Weekly Assignment: Compose and Evaluate a Photograph

[PWS-Staff]

An easy way to break down composition into its basic elements is to draw lines on the picture to identify the lines, shapes, and directions present in the photo. First, make a nature photograph using what you’ve learned in this chapter to carefully arrange the elements in the frame to create a good composition.

After downloading the picture to your computer, either print it on a letter-size sheet of paper or open it in Photoshop. If you made a print, use a marker (ideally a red one) to draw outlines around the most obvious elements in the composition. Simply trace over the picture to outline the shapes and lines. If you can perceive directional clues or motion in the frame, draw arrows to indicate that. In Photoshop, use a paintbrush with a bright color and paint over the picture. When you finish, you should have a photo that looks like the example below.

From "Nature Photography," by Nat Coalson

My example picture was taken in rural Maine. This image has very strong lines and strong contrast in both tone and color. It was shot at ISO 125, f/8, 1/50 sec. with a Tamron 18-200 XR Di II lens. My outlined version shows how I broke up the composition into its basic parts.