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Mastering Composition by Richard Garvey-Williams
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Jan 13, 2021 21:12:48   #
lowkick Loc: Connecticut
 
Bill_de wrote:
Left to right.


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Unless you're in Israel!

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Jan 14, 2021 07:51:44   #
MrMophoto Loc: Rhode Island "The biggest little"
 
In the world of making art, there are no rules, just suggestions. I was told a long time ago by a college professor that you "have to understand the rules before you can know how to break them and making art is all about breaking the rules".

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Jan 14, 2021 10:11:52   #
Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx
 
MrMophoto wrote:
In the world of making art, there are no rules, just suggestions. I was told a long time ago by a college professor that you "have to understand the rules before you can know how to break them and making art is all about breaking the rules".


Composition is still a mystery to me that I may never master, but this book has helped me along my journey. I see the "suggestions" from those who "teach" composition and immediately find many phenomenal images that break every rule I have ever read. I am starting to believe their are no universal rules, but that certain rules fit certain categories of photography better than others. I am seeing different rules for wildlife / birding compared to portraiture compared to landscapes, ...

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Jan 14, 2021 11:34:50   #
E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada
 
The OP's question, as I perceive it, is hot to utilize this book to his best advantage. I have read into this book and based on what I have observed this is my advice:

This book is a very in-depth piece of instructional literature- it goes way beyond basic "rules" such as the rule of thirds. It makes reference to the Ancient Greeks' Golden Rule; Fibonacci's mathematical ratio; and the principles known as the Gestalt theory, however, it is free of "jargon" and very "nuts and bolts" in its approach. Depending on your talent, natural inclination toward composition, technical savvy and experience, taking full advantage of this book may take weeks or months of study and practice. Rather than reading the entire text, trying to digest it all and putting the book back on the shelf, my advice is to take each principle, one at a time and pick up your camera and apply it to your work. Create an experimental project for each step.

Since the contents of the book do not begin and end with "where to place things in the frame" kinda thing and go into negative space, lighting, mood and other aspects of image management there are concepts to approach separately and in combination with others- this takes time and practice.

Whenever a subject like this comes up on the forum, there is a lot of conversation about the validity or "rules" in art. I have my own philsosphy about that. If you are gonna teach or write a book, you need to present some definitive concepts that folks can grasp and apply. The teacher or author has to supply some tools and techniques so that folks can apply THEIR talent but you can't TEACH talent or TEACH people how to SEE. You can provide some guidance, tips, pointers, and encouragement so folks can analyze their own work, vision, and results and make their own decisions. This book does these things nicely.

Think about this- you are out shooting- landscapes, wildlife, sports events, bugs, birds pretty models, whatever. Are you gonna apply MATHEMATICS, observe DIAGRAMS? Probably not, so you learn the principles and they remain in the back of your mind and you make split-second decisions whether or not to follow the rule or fracture it.

My review of the book? it's one of the best contemporary pieces on the subject. I am a composition and lighting MANIAC and this text gets into the stuff that most do not. My favourite composition teacher was Gerhard Bakker who passed away in 1988 and I haven't heard or read anythg like his teachings 'till this book. Kudos to Mr. Garvey-Williams! *****

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Jan 14, 2021 12:16:19   #
bleirer
 
E.L.. Shapiro wrote:
The OP's question, as I perceive it, is hot to utilize this book to his best advantage. I have read into this book and based on what I have observed this is my advice:

This book is a very in-depth piece of instructional literature- it goes way beyond basic "rules" such as the rule of thirds. It makes reference to the Ancient Greeks' Golden Rule; Fibonacci's mathematical ratio; and the principles known as the Gestalt theory, however, it is free of "jargon" and very "nuts and bolts" in its approach. Depending on your talent, natural inclination toward composition, technical savvy and experience, taking full advantage of this book may take weeks or months of study and practice. Rather than reading the entire text, trying to digest it all and putting the book back on the shelf, my advice is to take each principle, one at a time and pick up your camera and apply it to your work. Create an experimental project for each step.

Since the contents of the book do not begin and end with "where to place things in the frame" kinda thing and go into negative space, lighting, mood and other aspects of image management there are concepts to approach separately and in combination with others- this takes time and practice.

Whenever a subject like this comes up on the forum, there is a lot of conversation about the validity or "rules" in art. I have my own philsosphy about that. If you are gonna teach or write a book, you need to present some definitive concepts that folks can grasp and apply. The teacher or author has to supply some tools and techniques so that folks can apply THEIR talent but you can't TEACH talent or TEACH people how to SEE. You can provide some guidance, tips, pointers, and encouragement so folks can analyze their own work, vision, and results and make their own decisions. This book does these things nicely.

Think about this- you are out shooting- landscapes, wildlife, sports events, bugs, birds pretty models, whatever. Are you gonna apply MATHEMATICS, observe DIAGRAMS? Probably not, so you learn the principles and they remain in the back of your mind and you make split-second decisions whether or not to follow the rule or fracture it.

My review of the book? it's one of the best contemporary pieces on the subject. I am a composition and lighting MANIAC and this text gets into the stuff that most do not. My favourite composition teacher was Gerhard Bakker who passed away in 1988 and I haven't heard or read anythg like his teachings 'till this book. Kudos to Mr. Garvey-Williams! *****
The OP's question, as I perceive it, is hot to uti... (show quote)


I've read a lot about composition and elements and principles of art, not only photography but how painters in history approach the same ideas. but when shooting in the field what I see in the viewfinder doesn't usually make me say, 'oh look leading lines' or 'oh look repetition' or any of the other principles. But I hope what I've read informs my 'instinct' for a certain way of seeing In a subconscious way.

