Diagonal Composition Pt.2
If you've'e seen diagonals 1 where we introduced what they are and how to arrange elements of the composition into diagonals, now it's time to look for some examples.
If you're shooting a portrait you can ask your model to lean against a wall or otherwise be arranged into a diagonal that will work for the composition. It's harder on the model but can look great.
In a landscape or scene you can either find an element like the boat in part 1 - or add one of your own to a strategic place in the image which will make the diagonal.
Another way to introduce a diagonal element to a composition is to simply tilt the camera a little. This works for some subjects and not others. If you're going to do a 'tilt' be careful not to over do it because the photo will end up looking very contrived.
Perspective can give you a diagonal like this gate. Notice how the house isn't tilted - but to get the shot I had to tilt the camera. I find short lenses work well for this kind of diagonal composition. Because of their natural distortion you can tilt the camera so one side is straight but the other will tilt a bit.
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Scene in a scene |
Landscape photography is one of those areas where patience, thinking it through and taking your time pays dividends. We have all seen a scene we want to capture but sadly we’re in a hurry, so we leap out the car and just grab a shot without giving it too much thought.
This may or may not result in a great shot. But have you thought to ask yourself if there’s more to be had from a location than the obvious? You have to build upon an initial idea. Explore possibilities.
I was in Vietnam driving through the mountains when we came upon this amazing view of rice terraces. We stopped so the film crew could shoot some aerial shots with their drone so Simon and I took the opportunity to look around and shoot this video.
As we drove up the hill I’d noticed one of the little paths that wind their way through the paddies so we went for a walk to see what it would yield.
Almost straight away we came upon some greenery we could use as foreground, which can frame a scene and give it more depth. In some cases just finding a bit of foreground can make or break an image.
But don’t forget to look around you. It’s all to easy to miss a beautiful detail of the landscape that’s right next to you because you’re absorbed by what’s in front.
You have to concentrate and really look at a scene. In the first shot of the last scenario there’s a stick poking up on the left. I didn’t really notice it to begin with. It wasn’t until I checked the shot in the LCD it became apparent.
So how do we remove it? Well obviously there’s Photoshop but I’m lazy. A few steps to the side will change the geometry of the image. It makes things align differently so you can lose unwanted clutter from the composition.
So besides making sure the light is appropriate for the scene, here are 3 landscape photography tips to consider.
- Take time – think of other possibilities for the location
- Find some foreground. It could make a world of difference
- Look to the side as well as in front. You might have missed something
These things are not functions of your camera. They are functions of you thinking like a photographer.
