Photography 101

Part 3: CompositionChapter 25

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 25Part 3: Composition

Tone

Even without colour, a photograph can move from black through soft grays to white. Those values give shapes dimension and set the overall feeling.

From shadow to highlight

Tone describes the light and dark values of a picture and the feeling their arrangement creates. A range of values can give a flat image depth and form. A mostly bright frame feels different from one dominated by shadow, even before you identify the subject.

Tonal contrast is the difference between nearby light and dark values. It works in colour and black-and-white photographs. Deep shadow can be expressive; preserve the detail that your story needs.

A face in a field of dark

Black and white close portrait with a lit face and eye emerging from deep shadow
Photo by Eugenia Pan'kiv on Unsplash

The photograph's overall tone is dark. Within it, the light on the face and the bright background at one corner form distinct local areas. The eye sits between those values and becomes a natural point of attention.

Study the values

  1. Squint until the face becomes a light shape. Where does it separate from the dark?
  2. Find a middle gray on the cheek or neck. It carries form between the brightest and darkest areas.
  3. Imagine lifting every shadow. Would the portrait gain information or lose its concentration?

The whole image and a single area

GLOBAL

Read the overall tone

Step back and look at the whole frame. Is it mostly bright, dark, muted, warm or cool? This broad impression can set the mood before the viewer studies any one object.

LOCAL

Read a particular area

A bright face can stand within a dark global tone. Compare its values with the immediate surroundings, then ask whether another bright patch competes with it.

ZONES

Plan what detail to keep

Ansel Adams' Zone System is a way of planning black-and-white tones, from deep black through grays to bright white. The useful field habit is to decide which shadows and highlights should retain texture, then expose and process accordingly. A histogram can help you check clipping.

The book also uses warm, cool, bright and dull to describe tonal feeling. These words are suggestive, not fixed emotional meanings.

Field exercise: shape a tonal mood

Photograph one subject near a window or another steady light source. Keep the camera position similar.

  1. Broad range. Include readable shadow, midtone and highlight detail.
  2. Dark overall. Let the background fall darker while keeping the subject's important form visible.
  3. Bright overall. Place the subject against a pale background and protect detail in the lightest area.

Bring back: three frames, preferably viewed in black and white. For each, mark the deepest black, a useful middle tone and the brightest meaningful highlight.

Review your frames

This original lesson develops Chapter 13, “Tone,” of StudioBinder’s The Elements of Composition: The Complete Guide (printed pp. 80–85). See the composition reading plan.