Finding orders in chaos

“To compose a subject well means no more than to see and present it in the strongest manner possible.” – Edward Weston

I recently came across a wonderful interview by this photographer Robert Adams. When asked about his thoughts on composition. This was his response as to why he placed so much emphasis on framing an image.

“The majority of the work that I do involves very close concentration on framing. When you watch a photographer work, what’s going on is that seemingly almost demented search—moving a little this way, moving a little that—looking from a little higher, a little lower. The effort is to find that perfectly balanced frame where everything fits. It’s not exactly the same as life. It’s life, seen better. Weston said that composition was just the strongest way of seeing. It’s true, but you have to mean it in a little more serious way than I think he meant it. It’s the strongest because you’re seeing the most lasting—the truest—way you can, assuming you believe that ultimately things do fit. And of course not all us, most of the day, would want to subscribe to that. Life is too chaotic. But the thing the artist is trying to give you is a reminder of those rare times when you did see the world so that everything seemed to fit—so that things had consequence. The majority evidence is for chaos, let’s face it. Most of the time, things don’t seem consequential. But the value of art is that it helps us recall transforming times that are of such a quality that they last.”

I think Adams explained well the importance of understanding and mastering the visual language. Photography is an art that relies heavily on the visual message. You communicate your message to your viewer through the visual language you use. If you use strong visual elements, your images will be effective, they will keep your viewers engaged. To convey a message effectively, use the most powerful visual imagery you can: colors to enhance your scene, quality of light, be mindful of shapes and texture, the visual balance of the image, etc. Being mindful of how all of those elements come into play when framing your images will not only be more satisfying for you as a photographer, but it will also make your message more compelling.

In most circumstances, we first see a scene, and then photograph it. However, there is the crucial element with the way we compose for a scene, arranging the elements just so they fall into place as intended before we trigger that shutter. The importance of good composition cannot be understated. Loosely defined, composition speaks about how the image is put together, what the components are in the scene, and how they work together. It is essential to put some serious thought into how you will visually design your image, and then capture that scene photographically.

Visual design sounds like a fancy word for composition, but it takes the concept to the next level. It is not simply about making sure everything is aligned following the usual rules. Rather, it is about working with the flow and dynamic elements in your scene.

I remember my experience of working with my mentor Bruce who has been instrumental in my development as a photographer. He got me started using live view when I went on his workshops in Scotland. Prior to that, I used my viewfinder while I was out in the field, but he insisted on me using live view to visualize the scene out in the field, abstracting the elements from 3D objects into 2D dimensions. That small change was a total game changer for me. Bruce instilled in me the idea of being mindful of every single element being put in the frame, how they line up and interact with each other. He doesn’t care what elements are there, be it a mountain, a tree, a river, etc. To him, they are visual pieces that you fit them together within the frame lines, much like playing with jigsaw puzzles. He also puts a lot of emphasis in having lots of breathing space within the frame. To him, photography is very much a game of elimination. If any of the elements within the composition do not support your intent, you eliminate them. The goal is to have an image with all the elements fall nicely into place, just so, in the most visually convincing way.

Learning and mastering the elements of visual design have been transformative for my photography. I see it as a lifelong process. It is our job as photographers to find order in chaos, and as Robert Adams said “Life is too chaotic. But the thing the artist is trying to give you is a reminder of those rare times when you did see the world so that everything seemed to fit––so that things had consequence.”