Master the 7 Keys to Composition: Read This If You Want to Take Outstanding Photographs with Your Camera

By Darren Tilnak P.I.P.P

In the illustration of the apple trees (left image), the apples jump out convincingly because the red is opposite to green in the colour spectrum. However, when you convert that image to black-and-white (right image), the apples and leaves are converted to a very similar grey tone and hence blend together to make for a messy photograph. In the book, you will learn how to make an outstanding black-and-white image.

In Chapter 10, you will discover a propriety observation that Darren shares based on his 40 years of experience as a professional photographer. Your eyes will always go to the lightest or darkest part of the image. In Chapter 12, you will master the art of tone and clever use of colour to take your photography quantum.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press AU
• Release date: Oct 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9781982291983

Book preview

Copyright © 2021 Darren Tilnak (M.Photog) P.I.P.P.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by

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without the written permission of the author except in the case of

brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical

problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The

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Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9822-9197-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-9198-3 (e)

Balboa Press rev. date:   09/13/2021

CONTENTS

A Message From The Author

1So What’s the Difference between a Good Photographer and a Great Photographer?

2Art Versus Craft

3Photographic Integration Is the Key

4This Is How I Taught Myself Photography

5Why Is Understanding Composition Important?

6What Is Strong Composition?

7Journalising Each Composition Exercise

7aPhotographic Tools and Requirements List

8The Golden Rule

8eGolden Rule–Guided Exercises

9Subject Size Does Matter

9eSubject Size–Guided Exercises

10Selective Focus

10eSelective Focus–Guided Exercises

11Perspective: The Art of Creating the Real World

11ePerspective Guided Exercises

12Tone and Colour

12eTone and Colour Photo Essay

13FMB: Foreground, Middle-Ground, Background

13eFMB Photo Essay

14The Perception of Depth: The Master Key

15The Perception of Depth: Examples of Overlaying Compositional Rules

15eComposition: Perception of Depth Exercises

16Mastering Composition: Epilogue

17Portfolio: Professional Artwork

Acknowledgements

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR

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The Blueprint to Strong Composition

This book is a blueprint for success if you apply the learnings and have fun with the exercises. I’m a big believer that when you want to learn something fast, one of the best ways is to use repetition. Zig Ziglar, an accomplished author, motivator, and an outstanding speaker says that repetition is the mother of all learning. I use that philosophy to speed up and fast-track the learning process. How do I do this? By taking out most of the complicated aspects of photography, breaking it down, and simplifying it so you have more fun learning at a much faster rate.

Are You a Passionate Amateur Photographer?

If you have ever read any of my blogs or other books, you’ll note I state that photography is both an art and a craft. In my previous book, Master Your Camera Controls, I focused on making sure you have all the elementary skills so you can photograph a scene exactly the way you see it. I believe the only way you will ever be able to do so is by having your SLR or mirrorless camera on full manual settings, where you have total control over the scene and your camera. If you have read and completed all the exercises from my first book, you are ready to go up to the next level, which is delving into the art side of photography.

What This Book Is Not

The first thing that you will notice is it’s certainly not the typical science-based book, super-technical, heavy-going, and boring. There will not be long-winded explanations of each of the compositions explored in this book. It is also not a book whereby you have to constantly look up words that confuse you. I find that when an author tries to bamboozle me with technicalities and scientific terms, it tends to lose me. My time is too precious. When I decided to write this book, I had your time in mind as well. One thing is for sure; this planet is spinning faster.

Ever since the creation of the World Wide Web, Facebook, and other major breakthroughs in technology, it seems like everyone has less time. With that in mind, I want this book to be the opposite of a highly technical and complicated science-based book. I could have easily stretched it out to over 250 pages, but again, that is not my style. I want you to have the lessons and the learning now, at this moment. Personally, I always learn faster when I’m having fun, so let’s make your learning process enjoyable.

The second thing you will notice is that I occasionally swap out photographic jargon for my vocabulary based on my forty years of professional experience. One example of this is when we get to explore the very first compositional consideration rule, the golden mean, also known as the golden ratio, and very similar to the rule of thirds. The last thing I want to do is bog you down with science, so I have simplified this particular compositional rule and just called it the golden rule. The golden rule effectively encapsulates those three names beautifully, and that’s what I have called it since I formally studied composition. Perhaps purists might not like the idea of changing up the name, but again, I’m into fast-tracking and simplifying the science and complications when it comes to photography. Perhaps this is also why my master class attendees love the session; I don’t confuse them with fancy words they don’t understand. I certainly don’t need to prove my knowledge in photography by showing off my well-versed education. Instead, I simplify the facts to the lowest common denominator. That way everyone leaves my master class well educated and achieving the results they were looking for. Let’s move on to what this book really is.

I’ll Tell You What This Book Really Is

This book is an accurate fast-track system to understanding the compositional rules that make up stunning, well-read images. Your viewers—be they your client, family, friends, or Instagram followers—will be in awe of your photographs and won’t even know why. But you will!

Additionally, this book is a conversation. I’ve written it as if I were speaking directly to you and guiding you through the seven keys to composition. Why? It’s just the way I teach. In Mastering the 7 Keys to Composition, I cover all the key elements that make strong, award-winning photographs. Having given numerous seminars and workshops to the professional photography industry and hobbyists over the last thirty years, it is very apparent to me that most photographers only apply one or two compositional considerations or rules to their photographs. Not only that, but most of the time it’s only one consideration per image. Conversely, what I do is create imagery that has at least three compositional factors in the one photograph. This compositional overlaying makes for very impacting, powerful imagery that is easy to read and pleasing to the eye. The work is also saleable and sustainable, not to mention timeless and valuable.

Understanding the Seven Key

Composition Elements

I will share with you the seven primary compositional considerations that you will be able to apply to your photography. Once you see each composition, it will be tough for you to unsee that composition in any photograph, whether that happens to be online or hanging in a gallery. I will expand your mind to a world that looks at art in a different light. And from this moment, on you will also become an authority in the area of composition.

Create Imagery That Is Inspiring

You will see the power you have once you understand beautiful, strong composition. You will have a license to create imagery that inspires, argues with, and educates the viewer about your viewpoint through the image you have created. Many amateur photographers, and even some professionals for that matter, have never actually spent time studying composition or what it means. Therefore, they produce images that are messy and very hard to read. There is often no single subject matter. Your eyes just fleet around the picture, trying to settle on something. These types of pictures are the exact opposite of strong composition.

In one of the considerations we will talking about tone and colour. It reminds me of when I decided to become a black-and-white