What is the best resource to learn about photographic composition?

Question

I'm looking for any resource (book, website, etc) that can teach me all about composition. I'm pretty good with the technology of photography but I need some help on the artistic side of it. Thanks a lot!

Answer 1

http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=3275&page=1

http://www.design-skills.org/design_principles_guidelines.html

http://photoinf.com/General/Peter_Saw/Tutorial_on_Composition/Contents.htm



The best way to learn is from an art instructor. Take few classes in basic art and design.

Answer 2

visit photography exhibitions. look around to see what you like and try to figure out why it appeals to you. listen very carefully (yes eavesdropping is allowed) to other visitors talking about the art. they will focus more on the artistic qualities and less on technical stuff. if you're brave and the opportunity is there, you could even ask people about composition (visitors, or the gallery owner). or sneak in at an opening and ask the artist her/him-self (this suggestion's only valid if you're really brave, or a little insane; which is about the same I guess). or maybe you could join a club of photographers wanting to discuss photography. or take a class (with others).

maybe this could help too: photoinf.com (general guidelines for photographic composition)

and do the classics, but just for practice: the sunset, the seaside, the flower close-up et cetera. you don't need to share these, guess we all did them at some point. if you look at a photograph and keep looking it might be a clue it's an interesting composition (or at least something's interesting about it...). and you could check the Q&A on this topic here: lots of people upload pics just for comments; you could benefit from the response. btw now I'm curious: can I see some of yours? (is this a rude question? I'm from a country where we're considered too direct. and using inappropriate language: got my first censored answer yesterday...)

Answer 3

I suggest art history or other traditional art classes. I have taken photos for 11 years. But it was pretty random until I had art history in college. You learn things like real or exaggerated? What is real? Does Mary float like an angel or dominate the frame like a queen? Is the baby Jesus a little man or a real looking baby? You're stature will be on the roof, face his down, do crazy features so they register to people looking 500ft away. There is about 2000 years of art and only 150 years of photography.



To try and learn art from photography alone is like trying to learn technology from computers alone, what about the trebuchet? Concrete? Wheel?

Answer 4

The artistic side comes from within. Learn to use the frame of your camera to contain an image or a scene. You can always crop it in closer once you have it on your computer. You can study composition till you are blue in the face, however, Intuition is the best teacher when it comes to photography.