Photographic Composition: Principles of Image Design

All fine artists share a common goal: to combine individual elements into a convincing, cohesive whole that tells a story or expresses an intention. Photography is especially suited to this pursuit because the photographer can create multiple, distinct images of a single subject using a variety of design techniques. The display on a digital camera instantly shows the arrangement of elements in an image, allowing the photographer to make changes and refine their creation as they work.

Albrecht Rissler believes that a firm understanding of image design is as important as having an observant eye or having the technical knowledge to operate a camera. Photographic Composition presents the most important concepts of image design and offers 250 beautiful photographs to illustrate these concepts. By applying these concepts to your own work, you will greatly improve your photographic eye and your ability to compose an ideal image.

This book’s impressive images are in black-and-white, intentionally removing the distraction of color and making it easy to focus on compositional elements and form. With this book, photographers as well as all visual artists will learn how to infuse their own images with excitement, develop and hone their visual language, and express their personal artistic aesthetic.

Topics include:

• The effect of various aspect ratios
• Perspective and composition
• Form and contrast
• Proportion and harmony
• Symmetry and asymmetry
• Brightness and darkness
• Structures and textures
• The “perfect moment”

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Why compose?
Chapter 2 The Image Area
Chapter 3 Diagonals
Chapter 4 Perspectives
Chapter 5 Lattices
Chapter 6 Cropping
Chapter 7 Contrast
Chapter 8 Light and Shadow
Chapter 9 Sharpness and Blur
Chapter 10 Texture
Chapter 11 The Right Moment