Rules of Composition

Last week I started the Intermediate DSLR course.  It is three sessions designed around the creative part of photography.  In the first class we learned all about the rules of image composition.  The rules we discussed were:

Rule of Thirds
Balancing Elements
Leading Lines
Symmetry and Patterns
Viewpoint
Backgrounds
Create Depth
Framing
Cropping

Our homework assignment was to incorporate these themes into our images and email them for discussion.  I was really looking forward to getting some feedback on my attempts at these rules but my homework was eaten by the interwebs and never received by the teacher.  Here are the images I chose and the rule I was working on (all images are straight out of the camera or SOOC)

The first image was trying to use the rule of leading lines.  Leading lines in photography are lines that lead you through the photograph.  I feel like the eyes follow the slide making the slide a sort of leading line in this image.

This next image was using the rule of viewpoint.  I took this image from up on my parents deck looking down at the scene.

This was my attempt at balancing elements and symmetry since the design of the play set that Evan is in has symmetry in the blue posts and the round circle.  But after the class, it might be kind of a stretch.  In any case, I still like the image!

This is my Rule of Thirds image.  The idea of rule of thirds is that if you divide the photo into 9 equal parts the subject will fall within the lines.  Basically that you're not centering your subject right smack in the middle.  Generally it is not pleasing to the eye.  I also think you can use this image to show some depth too with the 3 levels of the sandbox, the rock and then my nephew Carter on top of the rock.

So that was my assignment and I had a lot of fun trying to incorporate these rules into my images.