Masterclass In Photography PART 4: Composition And Light

Get the most from your course by...

1. Scheduling time for it

2. Completing the course in the order it is presented

3. Downloading the support notes and exercises

4. Repeating the exercises until you no longer need to refer back to lessons and notes

I want you to learn loads and grow your confidence. The course is designed the way it is so each technique and skill flow together and make sense.

Please download the support notes and exercises which have more info and exercises to help you...

In This Section:

If you've already completed earlier parts of my 'Masterclass' series of courses, you've mastered the creative superpowers of shutter speed, aperture and focal lengths and now it's time to marry them to the most creative aspects of photography, composition and light. Both of which are what I call 'photographer functions' because they are entirely up to you. There are no composition settings or awesome light settings on the camera. This is where you truly learn to make beautiful music with your instrument.

Don't forget to download your support notes and do the exercises.

And most importantly, put in the time and effort to do the exercises as often as it takes to make them 2nd nature. That's when you no longer have to check back to what I'm doing...

Composition is first about choosing what you want to include (or exclude) in a photo, the elements of a composition. Then arranging them harmoniously in the frame. How you use the space, where you position the subject and whatever is surrounding it. And don't forget how focal length will affect it. We covered the effects of Focal Length on composition in A Masterclass In Photography PART 3.

In this lesson I'm going to show you how to hide things you don't want in shot, move trees, the horizon and more by moving yourself. The smallest most subtle movements of your camera will make a world of difference because composition is a function of arms and legs and hands and feet. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the camera and everything to do with you...

You have probably heard of the 'rules' of composition. These are ways to arrange things in the viewfinder that have been tried and tested and usually result in more interesting compositions when applied in a way that works for the subject.

Rules of composition are a great way to become more visually aware if you're a less experienced photographer, or are more technically minded than you are creative.

But don't think that if you always apply a 'rule' to a photo it'll look great. Some 'rules' work well in some circumstances and not others. When you look back on a photo you'll probably notice many so called 'rules' are happening all at once within it.

If you have arranged the elements of a composition in a way that you love, but don't conform to a 'rule' - just take the photo. Think of rules of composition more as guides to what can work, rather than actual rules that should not be broken.

The rule of thirds is when you divide the frame into thirds and place points of interest along or near where these thirds meet. Mentally apply it next time you watch a beautifully shot movie or magazine image, you'll be surprised how often it appears.

Leading (sometimes called Lead-In) lines lead a viewer on a journey from where you are back through the photo, usually to the subject. They can add a feeling of depth to an image.

Diagonals can be a clearly defined or implied line running diagonally within the composition. If implied it is usually an obvious relationship between the two main elements of that composition.

Foreground is when you add something to the foreground or area closest to the camera and it gives a sense of depth to a photo.

Frame in a frame is when there's an obvious frame surrounding a subject, within the frame of the viewfinder. This can help a subject stand out and be more obvious.

A repeating pattern is when a pattern repeats itself within a photo. It could fill the frame in a pleasing way, or could be used to surround a subject and make it stand out.

Negative space is a large area of empty space that doesn't compete for attention with the subject, such as a big empty sky, open water surrounding a boat or the side of a building with a small human figure leaning against it. Negative space lends a feeling of quiet, isolation or even loneliness to an image.

This is an exercise you can do pretty much anywhere and the objective is to see how many different ways you can compose a photo of the same subject.

You can make the subject of a photo appear powerful or passive by changing camera position or viewpoint. Photos taken from slightly above lend a feeling of meekness, whereas photographing slightly upwards gives a subject a feeling of power.

Download the photos I took and have a better look on your own screen

We live in a time when we're bombarded with more images than ever and it's likely we've seen it all before. To make an image stand out from the crowd you have to find a different way of looking at it or a viewer will swiftly move on...

Unless you're shooting square format, remember you can always turn your camera 90 degrees and shoot upright. This shape suits some subjects better than others...

