Photography 101

Part 3: CompositionChapter 19

Tools

Contents

Part 1: Exposure

  1. 1 Mastering the Exposure TriangleBalance aperture, shutter speed and ISO for brightness, depth, motion and noise.
  2. 2 ISO and image noiseWhen to raise ISO, why grain appears, and how to trade it for a faster shutter.
  3. 3 MeteringWhat the meter aims for, how to read it, the four metering modes, and Sunny 16 when there's no meter.
  4. 4 Shooting modes and the histogramLet the camera set one setting, steer it with exposure compensation, and check the result with the histogram and zebras.
  5. 5 Dynamic rangeHow many stops a camera can hold at once, what to keep when a scene is wider, and measured figures for real cameras.
  6. 6 Shutter speed and motionCamera shake, freezing or blurring a moving subject, and ND filters for long exposures.
  7. Part 1 cheat sheetFormulas and starting settings from chapters 1–6.
  8. Part 1 quizCheck yourself on chapters 1–6.

Part 2: Focus and depth

  1. 7 Camera LensLens anatomy and how to choose wide, standard, telephoto, prime, zoom and specialist lenses for real subjects.
  2. 8 Aperture and depth of fieldWhy a wider aperture blurs the background, what else controls blur, and the shape of bokeh.
  3. 9 Sensor size and crop factorWhat a smaller sensor crops, equivalent focal length and aperture, and why phones fake the blur.
  4. 10 Hyperfocal distanceSharp from here to infinity: focusing landscapes with blur circles, focus stacking and a cheat card.
  5. 11 Diffraction and the sharpest apertureWhy f/22 looks soft, where your lens is sharpest, and how pixel size changes it.
  6. Part 2 cheat sheetFormulas and starting settings from chapters 7–11.
  7. Part 2 quizCheck yourself on chapters 7–11.

Part 3: Composition

  1. 12 The composition reading planAll 15 chapters of The Elements of Composition, with printed page numbers and a photography lesson for each.
  2. 13 Introduction to compositionComposition as visual communication: choose what to show, compare three frames, and see how viewers read them.
  3. 14 What is composition?Arrange subject, space and edges to change what a photograph says; compare photos and make three versions of one scene.
  4. 15 Focal pointsChoose where the eye lands first, use contrast and space to build a visual path, then test thirds and diagonals in a field exercise.
  5. 16 LinesFollow straight, curved and implied lines through a photograph, then make three frames of one subject from different positions.
  6. 17 ShapesFind shapes made by subjects and space, use a frame within the frame, and compare three ways to place one subject.
  7. 18 TexturesMake a surface feel tangible with light, detail and context, then photograph one material three ways.
  8. 19 PatternsUse repetition to build rhythm, break a pattern to draw attention, and make three versions of one repeated scene.
  9. 20 SpaceUse positive and negative space, fill the frame, and simplify without losing meaning.
  10. 21 DepthLayer foreground, middle ground and background, and use perspective or deep space to show distance.
  11. 22 BalanceWeigh elements with symmetry, asymmetry and radial arrangements; explore the golden ratio as an optional guide.
  12. 23 ContrastCreate meaning and focus through contrasting subjects, light, shadows and colour.
  13. 24 ColorChoose hue, saturation and brightness, then compare complementary, triadic, analogous and monochromatic palettes.
  14. 25 ToneRead shadow, midtone and highlight; shape global and local tone while keeping meaningful detail.
  15. 26 AngleChange camera height and tilt to compare level, straight up or down, high and low viewpoints.
  16. 27 Composition conclusionBring the elements together in a four-frame story and develop your own way of seeing.

Part 4: Color Theory

  1. 28 Color Theory in PhotographyUse HSL, warm and cool depth, four color harmonies, white balance and selective editing to guide attention.
  2. 29 White balanceRead the color of light, match Kelvin and tint, and choose what to preserve when lights mix.

Tools

  1. Color wheelExplore hues, adjust saturation and luminosity, enter RGB or hex values, and preview the color live.
  2. Photo editorTry light, colour, detail and crop adjustments on a sample or your own photo, then save the result.
  3. Golden hour plannerSunrise, sunset, golden hour and blue hour for where you are, and where the sun rises and sets.
  4. ND filter calculatorYour shutter speed with an ND filter on, and a countdown timer for bulb mode.
  5. Depth of field calculatorHow much is sharp for your lens, aperture and focus distance, and the hyperfocal distance.
  6. Photo info and location removerSee a photo's camera settings and where it was taken, then remove the location before you share it.

Chapter 19Part 3: Composition

Patterns

Repeated shapes and colours create a rhythm your eye learns quickly. Keep that rhythm going, or interrupt it to give one detail a reason to stand out.

Repetition makes rhythm

A pattern appears when similar things recur: windows, leaves, footsteps, shadows or colours. Exact copies make an orderly grid. Looser repetition can feel more irregular. In either case, the viewer begins to expect what comes next.

01

Find the unit

Ask what repeats. Is it a shape, a colour, a direction, or an object?

02

Frame the rhythm

Move closer to fill the frame, or leave a boundary to show where the pattern lives.

03

Notice the exception

One open window, different colour or empty place can become a focal point once the pattern is clear.

Repetition and pattern are related. Repetition is the return of a thing; a pattern is the larger arrangement your eye makes from those returns.

What happens when one unit changes?

Scan the grid, then reveal one difference. Notice how your first look changes when the repeated rhythm gains an exception.

With every unit alike, attention can travel across the whole grid.

Colour is one way to interrupt a pattern. In a real scene, look for a changed shape, a gap, a gesture or a person among repeated objects.

A building as a rhythm

Rows of repeating concrete window openings on a building facade
Photo by The Drink Break on Unsplash

The window openings repeat in a tight grid. Their dark interiors and bright concrete edges make the units easy to compare. The diagonal view keeps the rhythm moving across the frame.

What to look for

  1. Find one window unit, then count how many times your eye follows it.
  2. Notice small differences in shadow and reflection. Do they create a focal point, or does the group stay dominant?
  3. Imagine one open window or a person in one opening. Where would you notice the change first?

This photograph is mainly about repetition. The interactive grid above demonstrates a stronger interruption than this scene contains.

Field exercise: build and break a rhythm

Find a repeated scene you can revisit: seats, tiles, market stalls, leaves or windows. Keep the main pattern recognisable in all three frames.

  1. Fill the frame. Arrange the repeated units so the rhythm is the subject. Check the edges for half-cut units.
  2. Leave context. Step back to show where the repetition lives. Does the pattern remain strong?
  3. Find a break. Wait for a person, search for a gap or move until one different unit is visible. Do not rearrange or damage the scene.

Bring back: three photographs. Mark the repeating unit in each. For the third, mark the interruption and ask someone what they noticed first.

Review your frames

This original photography lesson develops Chapter 7, “Patterns,” of StudioBinder’s The Elements of Composition: The Complete Guide (printed pp. 32–36). See the composition reading plan.