Types of Composition. 1) Open Composition

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1 Types of Composition 1) Open Composition 1. Asymmetrical composition a way of placing the elements within the frame in a way that is not symmetrical in relation to the center or central axis of the image. Primitively speaking, asymmetrical composition is an opposite of symmetrical composition and means that elements on one side of the image are different in shape, size, color and/or number to elements on the other side. Asymmetrical composition in its nature is quite dynamic and expressive, although it is not always the case. Asymmetry does not mean that the composition of that particular photograph is inherently unbalanced. 2. Diagonal composition this way of composing an image is based on placing elements along one or several diagonal lines (which can intersect) within the frame.

2 3. Fragmental composition when the objects (or subjects) within a specific photograph are only a part of their surrounding environment and that surrounding environment is shown going off beyond the edges of the frame, such a photograph is employing fragmental composition. Basically, it shows a part of a bigger scenery/story. 4. Spiral composition elements within the frame are placed in an extending spiral in relation to a vertical or diagonal axis. This composition variety has a lot to do with the Golden Mean (aka Rule, Spiral, Ratio, etc), which we will cover at another time. 5. Vertical composition elements within a frame are positioned along one or several vertical lines, which creates a sense of vertical movement. This does not mean all vertically framed photographs employ vertical composition, nor does the photograph have to be framed vertically at all. So why is vertical composition considered to be more dynamic than if the objects were placed horizontally? Well, placing the objects horizontally also grounds them, it is similar to laying a person down rather than having him stand up. Simply put, a person who is laying down is just visually more static.

3 2) Closed Composition 1. Symmetrical composition this is one of the easiest varieties to distinguish. Symmetrical composition is, as you probably realize, a complete opposite of asymmetry. It is a way of composing the image (elements in the frame) in relation to a vertical, horizontal or diagonal axis symmetrically, meaning there are elements that are very similar to each other (not necessarily identical) in their shape, size and color on both sides of the axis. 2. Antithetic composition this variety is actually very, very similar to symmetrical composition. The biggest difference is that there isn t always a distinguishable axis around which the elements are placed. Such composition contains elements that mirror each other, but are not identical, merely similar. For example, a photograph of a man and a woman looking at each other (taken in profile) can be considered to employ antithetic composition. 3. Central composition a way of composing the image whilst emphasizing the elements that are at the center of the frame.

4 4. Frontal composition photographing a subject or object directly from the front, head on, results in a frontal composition. 5. Pyramidal composition placing two or more elements to form a triangle within the frame results in a pyramidal composition. A basic example would be a tightly framed portrait of a young family with the father in the middle (as the tallest person), the mother on one side and the son on the other, both leaning into the father slightly (who s hugging them, of course!) to create a sense of closeness.

5 Something to Keep in Mind These are not all varieties, but are more common in other forms of visual art, such as painting. More often than not, photographers will employ several varieties at the same time without even thinking about it. What s more, some photographs might have features of varieties that seemingly belong to a completely different type of composition. For example, a particular photograph can be symmetrical (a variety of a closed composition) and fragmental (a variety of an open composition) at the same time, even if that is a relatively rare case. So all the information that I have provided above is, like many things when it comes to arts and composition, not set in stone. A lot of these theoretical concepts come naturally in practice. This means, that you have absolutely no reason at all to feel bad for not guessing the answers. So don t feel bad, not even for a minute we are all here to learn from each other. More than that, not all of you might have gotten the answers right, but, simply by guessing, you ve mentioned plenty of other very important aspects of composition help us towards mastering composition. These include rules and guidelines of composing images (Rule of Thirds), ways to direct the viewer s gaze (Leading Lines), elements of composition (Perspective) and so on. Quick Assignment Based on the varieties of compositions mentioned and their short descriptions, analyze the two following photographs and: 1. Identify the main type of composition (open or closed) 2. Identify composition varieties (there might be several that suit a single photograph) of both images according to your conclusions of part 1) of this assignment 3. Leave a comment with your answer below

6 The First Photograph This photograph (by Nasim) uses a closed central, frontal, symmetrical composition. Some of you also thought that it might be diagonal because of the angle of the sun rays. However, what you must remember is to judge the general composition and the main object of focus, not separate elements in the photograph. NIKON D mm 24mm, ISO 800, 1/25, f/5.6

7 The Second Photograph This photograph uses an open diagonal, fragmental composition with just a hint of vertical lines.