Basic Stills, Camera Work and Composition

Composition:

Photography brings a visual language that is universal in understanding. We must then understand its vocabulary which consists of shapes, textures, patterns, lines, colours, shade of light to dark and sharp to blurry images. Just as we must learn to arrange words in a coherent order in order to make sense when we write or speak, so too must we put visual elements together in an organized manner if our photographs are to convey their meaning clearly and vividly.

Composition means arrangement: the orderly putting together of parts to make a unified whole; composition through a personal, intuitive act. However, there are basic principles that govern the way visual elements behave and interact when you combine them inside the four borders of a photograph. Once we have sharpened our vision and grasped these basic ideas of principles, then we will have the potential for making our photographs more exciting and effective than ever before.


The Rule of Thirds:
The Rule of thirds is a very simple but equally as important way in which editors and cameramen use to show the image correctly. Invisible lines are drawn across the screen and initially the audience will look at the top right hand corner and so usually, the most important aspect of the image is shown on the first point on the rule of thirds. It is handy because it allows the photographer/cameraman/director/editor to have the main aspect of the scene in a position that is easily to see rather than the top of the scene or the bottom of the scene or the very corner of the scene.