TAOP Exercise: Object in different positions in the frame

The object of this exercise is to consider where to point the 'subject or object' within the frame.




f2, 1/8000, ISO 100, 85mm

1. Centre, often the obvious choice to the layman, but this can look forced, even awkward. It has its place, probably for descriptive or record keeping photography like medical photography for example. In order to consider something more artistic, pleasing to the eye, we must consider moving the object around within the composition.



f2, 1/8000, ISO 100, 85mm

2. Off centre left (or right) OK, so we are beginning to see how this change may influence the piece more. We find our eye drawn off centre creating more interest and allowing space for the other elements of the composition to become more important themselves. So now we can see this is going to create something more interesting, lets try some alternative positioning to see which is most pleasing.


Lower Right


f2, 1/8000, ISO 100, 85mm

3. lower Right. Well, we are experimenting, this is more interesting but given the scene in front of me Im not sure this tells the best story, this doesn't really add anything over the previous shot. We see the open areas cluttered with random plants and false borders. But we are getting there so lets finish it off.



f2, 1/8000, ISO 100, 85mm

4. Upper left. Now we are getting somewhere, see how this placement opens up the composition into something more akin to a 'picture'? we find ourselves drawn to the subject but also exploring the areas around it or even being led to the subject by the rest of the picture. We are beginning to tell a story, our Lilly lives in a pond, which is quite large and has fish in it as well areas of open water. We didn't know all of that from shot 1 did we.