Hello friends. Continuing the previous lesson of rules of composition, I will assume that you have a decent understanding of the rule of thirds.

To take better pictures, there should be a balance in the way you compose the picture. When the human eye observes that there is a pattern in the way you capture pictures, there would be a different response to the picture. The rules of composition in general situations drive you to achieve those targets.

A minor variation of the Rule of thirds is the use of the golden ratio in the rule of thirds. If you are conversant with the golden ratio, (or even if you are not, you will see it in the next picture)

Golden Ratio or Fibonacci ratio divides the frame into the spiral like pattern that you see above. Place your subject at either of the corners at the precise location and look at the drama you can create with the pictures.

Balance of the subjects: Not just shooting the picture with the rule of thirds blindly, try to balance the screen. The photo might not be as good if one part of the screen is filled with the subject but the other half is completely empty. There is a great shift of “weight” to one side in the picture which might lack appeal.

This picture has a definite balance with the foreground and background. The subject driftwood draws all attention or weight to the foreground while the background is a subtle factory look that doesn't distract but acts as counterweight in the picture.

Leading Lines: Everything natural and artificial has geometry. Make use of the geometry to draw attention to your subjects.

The photographer here made brilliant use of the fields of tulips to draw his attention to his primary subject, the windmill. The windmill picture could have been any other banal picture of a windmill taken up close but this picture has all the elements, a balance in foreground and background while the lines between the flowers take your eyes to the center of the frame to the windmill.

Another similar example

This is the use of the diagonals. Notice the electric wires acting as diagonals into the frame of the scene. Horizontal lines produce a calm effect on the viewer. Vertical lines convey a feeling of stability. It is the diagonal lines that add drama to the picture when you need it.

Implement these for the rest of the week along with the cumulative lessons earlier. Check out our Wishesh Special column for more interesting articles.

http://www.andhrawishesh.com/home/375:wishesh-special.html

Photography tip of the day: Try to use the in-built flash as little as possible as it gives away too much harsh light.

(AW- Anil)