Lesson 6 Quiz

Composition is the arrangement of visual elements within the frame. Without a considered arrangement, even technically perfect exposure and sharp focus produce an image that fails to hold attention.

Lines carry feelings viewers sense without thinking about them. Horizontal lines feel calm and stable, vertical lines feel strong and tall, and diagonals feel active. Choosing which lines dominate the frame is a way to set the mood of a photo.

Vertical lines echo things that stand upright, such as tall trees, towers and columns, so they suggest height, strength and dignity. Photographing them with vertical emphasis makes a subject feel grand. Horizontal lines are the ones that suggest rest and calm, and diagonals suggest motion.

The S-curve, or Line of Beauty, is a flowing reverse curve through the frame. Because it mirrors natural organic shapes, the eye follows it smoothly rather than stopping at hard angles.

Shapes in a photo are not only drawn outlines. When separate subjects relate to each other, such as three people's faces or a row of objects, the eye joins them with implied lines into a triangle or circle. That connection guides the eye around the frame.

High key photography uses mostly bright tones, with white or pale backgrounds and soft, low-contrast light. The result looks light, airy and delicate. Dark tones dominating the frame is the opposite style, low key.

Irrelevant elements divide the viewer's attention and weaken the main subject. Reframing to exclude them before pressing the shutter is faster and cleaner than trying to fix the problem in post-processing.

Placing the subject at one of the four intersections created by dividing the frame into thirds creates natural tension between subject and space, which is more dynamic than dead-center placement.

The golden ratio, roughly 1.618:1, appears in natural growth patterns and classical architecture. Photographers use it as a guide for proportioning compositional divisions that feel inherently pleasing to the eye.

Cutting a limb or recognizable element at the frame edge draws attention to the absence. Intentional amputation can create tension; accidental amputation usually just looks like a careless crop.