Table Of ContentThe Art of Comp Title Pages 3/14/05 4:43 PM Page 1
Photography
the art of composition
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The Art of Comp Title Pages 3/14/05 4:43 PM Page 2
Photography
the art of composition
Bert Krages
ALLWORTH PRESS
NEW YORK
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Photographs and text © 2005 Bert P. Krages II
All rights reserved. Copyright under Berne Copyright Convention, Universal Copyright
Convention, and Pan-American Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission
of the publisher.
09 08 07 06 05 5 4 3 2 1
Published by Allworth Press
An imprint of Allworth Communications
10 East 23rd Street, New York NY 10010
Cover design by Derek Bacchus
Cover photo credit: Bert P. Krages II
Page composition/typography by Bert P. Krages II
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Krages, Bert P.
Photography: the art of composition / Bert P. Krages II.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 1-58115-409-7
1. Composition (Photography) I. Title.
TR179.K73 2005
771—dc22
2005007652
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To Kathryn and Meredith
Thank you for your patience
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Chapter 1 The Importance of Visual Skills 1
Learning to See – 1 (cid:127) The Importance of Composition – 7 (cid:127) Viewing Other
People’s Photographs – 11 (cid:127) Looking at Art – 13
Chapter 2 The Camera as a Tool 15
The Basic Tool – 15 (cid:127) Operating the Camera – 17 (cid:127) The Tool's Effect on
Composition – 19 (cid:127) Exercise 1: The Point of Focus – 21 (cid:127) Exercise 2: Finding
Your Slowest Acceptable Handheld Shutter Speed – 22 (cid:127) Exercise 3: Photographing
without a Viewfinder – 24
Chapter 3 Doing the Exercises 27
Knowing the Subject – 28 (cid:127) Consider the Genre – 29 (cid:127) Framework of the
Exercises – 29 (cid:127) Practical Considerations – 31 (cid:127) Equipment – 32 (cid:127)
Monochrome or Color? – 34 (cid:127) Evaluating Your Images – 34
Chapter 4 Points 37
Exercise 1: Rocks – 38 (cid:127) Exercise 2: Signs That Make a Point – 42 (cid:127) Exercise 3:
Still Lifes – 46 (cid:127) Exercise 4: Snooker – 50 (cid:127) Exercise 5: Plants – 52 (cid:127) Exercise
6: Eyes in Portraits – 56 (cid:127) Exercise 7: Constellations – 58 (cid:127) Exercise 8: People
at a Distance – 60 (cid:127) Exercise 9: Clouds – 62 (cid:127) Exercise 10: Moon and Sun –
64 (cid:127) Exercise 11: Mirrors – 68 (cid:127) Exercise 12: People’s Soles – 70 (cid:127) Exercise
13: Birds on the Ground – 72 (cid:127) Exercise 14: People Eating – 76 (cid:127) Exercise 15:
Heads in the Street – 78 (cid:127) Exercise 16: Similar Objects – 82 (cid:127) Exercise 17:
Bowling – 84 (cid:127) Exercise 18: Mouths in Motion – 88 (cid:127) Exercise 19: Birds in
Flight – 90 (cid:127) Exercise 20: Moving Balls – 94
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Chapter 5 Lines 99
Exercise 1: Fork – 100 (cid:127) Exercise 2: Fallen Trees – 102 (cid:127) Exercise 3: Corners
– 106 (cid:127) Exercise 4: Florals – 110 (cid:127) Exercise 5: Rivers and Streams – 112 (cid:127)
Exercise 6: Still Lifes – 116 (cid:127) Exercise 7: Cracks in Rocks – 118 (cid:127) Exercise
8: Lines of the Hand – 120 (cid:127) Exercise 9: Shadows – 124 (cid:127) Exercise 10: Trees
– 126 (cid:127) Exercise 11: People from Overhead – 130 (cid:127) Exercise 12: Strings –
134 (cid:127) Exercise 13: Star Trails – 138 (cid:127) Exercise 14: Portraits – 140 (cid:127) Exer-
cise 15: Fingers – 142 (cid:127) Exercise 16: Stairs – 146 (cid:127) Exercise 17: Roads and
Paths – 148 (cid:127) Exercise 18: Street Lines – 153 (cid:127) Exercise 19: People at Play –
156 (cid:127) Exercise 20: Skating – 158
Chapter 6 Shapes 161
Exercise 1: Eggs – 162 (cid:127) Exercise 2: Gerberas – 164 (cid:127) Exercise 3: Tangerines
– 168 (cid:127) Exercise 4: Blocks – 170 (cid:127) Exercise 5: Doors – 172 (cid:127) Exercise 6:
Domestic Shapes – 174 (cid:127) Exercise 7: Plants – 176 (cid:127) Exercise 8: Callas – 180
(cid:127) Exercise 9: Clouds – 182 (cid:127) Exercise 10: Reflections from Water – 18 (cid:127)
Exercise 11: Glare – 188 (cid:127) Exercise 12: Boiling Kettle – 190 (cid:127) Exercise 13:
Street Shapes – 194 (cid:127) Exercise 14: Static Frames – 198 (cid:127) Exercise 15: Per-
sonal Space – 202 (cid:127) Exercise 16: People and Animals – 206 (cid:127) Exercise 17:
Dynamic Frames – 210 (cid:127) Exercise 18: Traffic – 212 (cid:127) Exercise 19: Flags –
217 (cid:127) Exercise 20: Athletics – 220
Chapter 7 Thinking Like an Artist 223
History for the Artist – 225 (cid:127) Work Ethic – 229 (cid:127) Knowing Your Goals –
229 (cid:127) The Artist’s Vision – 231
Index 235
About the Author 245
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Acknowledgments
I wish to express my appreciation for some of the I also thank the staff at Allworth Press for
people whose efforts and contributions helped me their assistance; Nicole Potter, for understanding
immensely with the book. Daryl Stewart deserves the purpose of the book; Jessica Rozler, for her
recognition because his quest for expansive land- thoughtful editing; Derek Bacchus, for his insight
scapes exposed me to the many smaller scenes in regarding design; and Nana Greller, for her efforts
which I found inspiration for much of the materi- at getting the word out. Their patience and guid-
al in the book. Likewise, I am much indebted to ance are much appreciated.
John Kirkley, whose broad knowledge of things I would also like to thank my parents, whose
artistic and literary was immensely helpful. Spe- gift of a Yashicamat 124G when I was in high
cial kudos go to Charis Barasch, whose approach school got me started in photography in a serious
to teaching drawing showed me that learning to way. Finally, I thank my wife Kathryn and daugh-
see allows a person to understand the world in a ter Meredith, who have enriched my life in so
totally different way. many ways.
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