WHEN TAKING PICTURES or cropping pictures it is important to have good picture composition. Picture composition will give out a positive or negative aspect to your web site, or printed material. There are many variables that affect picture composition. This article will introduce and illustrate the ideas of headroom, center the subject, cropping people, and to avoid things growing out of people. Use the following rules and create brilliant pictures that will add the special touch to your web site or printed materials.

It is important to keep the person you are taking the picture of, high in the picture frame. When putting too much space above their head in the frame the person appears to be weak. Most directors put a small space above their head on the frame, thus making the picture look better. 

Poor headroom

Good headroom

When taking a picture of a person by themselves make sure that you center the person in the frame. If the person is being pictured with another individual or an objective make sure you center both of them in the frame.

When cropping a picture with a person make sure that you do not crop the person at the natural articulation of the body. Never make your croppings on the neck, elbows, waist, or knees. Always crop above or below these locations. 

Natural Articulations 

When taking pictures of people make sure that you take into consideration what is in the background. Try to find a solid background directly behind the person. This will avoid the picture from distortion and growing objects on the person. 

Poor Background

Good Background

Hoffman P. Robert (2001). Educational Video and Multimedia Workshops.San Diego, CA: Montezuma Publishing.


By: David Gastelum
...... Technology Teacher
...... Calexico Unified School District