Mitchell Albala – Through the Picture Window: 5 Essential Keys for Improving Your Composition (Online Class Recording)

Date recorded: Friday, August 9, 2024
Medium: All

Our first act of composition occurs when we impose a “picture window” around our subject. We look through our viewfinders or crop the subject on the computer — but what are we actually looking for when we do that? Is there more to it than “don’t put things in the center?” Are we relying strictly on instinct to tell the difference between “weak,” “better,” and “good” compositions? There are, in fact, several practical and easy-to-identify compositional considerations we can look for. The greater awareness we have of them, the greater control we have over our compositions, which in turn allows us to make more informed choices. Mitchell will present examples from his own compositional process, and then take a deep dive into each of these considerations, by developing several compositions through the picture window. Working with various source photos, Mitchell will demonstrate how each of these considerations can be used to make your compositions more interesting and dynamic:

• variation of shape size (large vs small)
• complex vs simple shape arrangements
• balance between light and dark
• placement of the horizon line
• movement
• picture format – horizontal, vertical, or square
• “active” vs “inactive” negative space