Composition Assignments 1 & 2

This assignment was my first photography project. In it, I not only got to practice using my camera, but I also got to research the basic elements of photographic composition. Additionally, I also used some primitive Photoshop techniques to improve my pictures once I had uploaded them to my computer.

The following series of photos represent each of the different composition techniques I researched in class. Most of the pictures were taken either around my house or at Mill Pond Park because I find it extremely boring to take pictures at the school. Anyways, enjoy!

 Rule of Thirds

This photo features bright red flowers about two-thirds of the way across the frame.

Pattern

This photo captures the repeating pattern of mattress springs.

Symmetry

The symmetry of a wooden bridge is the main focus in this photo.

Texture

Both these photos depict the rough texture of tree bark.

Depth of Field

This photo features bright green leaves in the foreground and a blurry natural scene in the background.

Lines

Here, the repeating lines on the house are contrasted by the glowing light.

Framing

This photo features a literal picture frame around two paper butterflies.



Perspective

This photo captures the bridge from a lower, normally unseen angle.

This photo also captures an interesting perspective; that is, looking at the hall from above.

Balance

Both these photos, in my opinion, capture a sense of balance in the natural world.

Color

This monochromatic photo captures a warm, inviting yellow.

In this photo, color is used to make the orange butterfly stand out from the grey background.

Space

This photo captures a lava lamp against a plain, spacious background.

This photo also has an empty, spacious scene. However, the glasses stand out, especially due to their intriguing lenses.



Overall, I learned a lot of things from this assignment. Most notably, I remembered just how hard it is for me to take photos that I like.

In Mr. Rodriguez's class, I didn't really get to be picky, because I was limited by a roll of film. In this class, I can take as many pictures as I want, and still be disappointed with how they all turn out. I probably took over three hundred pictures for this one assignment, and even then, there were only a handful of photos that I thought were any good. I'm a perfectionist, so it's very hard for me to be satisfied with any of the pictures I take.

I also learned that I personally need a lot of control when taking photographs. Taking pictures around the school is difficult for me because there are so many variables. I'm a bit of a control freak, so I prefer taking photos at home, where I have absolute control over every element within my frame. 

Hopefully, since I've managed to learn about these challenges during the first assignment, I'll be able to overcome them (or at least work around them) in the future.

-Max