EXERCISE An Economy of Means LEARNING OBJECTIVES ½ Develop a broader set of In people photography, composition is the language photographers use to express how they want the subject to be understood. With a slight compositional change a picture can go from cluttered to serene. The skill to make the change is something that is gained through practice over time. The better we get, the less we need to say. Like the novelist who learns how to use more precise language to express more profound ideas, composition is about the economy of means. STEP 1 LEADING LINES compositional sensibilities. ½ Explore how to compose a wider range of visual ideas. ½ Nurture new ways of seeing. ½ Look through the lens with When you look at a photograph your eye follows the lines like a hiker sticking to a well-trodden path through the woods. In pictures, the lines lead and cre- ate a dynamic flow. To learn how to harness the power of lines, find a location with well-defined straight or curved lines. When looking for the right spot, consider exploring park paths, bridges, city streets, stairways, or anything that provides distinct perspective. Position the subject so that the lines lead up to his spot. Strive to create a dramatic and obvious path. When composing the shots, carefully orga- nize the scene. First look at the subject and then look around the frame. Pay careful attention to where each line starts and stops. Consider starting with a symmetrical approach. Next, change the composition to try different extremes. Create at least 15 dynamic line-filled shots in one location. STEP 2 VANTAGE POINT more childlike curiosity. TIPS Developing compositional skills requires consistency, patience, and curiosity. Keep at it and the results will elevate your photographs. When experimenting with new compositional ideas, don't be too self-critical. Embrace the uncertainty and let go of trying to make good photographs. When composing the frame ask yourself: What doesn't fit? What can be removed? How can I say more with less? Too often, people photographers stand still hoping to find an interesting frame. As most seasoned photographers know, this doesn't work. The best photographs result from of a unique point of view. Good photography requires that you move. Movement starts with what we wear, so throw on some functional clothes and a pair of running or hiking shoes. You have to plan to get dirty in order to learn how to see. Before the shoot, get out a few tools that will help you change the way you stand. Here are a few ideas: ladder, towel or drop cloth, some knee- pads, and anything else that will get you off your feet. Choose a location and subject that have potential for many perspectives. Before the shoot create a checklist of different vantage-point types of shots. Your list might include shooting from perspectives like this: bug, dog, upside- down bat, or bird in a tree. During the shoot make sure to capture each type of shot. As you experiment with these perspectives be sure to shoot both up close and far away. Choose five perspectives in your location and shoot at least five pictures of each. EXERCISE DETAILS Goal: 60 portraits that are different than anything you have ever done. Tools: Camera; wide, normal, or telephoto focal-length lens. Light: Natural or available light. Location: A natural environment that will provide you space to experiment and play. Theme: Composition curiosity. Duration: 30 minutes for each shoot. EXERCISE 19: CURIOUS COMPOSITION 121