two. This creates an imbalance or a “perfect” balance in the frame, which draws the viewer's eye to the subject and adds tension and drama to the image.
Having this in mind, when we are doing a portrait photo one way to use the rule of thirds is to align the subject's eyes with the top horizontal line. This creates a sense of balance and symmetry in the frame which is especially effective when photographing people, as it creates a connection between the viewer and the subject. Remember that when we photograph people one of the most important intentions with our pictures is to create a connection between the subject and the viewer. You can also place the subject along the left or right vertical line to create a sense of movement or direction in the image. By positioning your subject in any one of the vertical lines, you are creating a sort of imbalance, this will easily guide the viewer's eye to where you want it.
Leading Lines from the floor, columns and ceiling leading the eye towards our subject. Photographed by Yeya Monroig.
Leading Lines
This is one of my favorites! It’s one of those details where you utilize your background to accentuate your foreground. Basically what we are doing with leading lines is utilizing any elements in the scene that point towards the subject, such as roads, paths, or the edge of a building. So, our job as the photographer is to see what elements are becoming leading lines to our subject. They help to create a sense of depth and movement in the image, leading the viewer's eye towards the subject while making the image dynamic and rich in background elements that enhance the visual quality of your photograph.
When working with leading lines, it's important to be aware of the direction they're pointing. If the lines are pointing towards the subject, they'll create a sense of movement and energy in the image. This will convey a sense of importance towards the subject. But, if they're pointing away from the subject, they'll create a sense of distance and isolation. By noticing these slight differences you can make use of this tool to express an emotion towards the subject and by consequence engage emotionally with the viewer.
Using Negative Space to frame our subject in her context. Photographed by Yeya Monroig.
Negative Space
This is one I use a lot in my photography. Negative space is the area of the frame that surrounds the subject, basically everything that is not the subject is negative space and it can be used to create a sense of balance and simplicity in the image. Negative space carries emotions and can quickly become as much part of your composition as the subject itself. The use of negative can be thought out as either positive space (your subject or subjects) and negative space (the rest of the surroundings). By leaving negative space around the subject, you can create a sense of isolation and focus on the subject. You can also use negative space mixed with the rules of thirds to create emotions surrounding the subject. For example, you can align your subject towards the left vertical lines of the thirds and have the subject also look to the left. This type of compositions can create a sense of pressure, isolation, tension, like talking to a wall.
It's also important to consider the background and how it relates to the subject when creating a portrait. In order to make the best use of these compositional tools you need to be extra aware of what’s behind your subject. A cluttered or distracting background can detract from the subject and reduce the effectiveness of the image. Rather, seek out a background that is simple and uncluttered, or find a background that complements the subject in some way. Always have this question in mind: how is the background reflecting my subject? What does it say about the subject?
It’s all centered on her gaze and the elements surrounding her eyes are used to enhance the attention towards the gaze. Photographed by Yeya Monroig.
It’s All in the Eyes
Finally, let's talk about the eyes. In portrait photography, the eyes are the most important feature of the subject. Why? Because it is the strongest vessel for connection between humans. If you want your subjects to connect through your camera, make sure to capture their gaze. It is through the eyes that the most intense emotions are transmitted; from fear to confidence. So, in order to capture the power of the gaze, you need to make sure that the eyes are in focus and are a central part of your composition.
Key Takeaways
The Rule of Thirds:
Divide your frame into thirds horizontally and vertically, and place your subject along one of these lines or at the intersection of two, this will create a balance game between the subject and its context.
Leading Lines:
Look for line elements in your scene that point towards or away from your subject to guide the viewer's eye and add depth and movement to the image.
Negative Space & Pay Attention to the Background:
Remember that negative space is everything except your subject! Use the negative space around your subject to create a sense of balance and simplicity in the image, and pay attention to the background to ensure that it complements the subject and does not detract from the main focus.
I hope this short intro to composition can help you see photography with new eyes. Now you can understand composition as a way to transmit different emotions with your photography. Remember to always think about the message you want to convey with your image and compose your shot accordingly. Practice makes perfect, so keep experimenting with different composition techniques and soon enough you'll develop your own unique style.
Happy shooting!
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog! I look forward to sharing more on being a portrait photographer.
Stay tuned for the next blog post!
xx, Yeya
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