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Jan 14, 2021 13:01:40   #
Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx
 
E.L.. Shapiro wrote:
The OP's question, as I perceive it, is hot to utilize this book to his best advantage. I have read into this book and based on what I have observed this is my advice:

This book is a very in-depth piece of instructional literature- it goes way beyond basic "rules" such as the rule of thirds. It makes reference to the Ancient Greeks' Golden Rule; Fibonacci's mathematical ratio; and the principles known as the Gestalt theory, however, it is free of "jargon" and very "nuts and bolts" in its approach. Depending on your talent, natural inclination toward composition, technical savvy and experience, taking full advantage of this book may take weeks or months of study and practice. Rather than reading the entire text, trying to digest it all and putting the book back on the shelf, my advice is to take each principle, one at a time and pick up your camera and apply it to your work. Create an experimental project for each step.

Since the contents of the book do not begin and end with "where to place things in the frame" kinda thing and go into negative space, lighting, mood and other aspects of image management there are concepts to approach separately and in combination with others- this takes time and practice.

Whenever a subject like this comes up on the forum, there is a lot of conversation about the validity or "rules" in art. I have my own philsosphy about that. If you are gonna teach or write a book, you need to present some definitive concepts that folks can grasp and apply. The teacher or author has to supply some tools and techniques so that folks can apply THEIR talent but you can't TEACH talent or TEACH people how to SEE. You can provide some guidance, tips, pointers, and encouragement so folks can analyze their own work, vision, and results and make their own decisions. This book does these things nicely.

Think about this- you are out shooting- landscapes, wildlife, sports events, bugs, birds pretty models, whatever. Are you gonna apply MATHEMATICS, observe DIAGRAMS? Probably not, so you learn the principles and they remain in the back of your mind and you make split-second decisions whether or not to follow the rule or fracture it.

My review of the book? it's one of the best contemporary pieces on the subject. I am a composition and lighting MANIAC and this text gets into the stuff that most do not. My favourite composition teacher was Gerhard Bakker who passed away in 1988 and I haven't heard or read anythg like his teachings 'till this book. Kudos to Mr. Garvey-Williams! *****
The OP's question, as I perceive it, is hot to uti... (show quote)



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Jan 14, 2021 13:13:15   #
MrMophoto Loc: Rhode Island "The biggest little"
 
We all practice composition, some more intentionally than others. Before you press the shutter you think, this will make a good photograph. I for one look at all the elements within the picture frame and reduce them to their shapes, forms, spaces, etc., the elements of art and then try to "compose" the image with the principles of art in mind. This may sound like a lot to consider before pressing the shutter, but at this point it is all second nature. And yes I do look at a scene and think, That's a great leading lines, or I'll use that tree as a framing technique, or place that post and the sign at the intersection of the vertical and horizontal thirds lines. Maybe it's more instinct than second nature but I can't take a photograph without those thoughts.

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Jan 15, 2021 07:05:39   #
PaulBrit Loc: Merlin, Southern Oregon
 
E.L.. Shapiro wrote:
The OP's question, as I perceive it, is hot to utilize this book to his best advantage. I have read into this book and based on what I have observed this is my advice:

This book is a very in-depth piece of instructional literature- it goes way beyond basic "rules" such as the rule of thirds. It makes reference to the Ancient Greeks' Golden Rule; Fibonacci's mathematical ratio; and the principles known as the Gestalt theory, however, it is free of "jargon" and very "nuts and bolts" in its approach. Depending on your talent, natural inclination toward composition, technical savvy and experience, taking full advantage of this book may take weeks or months of study and practice. Rather than reading the entire text, trying to digest it all and putting the book back on the shelf, my advice is to take each principle, one at a time and pick up your camera and apply it to your work. Create an experimental project for each step.

Since the contents of the book do not begin and end with "where to place things in the frame" kinda thing and go into negative space, lighting, mood and other aspects of image management there are concepts to approach separately and in combination with others- this takes time and practice.

Whenever a subject like this comes up on the forum, there is a lot of conversation about the validity or "rules" in art. I have my own philsosphy about that. If you are gonna teach or write a book, you need to present some definitive concepts that folks can grasp and apply. The teacher or author has to supply some tools and techniques so that folks can apply THEIR talent but you can't TEACH talent or TEACH people how to SEE. You can provide some guidance, tips, pointers, and encouragement so folks can analyze their own work, vision, and results and make their own decisions. This book does these things nicely.

Think about this- you are out shooting- landscapes, wildlife, sports events, bugs, birds pretty models, whatever. Are you gonna apply MATHEMATICS, observe DIAGRAMS? Probably not, so you learn the principles and they remain in the back of your mind and you make split-second decisions whether or not to follow the rule or fracture it.

My review of the book? it's one of the best contemporary pieces on the subject. I am a composition and lighting MANIAC and this text gets into the stuff that most do not. My favourite composition teacher was Gerhard Bakker who passed away in 1988 and I haven't heard or read anythg like his teachings 'till this book. Kudos to Mr. Garvey-Williams! *****
The OP's question, as I perceive it, is hot to uti... (show quote)


That is incredibly helpful. (And by the way not the only reply that has been useful.)

I still haven’t started into the book and may not yet for a short time. I need to clear my desk/head of stuff like my tax return and another book that I am about halfway through (Sanjay Gupta’s book on Sharper Brains At Any Age!) because I strongly sense Garvey-Williams’ book will be a journey rather than a read.

But already the replies to this thread have partially switched on the brain cells (what’s left of them!) that govern my artist’s eyes. I am even more looking out at the world than previously in terms of how would I approach this scene as a photograph.

Thank you to everyone; you make an old guy very happy!

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