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Theory

Every practice needs a theory.
So, here are the lectures I prepared for my classes in “École Française de Belgrade” (French High School in Belgrade).

I wanted to arrange the theory of composition and other photographic subjects all in one place, because when I was preparing lectures, I did not find any online site that fully analyzes complete theory of composition in photography – which I think is very important.

Most of the texts, but not all are quoted or reformulated from other websites, or books about photography, and references can be found in the footer of each post. All photographs I use as examples within texts are mine and I have author’s rights for them. These texts are exclusively for my work in the EFB.

There will be more lectures, but it takes time to translate them from french..

ELEMENTS OF COMPOSITION

LINE & DIRECTION

take vertical, horizontal or diagonal paths that eyes follow. Types of line impact on pictures can be various, and depending it, they influence the mood and emotional perception.

FORM

as geometric or organic space. It exists in two dimensions and represents the first means by which a viewer can identify an object, although lighting can distort and destroy object's shape.

COLOR

with its various values and intensities. Depending on their place and relation on Color wheel, they may be harmonizing and complementary. Its temperature is opposite to physics - in image blue is considered as cold, and red as warm, although in space most warm object emit blue light.

TONE

refers to the range and distribution of tones and the smoothness of gradation between them. Its hue, lightness and saturation define overall impression of the image.

SIZE

refers to dimensions and proportions of the images or forms related with each other. Theirs balance implies that the visual elements within have a sense of weight

PERSPECTIVE

is the expression of the depth. Whether it is real or apparent, perspective refers to the relationship between the objects in a photograph

PRINCIPLES OF ORGANISING ELEMENTS WITHIN A COMPOSITION

CENTER OF INTEREST

or focus - determines what the center of attention of the artwork will be.

POINT OF VIEW

represents subjective choice of photographers angle to the scene. In general, it simply means the position from which the camera sees the object of shooting.

RHYTHM

or tempo is two-dimensional, geometric perception of repeated beat. Visual art, as well as other arts – music, combines repetition as pauses to create a sense of rhythm in the image.

GOLDEN RATIO

is a specific relationship between two sizes that meet the following rule: the ratio of their sum to larger size is equal to the ratio of larger size to the smaller.