A better eye 3 of 8: Composition walk

A better eye 3 of 8: Composition walk

45 min Calm

Start

Forty five minutes around the block with one rule per ten minutes. Thirds, lines, frames, and then breaking all of them.

Vijfenveertig minuten lopen met één regel in je hoofd verandert hoe een straat eruitziet. De eerste tien minuten voel je nog de neiging om onderwerpen gewoon in het midden te zetten, zoals altijd. Zodra de gridlijnen aanstaan en je jezelf dwingt dat lantaarnpaaltje naar de linkerkolom te schuiven, begint er iets te verschuiven in hoe je kijkt, nog voor je op de knop drukt.

Halverwege de wandeling, bij het onderdeel lijnen, merk je dat een schaduw op het asfalt ineens een richting heeft die je eerder nooit zag. Bij het laatste blok, als alles juist symmetrisch moet zijn, voelt centreren als een opluchting na alle regels. Thuis, als je drie foto's uitkiest en benoemt welke regel ze droeg, wordt duidelijk dat de regel niet de foto maakte. Jij maakte de foto, de regel gaf je alleen iets om tegenaan te werken.

Ten minutes: every photo with the subject on a third, gridlines on.

Suggestion: Ten photos, no exceptions.

Ten minutes: find lines that lead into the frame. Roads, fences, shadows.

Suggestion: Stand where the line starts.

Ten minutes: frame within a frame. Doorways, windows, branches.

Suggestion: Get closer than feels normal.

Ten minutes: centre everything, symmetry only.

Suggestion: Now you know when the rule of thirds is wrong.

Pick the best three at home and say which rule made them.

Suggestion: Rules are tools, not laws.

Next

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