Published on : 12 June 20203 min reading time

Third party rules or golden rules on photo composition and framing must be preconditions for the capture of a photo. Find out in this article the golden rules on photo framing.

Choose horizontal or vertical framing

The orientation of the picture is a first choice you must make before you capture a subject. As for “horizontal” framing, it is ideal for photos to be taken in “landscape” format. Indeed, it is appropriate on shots of a general scene (groups of people…) and on all activities that take place across the width (such as car races, or wedding ceremony, etc.).

On the choice of vertical framing, it is a portrait image format. In a vertical composition, the eye is less accustomed to it because it has to scan the image from top to bottom. In addition, optical printing will make you believe that the “portrait” photo is larger than the photo taken horizontally. This is because vertical framing is appropriate for portrait shots. Vertical framing is more convenient than horizontal framing because it gives the impression of the subject and proximity.

Set your focus on the viewpoint

For this second option, the photographer must choose a position close to the subject, and this position is meaningful. He must indicate his relationship to the action and choose his most ideal point of view to transcribe it. If the point of view is far away, the photographer will feel a certain distance. In contrast, when he gets closer to the subject, he sees all angles of the subject.

There are three positions for photographers to choose from. The first is eye height. The position is said to be normal if the photographer is at the same height as the subject. The second is the plunge position. In this position, the photographer points the camera downward, so it is higher than the subject. The purpose of this position is to overwrite the perspective, distort the elements, and avoid any interfering elements. But this position is not correct for photographing children. The third is the extended counter position, which is the opposite of the extended position. The advantage is that it gives an impression of power and domination of the subject.

Opt for the size of the shots

The human silhouette is the basis for the size of the shots. This notion of planes is used in language. But it is in photography that we identify the different types of framing. For example, the general shot consists of capturing the subject in its general environment. Thus, the subject is seen with a distance since it is captured in this large space. This shot is ideal for emphasizing the relationship between the subject and its location and the extent of the area being photographed.