Don't be Square about Framing (page 2)

Power Points

In the last point, I mentioned the areas of the frame that intersect. We call these areas power points, and you use their location to make subjects pop. More than the lines, these points are attention-getting areas. Some say it is because you have both the vertical motion and the horizontal motion colliding at that point. I also believe that they add balance or discord, if that is what you want. In either case, having a subject on that point draws a viewer's attention to it over and over. Even more than having a subject on the lines, a power point adds emphasis.

Try it using the same scenario as the last time. This time, however, put a clock on the upper left power point. You may need to tilt up a little to make it work. Now look at the image. Do you find yourself looking at the clock? Drawn to it maybe? Asking yourself questions about the boy and how long it will be before the sundae melts or before he will have to leave? Or maybe how much longer he will wait before he steals it? If you think it is because you have just added a clock, try putting it over the boy's left shoulder on the right side of the frame and keep it off the right power point. Notice how the clock has less importance there. It might even be bothersome, making the picture seem cluttered on the right. You might even feel like framing it out. Whatever the most important part of the frame, put it on the points, and you'll be amazed at how much better your image feels. A side note here: when I am doing an interview, I like putting the eyes of my interviewee on the horizontal line and upper power points. No matter how tight I get, I still hold that line, because I believe that the eyes are the most emotional part of the guest. I will even chop off the top of the head when I zoom in close to keep it that way. Try it sometime and see if you agree.

To Sea or Not to Sea

We've talked about the vertical rule of third lines - now let's talk about the horizontal lines. Have you ever shot a sunset at the beach and were unsure where to put the horizon? Most people put it right through the middle of the frame. However, a much better place to put the horizon is on the lower third of your frame on the imaginary bottom horizontal line. The reason for this is weighting. A properly-weighted image tells the viewer which subject to look at. Not giving direction confuses the viewers and distracts them away from what you're trying to point out. Ask yourself this question every time you have a strong horizontal image in your shot: "Which is the most important, the top image or the bottom?" Whichever is the more important, that should be the most dominant on the screen - i.e., is it the ocean or the sunset that is the most important? Usually it is the sunset, and therefore the line will be low. But there will come a time when you want to express the daunting size of the ocean, which then becomes more important than the sunset, and that is when you shift your horizon to the top line.

Another example: a car on a lonely desert road. The vertical vanishing point is centered, which you might think violates the rule of thirds idea, but the horizontal placement of the car is not smack-dab in the center. If we place the car on the lower third line of the grid, it appears the car has a long way to go before it finishes its journey. However, if we place it on the upper third of the grid, we might imagine that it has traveled a long distance already. The grid placement decides the emotional tug to the image.

Lose the Square - Try the Triangle

The triangle typically represents depth. By placing objects deeper in the frame or positioning yourself so that long objects push back into the frame, you create a triangle and a tremendous amount of depth and movement within the frame. Try this with all your shots.

Here is an example: next time you shoot people standing next to a fence row, do not shoot them flat at a direct perpendicular angle to the camera (i.e., if the people moved from left to right, they would not get bigger or smaller). Instead, position yourself right next to the fence, and let it drift off into the horizon. Frame your fence to start on the horizontal line and then end on the other horizontal line or power point. Have the people stand at the end of the fence, or better yet, have the people move towards you, starting small and growing bigger as they move up the triangle you have created visually with your fence row. Not only will the image draw your eyes immediately to the people when the shot starts, but your eyes will stay glued to them throughout the shot. The triangle framing pushes your attention towards the end of the fence and the people there. Your eyes actually trace the triangle again and again, giving your shot a feeling of depth and more realism. Even without the people moving, the way you scan the image with your eyes creates motion within the frame. Compared to a flat-framed shot, the triangle blows it away.