Three principles of photographic composition

The basic principles of photographic composition: balance and symmetry, contrast and viewpoint.

1, balance and symmetry

Balance and symmetry are the basis of composition, and their main functions are to stabilize the picture. Balance and symmetry are not a concept, but they have internal identity-stability. The sense of stability is a visual habit and aesthetic concept formed by human beings in their long-term observation of nature. Therefore, all plastic arts that conform to this aesthetic concept can produce aesthetic feeling, while those that violate this principle will look uncomfortable. Equilibrium and symmetry are not average, but a logical proportional relationship. Although the average value is stable, it lacks change. Without change, there is no aesthetic feeling, so the most taboo of composition is that the picture is evenly distributed. Symmetry has a strong sense of stability, and symmetry can make the picture feel solemn, solemn and harmonious. For example, ancient Chinese architecture is a model of symmetry, but relative to symmetry and balance, the change of balance is far greater than symmetry. Therefore, although symmetry is an important principle of composition, there are fewer opportunities for practical application, and you will feel the same way if you use it more.

2. About comparison

Clever contrast can not only enhance the artistic appeal, but also clearly reflect and sublimate the theme. Comparative composition is to highlight the theme and strengthen the theme. There are various contrasts and ever-changing, but they are similar. We can draw the following conclusions:

The first is the comparison of modeling. Such as: big and small, tall and short, old and young, fat and thin, thick and thin.

The second is the contrast of colors. Such as: deep and shallow, cold and warm, bright and dark, black and white.

The third is the contrast between ash and ash. Such as: deep and shallow, bright and dark, etc.

3. About opinions

Viewpoint composition is to attract the audience's attention to the center of the picture. Viewpoint is the name of perspective, also called vanishing point. To make a clear point, we have to start from three lines: the apparent horizon, the horizon and the horizontal line.

The visual horizon is a line parallel to the eyes. We stand anywhere and look into the distance. There is a clear line where heaven and earth meet or where water and sky meet. This line is just parallel to the eyes. This is the obvious horizon. This line varies with the height of the eyes. The higher a person stands, the farther he can see. This is the truth, but when you walk up a flight of stairs, you broaden your horizons by 300 miles. On the other hand, when people stand low, they can see from the horizon that the low place is nearby and small.

According to the perspective principle, objects above the horizon, such as mountains and buildings, are all near high and far low, near large and far small; Obvious objects below the horizon, such as the earth, oceans and roads, are near low and far high, near wide and far narrow, and extend upward to the left and right. In this way, with the direction of the human eye as the axis, it extends in one direction, up and down, left and right, and finally gathers together, concentrates at one point and disappears in the line of sight plane. This is the origin of the viewpoint. The lens of the camera is designed according to the principle of human eyes and perspective. Aperture is like the pupil of the human eye. Pupils contract or enlarge with light, so what the camera takes is basically the same as what the human eye sees. In a sense, what is photographed with a camera is more accurate than what people see.