I was taught composition at college years ago, and I guess the medium does not change the whole gamut of the rule of thirds/golden mean etc. If viewing a painting from the 17c, or an image produced yesterday, the human eye/brain tends to view images in the same way, looking for dynamics/tone/colour etc. What I find interesting is that even photographers I know who never went anywhere a college learned composition 'on the job'. BUT I disagree that learning the rules of composition somehow limits creativity. How an individual composes his/her image is what makes the individual unique.
Dear Paul
I am with you all the way and realize that this thread is on the very edge of being on topic, but successful digital imaging is not just getting a technically perfect image into a computer and out the other end! It's nothing if it does not draw and hold the viewer and tell him/her a story.
Good composition is important regardless of subject matter. I am sure this can be successfully taught .....but for me it's a matter of a natural balance which one feels when looking at a picture rather than sees. The use of good and strong composition gives impact to a picture, and this helps the viewer to see it as the creator wanted it seen.
By not bothering with the above is rather like writing to a stranger and not taking to trouble to make that message as easy to read as possible! If it breaks too many of the rules it is simply discarded! Hope this one succeeds <BG>
Cheers
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