08/03/2018 Pocket: 10 Dynamic Photography Composition Tips

10 Dynamic Photography Composition Tips

By Eric Kim, erickimphotography.com
November 11th, 2017

DYNAMIC REFLECTIONS. Man and three re ections by ERIC KIM

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08/03/2018 Pocket: 10 Dynamic Photography Composition Tips

How to make more dynamic, sexy, and edgy compositions:

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PHOTOGRAPHY COMPOSITION 101 >

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DOWNLOAD PDF: 10 dynamic photography composition tips

1. Shoot from the gut

When you’re out shooting, don’t use your brain too much. Composition should be
intuitive — from your gut.

2. Internalize composition

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Dynamic low angle composition. Tokyo, 2011 by ERIC KIM

To build intuitive compositions, study a lot of dynamic compositions when you’re home
and not taking pictures.

Study dynamic compositions from the masters of composition — Henri Cartier-Bresson,

Andre Kertesz, William Klein, Bruce Gilden, Daido Moriyama, Diane Arbus, Lisette
Model.

3. Anti-symmetry

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Symmetrical pictures look “nice” but are boring. To make a DYNAMIC picture is to
make a picture that is full of energy, life,
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added — pictures that cause the
heartbeat of your viewer to increase.

Dynamic pictures are uncomfortable to look at. Dynamic pictures are EXCITING and
SEXY!

4. Dynamic and simple

A powerfully composed picture is both dynamic and simple. A simple picture is very
di cult to make. Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate mark of
sophistication.”

To make a simple composition: CLEAN BACKGROUND, fewer distractions in the

background, simple hand gestures (but complex in emotions), strong contrast (use a
ash, or shoot in contrasty lighting situations with minus-exposure compensation), and
with a strong singular subject.

5. Inject mystery in your pictures

Dynamic compositions require participation from the viewer.

A bad picture is too easy to comprehend and appreciate. A dynamic composition

requires the viewer to use some mental energy — to appreciate the picture. Therefore, a
dynamic composition will have some MYSTERY in the picture — which requires them
to use their brainpower to interpret your picture, come up with their own story, and ll
in any blank spots.

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6. Dynamic compositions are o -balance

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Anything that seems that it can fall over at any moment is dynamic. Dynamic
compositions are also AGGRESSIVE. Study the architecture of Zaha Hadid— which is
o -balance, aggressive, bold, elegant, and overwhelming.

Our pictures should not be meek. They need to be BOLD and MAKE A STATEMENT.
They need to be opinionated — to show your opinion. Your perspective of the world.

7. Unexpected
Dynamic compositions are unexpected. They need to SHOCK your viewer a bit. Shoot
from perspectives which are unique and unusual. Shoot from a very low angle, or from
a very high angle shooting downwards.

To exaggerate unique perspectives, use a wide-angle lens like a 35mm or 28mm lens.
Wide angle lenses add more DRAMA and DYNAMISM to your compositions, because
they distort the scene, take on a wider view of the scene, incorporate more visual
elements, and are more complex to look at.

8. DIRECT
A dynamic composition is DIRECT. When shooting with a wide-angle lens, shoot
HEAD-ON.

Avoid shooting from the side from “oblique” angles. When you shoot head-on, it gives
the viewer the feeling that the subject in the picture is going to collide with you. This
puts the viewer in the shoes of the photographer, and transports them INTO THE
PHOTOGRAPH.

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08/03/2018 Pocket: 10 Dynamic Photography Composition Tips

Anything that puts the viewer into the picture is a good thing.
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9. DYNAMIC EMOTION
A photograph without emotion is dead. You need to EVOKE an emotion from your
viewer, or else they will not remember or feel your picture.

As humans we are driven by emotions. Evoke emotions in your pictures by making

pictures that have EYE CONTACT, that are shot at a close distance (.7 meters-1 meter),
that have dramatic light (use a ash, or shoot during “golden hour”—sunrise or sunset),
or have facial gestures or hand gestures that evoke movement and emotion.

10. TAKE MORE RISKS

We all know how to make symmetrical, unambiguous, and “safe” compositions. Anyone
can compose a “safe” composition with the “rule of thirds” and with symmetry.

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DYNAMIC REFLECTIONS. Man and three re ections by ERIC KIM

But this is boring. Be more ambitious with your compositions, by adding LAYERS,
DEPTH, and TILT your kens (Dutch angle). Get close to your subjects, be aggressive
with your shooting, and put your focus to the subjects furthest away (pre-focus at 5
meters).

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Dynamic low angle composition. Tokyo, 2011 by ERIC KIM

Don’t always focus on who is closest to you. Decapitate people by not including their
faces in the picture— just show their hands, legs, or limbs.

Take your composition to the next level

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Leading lines. ERIC KIM DYNAMIC COMPOSITION

Not satis ed with your photography composition? Take your visual artistry to the next
level with ERIC KIM EXPERIENCE >

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPOSITION 101

Dynamic Photography Composition

Composition Theory

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08/03/2018 Pocket: 10 Dynamic Photography Composition Tips

Take your composition to the next level:

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Street Photography Composition 101

For distilled lessons on composition, read the free ebook: “The Street Photography
Composition Manual.”

Further articles to improve your compositions in photography:

Composition Theory

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08/03/2018 Pocket: 10 Dynamic Photography Composition Tips

Learn compositional theory:

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