So let's talk about composition. What is composition, composition is how you compose your photo. Now, this can kind of vary with every photograph, right? Where do you put your subject? Where do you put the horizon line? Where do you put your camera? Composition is really important and really can affect your image with mobile photography using your phone is really awesome, right? Because you can actually put that mobile phone anywhere I can put that LS almost directly on the ground, creating a really awesome composition with the ground or the floor going right up against the lens with some cameras and mobile phones, they're water resistant, right? I can put the lens just on the edge of the water or right above the water and feel safe. Really having a mobile phone allows you to create these interesting compositions. Now, something creative for me that I've always said is, you know, when you're taking a picture and it's right up here, that's kind of where we're always looking, right? That...

's where our eyes are getting creative, will say more with your image and it will really make your image better. So take your phone, take your camera and put it somewhere where your eyes aren't normally, right? Put it low shooting up, put it up, high shooting down, put it against a wall, create leading lines, create other deep compositions where you can kind of put your camera anywhere. When talking about composition, we also talk about horizontal versus vertical. Typically with a mobile phone, you're apt to normally try and use vertical photos, right? Because your phone is like that typically with a normal camera, you're more inclined to do a horizontal photo, right? Because you're holding it like this. So thinking about that in composition, what does a horizontal photo mean versus a vertical photo? A lot of times uh you know, you think about TV, or you think about movies, things are more horizontal and that's kind of the way we view things, right? It's a lot more of a horizontal look. So think about your composition and do you want it to be more calm and like normal and have it be horizontal or are you looking at a building? And do you wanna see the height of the actual uh building by shooting it vertically? You know, and also talking about displaying your photo later on how do you want your composition to be viewed? Do you want it to be looked at on a wall where it would look better as a horizontal or do you want it to on your phone, on the background of your screen where it will look better as a vertical photo. Thinking about your composition being horizontal, vertical is very important to what you're trying to say. And you gotta remember with a phone, you always are thinking about using it as a vertical image right away because of the orientation of your phone. So think about flipping it or moving it to change that sort of composition. The rule of thirds. Now the rule of thirds applies to where you're putting your subject in your composition. Now, over time, we've discovered that this is very aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Now, thinking about your composition, we split it up into thirds horizontally and vertically. It's really cool on mobile phones. Actually, you can bring up a grid that will give you two lines horizontally and two lines vertically and allow you to really see where you're putting your subject. This is something that I think as a beginner photographer, uh you can practice and we really expand your photography and make you a better photographer pretty quickly. Once you start to learn and practice using the rule of thirds, now these aren't, you know, rules to abide all the time, right? Like you don't always need to be doing this and they can be broken. Um just because you're not following the rules, doesn't mean you can create, you can't create a beautiful photograph but try to start to think about the rule of thirds, right? Bring up the grid on your phone, which most phones will allow you to do that. Look at your subject and practice shifting that subject into the intersections of those thirds you'll find right away that you'll be able to, you know, express something differently with your subject. Right? If your subject is in one section versus another section or, you know, at the bottom versus the top, you can really change your composition of what you're trying to say artistically. Um, the more you practice this, the better you'll get at it. And you also start to see and push your own style and how you can kind of create wonderful interesting compositions. Uh More so than when you used to. Ultimately, the rule of thirds is there to help you start to think about your compositions. It's a good place to start when trying to figure out where to place your subject as you start to practice and you get better at it. You'll start to see yourself growing as an artist and you'll be able to really push yourself uh in your own style and your own compositions.

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Philip Ebiner

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topics covered in this class

iPhone Mobile Photography

Ratings and Reviews

Joanna

Definitely geared to beginners, but the class has a lot of good information. As an advanced camera photographer still trying to get to know my phone camera better, I learned a few things I didn't know (like you can use portrait mode for selfies, what hyper lapse is and the VSCO app). Nice job!

user-d195e3

Good course for everyone starting out and needed to have some more basic info beyond the common snap shot. I had wished for more info on using mobile in the more professional field like when switching from camera to mobile. Additional lenses and flashes and things like that. But this course was obviously not targeted at this. So overall still a nice brush up.

Barbara

Great class. Well organized and clearly presented. Would be very good for beginners and mid level users. highly recommend.

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Improve Your Photos with Composition

Improve Your Photos with Composition

Lesson Info

13. Improve Your Photos with Composition

Lessons

Welcome to Class

Why Are Smartphone Cameras Awesome?

The Course Challenge: Capture Your Day in 5 Photos

Intro to Camera Basics

Exposure

Focal Length

Depth of Field

Lighting

Flash

Resolution

HDR Mode

Intro to Photography Basics