إظهار التركيب وإبرازه .. العناصر الأساسية للصورة .. كتاب التصوير الضوئي

Showing and highlighting composition .. The basic elements of the image .. The book of photography

Showing and highlighting composition

If used descriptively, composition plays an important role in almost all successful photographs. It adds the quality of (tangibility) to the elements of shape, color and tones. It shows the physical quality of a surface and informs about the material of the object. Thanks to your previous experience, you can feel the material without having to touch it: you know in advance that the peel of an apple is smooth and the crust of a bread is rough.

Composition suggests depth without translating volume and alone allows for this feeling of third dimension. One way to emphasize the special nature of the subject is to copy it larger than life. When represented in this way, composition surprises us with its unusual appearance. The most popular thing becomes unknown: an orange seen from very close up resembles a lunar landscape more than a citrus fruit. So to completely change the face of the subject, it is enough to photograph it from a short distance.

Most surfaces appear irregular and rough when examined from very close up. A light that is shed reveals the nature of the hidden matter. In a human figure, for example, you can simply show the pores of the skin instead of being concerned only with the pose and expression. By emphasizing the roughness or smoothness of your model's face, you can tell about his character. This observation can also be applied to inanimate objects whose composition reveals the material or the erosion of the surface and can also suggest the passage of time and reveal hidden small details.

Do not omit the composition unless you want to emphasize the shapes or lines: in this case, there is no visual conflict between the main subject and its surfaces. The return of the composition does not apply to a silhouette or to a subject with contrasting colors. The advantage of the composition, which is a purely photographic advantage, lies in its strengthening of the sense of depth and in revealing the physical nature of objects more closely.

Natural composition

The weak winter sun brings out the gray values ​​and the special composition of the flower and its leaves. The exposure time should be reduced slightly to give prominence and protrusion to the vegetable matter. MPP Camera

1/125 sec. 16 Kodak Tri X

Comparing Different Compositions

The diffracted light reveals the important features of the surface of this old wall. Although the metal and wood are covered in tar, they are clearly identifiable because each surface absorbs and reflects light differently.
Senard Camera 1/125 sec. 8 Ford FP4

Using a reflector in very strong light

This detail of a wood carving by Henry Moore is lit by a side light coming in from the window and a reflector (see sketch below) reflects details in the shadows. I wanted to show the carved surface in three dimensions. It is difficult to tell whether this surface is convex or concave. If you turn the book over you will get a different relief effect.

Hasselblad 1/30 sec aperture 16 Kodak Tri X

Composition in a portrait - lighting details

This portrait of the comic artist Ellingworth is lit by a strong side light which shows the facial structure i.e. the texture of the skin. This lighting method brings a special quality to the image by giving us information about the age of the person and by adding drama to the exaggerated surface.
Rolliflex 1/125 sec aperture 11
Kodak Tri X

Composition in diffused light

Large areas are better lit by the side light so that the shadows do not obscure important parts of the surface. Here the light was falling obliquely on the beach and the sun was blocked.
Lenhoff camera wide angle lens 1/15 sec
32 aperture Ford FP4.