Week 3: Composition

In filming and photography there are many ways in which to obtain an aesthetically pleasing shot, these are rules to be followed and broken in order to aid story telling and artistry.

There are many rules, however we only discusses a select few in detail.

The Rule of Thirds

This simply the idea that images are cut up into a 3×3 grid and the human eye is more attracted to images that place the subject of the image in a chosen third, the best way to pick a third is work out if you need looking room to the left or right or if you need head room in your image. This rule however can be broken and is for artistic effect in Mr Robot where the looking room is sacrificed to create a sense of claustrophobia and unease.

Leading Lines

This is the idea that a camera operator positions the camera along a set of lines that all appear lead in the same point as it help to draw the viewer’s eyes to the subject of the image.

Framing

This is where the subject is quite literally framed in order to draw attention to themselves.

Contrasting Colours

These are shots in which the two colours in a shot are so bold and different that it sets the subject of the photo far apart from the background.

Rule of Thirds

We weren’t taught this one in the session but this is one I was are of prior to the workshop. The rule of thirds uses the idea of the golden ratio which creates a spiral (the golden spiral) in which the subject of the image sits. It helps to pin point spots in images which are aesthetically pleasing to look at.