The word Photography comes from the Greek words Photos and Graphos - light and drawing. Photography is literally drawing with light and in the following lessons you'll discover how to 'see' light, learn about its qualities and recognise which qualities will enhance or detract form a photo, depending on subject.

All light is good. The question you have to be able to answer is whether or not it's appropriate for the subject.

Very few people notice qualities of light and often mistake it for quantity. The important thing about light isn't how much there is. The important thing is the quality of what you have.

The "qualities of light" in photography refer to the characteristics and effects of light on a scene or subject. These qualities include:

1. Direction: The angle from which light hits the subject, affecting how shadows and highlights are cast and the overall mood of the image.

2. Intensity: The brightness or strength of the light, influencing exposure and the contrast between light and dark areas.

3. Colour: The hue of the light, which can vary from warm (yellow/orange) to cool (blue), impacting the color temperature and mood of the photo.

4. Hardness or Softness: Hard light creates sharp, defined shadows, while soft light produces gentle, diffused shadows. This quality affects the texture and depth perceived in the image.

5. Diffusion: How spread out or concentrated the light is, impacting how it wraps around the subject and influences details.

Understanding and manipulating these qualities allows photographers to create different atmospheres and convey emotions or narratives through their images.

Let's go back to when I first said to imagine light is a liquid because it will help you pre-visualise different types or qualities of light...

Please take the time to copy what I do in this exercise and you'll see for yourself how the direction light is coming from has a huge impact on how interesting a photo looks.

You'll learn how directional light causes shadows and highlights that bring shapes and textures to life. 

If you don't have a lobster of your own, I'm sure you can get one from somewhere or find a substitute...

Different types of light work better, or worse for different subjects or textures. This exercise will help you gain experience in recognising this.

Download the images I took when we filmed this lesson and compare them on your own screen. In this section's support notes and exercises I'll be asking you to repeat it for yourself.

This exercise will help you recognise the huge impact light has on a landscape. How just a small highlight or shadow makes a photo interesting and the lack of either can make it completely forgettable.

By doing this you'll learn how time of day and weather drastically affect your photos.

Light plays a crucial when photographing a person. It can dramatically affect the mood and aesthetic of a portrait.

Soft, diffused light can gracefully illuminate a person's features, creating a gentle and flattering effect. For male subjects, side lighting can emphasise texture and ruggedness, highlighting stronger facial features and contours.

In contrast, for female subjects, front or high-angle light tends to be more flattering, as it smooths the skin and softens facial features, producing a more delicate and ethereal look. The interplay of light and shadow, regardless of gender, can reveal or conceal details, adding depth and emotion to the portrait.

But where can we find these qualities of light in the real world?

Backlighting, where light comes from behind the subject, can dramatically enhance a photograph.

It accentuates textures, making details pop by creating a contrast between light and shadow. It can also produce a beautiful halo effect, outlining subjects with a soft, ethereal glow that separates them from the background.

Additionally, backlighting brings shadows toward the camera, adding a sense of depth and drama. These shadows stretch towards the viewer, creating a compelling visual dynamic that draws the eye.

Used skilfully, backlighting can transform an ordinary scene into a striking, mood-filled image.

Silhouettes in photography create striking contrasts, capturing subjects as dark shapes against brighter backgrounds.

To create a starburst effect, use a small aperture (high f-stop number) when shooting a light source. This technique makes light rays diffract through the aperture blades, creating a star-like appearance around the light. However it only works on crips clear days, if there's humidity or haze you wan't get a starburst.

Using pools of natural light can artistically spotlight your subject, creating a dramatic and focused effect, telling your viewer where to look and what the image is about.

This technique involves positioning your subject within a small, naturally lit area—like a beam of sunlight filtering through trees, clouds or a window. This isolated light acts as a natural spotlight, dramatically illuminating the subject while the surrounding areas remain subdued in shadow.

This contrast not only draws the viewer's attention directly to the subject but also adds depth and mood to the image and is a powerful method to convey emotion and narrative in a photograph.