Photographic Composition

Foreground and Background:

This photograph is a great example of use of background. In this photo, although Kurt is the main focus, the advertisement in the background, stating 'men don't protect you anymore' gives the picture a whole new meaning. Kurt was known as a spokesman for the youth of his time. Here, we see him promoting this message, as he believed in equality and the idea that men are not above women and vice versa. 

Rule of Thirds:

In this photograph, the first thing our eyes are drawn to is the boat on the left hand side. This is an example of the rule of thirds. Commonly used in the photography industry, the rule of thirds ensures that the main points of interest will occur on or near the intersections of the image if it were divided into thirds. This helps the photographer so that they know their main focus will be in a good position to make for a good photo. Like in this example, the rule of thirds is often used in open wide spaces where the thing in focus is small compared to the backdrop of the picture. For example when you consider the space of the wide, open sea, the boat seems tiny.

Leading Lines:

Here, we have a snap of the famous San Francisco bridge. A leading line is something that is the main focus of the picture, and quite often creates the illusion that bridges or roads, or even the streetlights are a lot longer than they actually are. Despite the fact that depth of field is shallow, the bridge is still the main focus of the picture. This creates a warm and peaceful atmosphere. 

Shadows:

Shadows are a very common method used to add deeper meaning to photos. They are very temperamental and the photographer has to catch them while they are there. They work extremely well with black and white, like in this photo. This is because there is a sense of capturing the moment before it's gone, and leaving a timeless effect on a photo. Usually, shadows are captured when the photographer takes the photo, however these shadows have been edited in. This makes the consumers think more about the lives of the woman and man, which makes the photo much more emotional.

Cropping Images:

Again, cropping is a very well established method in the industry. It can make you seem a lot closer to the person in the image. With this one, we see Kurt Cobain, the lead man of Nirvana, doing what everyone thought he loved; singing. Shot a few months before he took his own life, we can see the pain in his eyes as he sings. This creates a darker mood, when combined with the black and white effect. It can also make it seem like the person in focus is trapped, which works well with the idea that Kurt felt like he could not escape from the life and responsibilities that had been thrown to him.