Position of subject

[Tejal]

Dear All,

I have a query, if you can share your view on this. Following are some pictures, in which subject is in center. If I try to keep it off center then I have to compromise with the balance of environment. Framing may disturb the back ground. What we could do in such situation. Kindly share your opinion.

Thanks.

Tejal


IMG_3469 by Tejal Imagination, on Flickr

IMG_4474 by Tejal Imagination, on Flickr

IMG_4578 as Smart Object-1 by Tejal Imagination, on Flickr

[bnnrcn]

Hi Tejal I would leave them without cropping as they are. It might be good idea to clone the green bottle in #2 as its color distracts.

[Tejal]

Hi Tejal I would leave them without cropping as they are. It might be good idea to clone the green bottle in #2 as its color distracts.

Thnx Binnur . Yes, bottle could be cloned. I have not done editing just to understand the exact subject position. But yes, for final one, YES, cloning could be done .

[Mike Buckley]

None of the subjects are centered in the frame. They are far enough off-center that they ensure that none of the compositions are static. Most important, each subject is "looking into" the larger amount of space at the side rather than the smaller amount. Well done; I wouldn't change the composition in any of them.

[Tejal]

None of the subjects are centered in the frame. They are far enough off-center that they ensure that none of the compositions are static. Most important, each subject is "looking into" the larger amount of space at the side rather than the smaller amount. Well done; I wouldn't change the composition in any of them.

Thanks a lot for your valuable input. Since long this question was bothering me .

[Shadowman]

Nicely captured series, I agree that positioning is fine as is.

[Geoff F]

For me, Tejal, when the subject is off centre you still need something in the composition to compensate and restore a form of balance; or have some totally negative blank space.

Other times, as with these shots, they are more like portraits so will work with a central main subject placement and well balanced sides.

[Manfred M]

Tejal - I have very mixed feelings about the "rules of composition" as they are sometimes of use and at other times more of a hindrance. When I started learning photography, many of my images were "rule based", but after a while I gave up and started composing images that worked for me.

I remember some years ago picking up a book by Yousef Karsh, who is often considered to be the best portrait photographer of all time. I went through the images and found that he broke the rules in many, if not most of the images. In fact, if I were to post one of his shots here as my own, I feel that I would get a lot of push back for breaking the rules of composition.

One of my favourite photographic quotes comes from Ansel Adams, the great American landscape photographer; "There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs." Look for balance and things that lead your viewer's eyes into the photography rather than specific rules to follow.

Your images are quite strong and well composed; the symmetry is a positive, not a negative. You are using the buildings as a frame, and the person is really an asymmetrical subject inside a symmetrical frame.

[Tejal]

Thanks a lot Manfred!! Feeling confident now.
Several times I get suggestion to keep subject off center but in some cases not possible. Since I know the field conditions I understand that it was not possible but difficult to explain it to others. :.

Tejal - I have very mixed feelings about the "rules of composition"as they are sometimes of use and at other times more of a hindrance. When I started learning photography, many of my images were "rule based", but after a while I gave up and started composing images that worked for me.

I remember some years ago picking up a book by Yousef Karsh, who is often considered to be the best portrait photographer of all time. I went through the images and found that he broke the rules in many, if not most of the images. In fact, if I were to post one of his shots here as my own, I feel that I would get a lot of push back for breaking the rules of composition.

One of my favourite photographic quotes comes from Ansel Adams, the great American landscape photographer; "There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs." Look for balance and things that lead your viewer's eyes into the photography rather than specific rules to follow.

Your images are quite strong and well composed; the symmetry is a positive, not a negative. You are using the buildings as a frame, and the person is really an asymmetrical subject inside a symmetrical frame.

[fotugraphy]

Tejal - I have very mixed feelings about the "rules of composition" as they are sometimes of use and at other times more of a hindrance. When I started learning photography, many of my images were "rule based", but after a while I gave up and started composing images that worked for me.

I remember some years ago picking up a book by Yousef Karsh, who is often considered to be the best portrait photographer of all time. I went through the images and found that he broke the rules in many, if not most of the images. In fact, if I were to post one of his shots here as my own, I feel that I would get a lot of push back for breaking the rules of composition.

One of my favourite photographic quotes comes from Ansel Adams, the great American landscape photographer; "There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs." Look for balance and things that lead your viewer's eyes into the photography rather than specific rules to follow.

Your images are quite strong and well composed; the symmetry is a positive, not a negative. You are using the buildings as a frame, and the person is really an asymmetrical subject inside a symmetrical frame.

I still remember your suggestion about Yousef Karsh and really helped me a lot. Thanks

[Tejal]

For me, Tejal, when the subject is off centre you still need something in the composition to compensate and restore a form of balance; or have some totally negative blank space.

Other times, as with these shots, they are more like portraits so will work with a central main subject placement and well balanced sides.

Thanks a lot for sharing your view on my query . I am quite clear now.

[rpcrowe]

I love these shots and would not drastically change the composition on any of them.

What I would do, if they were mine, is adjust the perspective ever so little so that the verticals are vertical. This would also entail a slight bit of cropping but only the slightest bit.

This could be done in Photoshop Edit> Transform > perspective

or in Adobe Camera Raw> lens corrections> transform (I like this way the best)

[Tejal]

I love these shots and would not drastically change the composition on any of them.

What I would do, if they were mine, is adjust the perspective ever so little so that the verticals are vertical. This would also entail a slight bit of cropping but only the slightest bit.

This could be done in Photoshop Edit> Transform > perspective

or in Adobe Camera Raw> lens corrections> transform (I like this way the best)

Thanks Richard for your input. Yes, perspective correction can be done. I have not done any correction here in these pics, just to showcase the exact field situation.