2021

Composition & Cropping

Depth of ﬁeld
Elements of Art (light & color)
Subject Matter
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2020 School Competition

Composition:
The arrangements of subjects or elements in aphotograph. It is a way of guiding the viewer’s eye
towards the most important element of the image.
Cropping:
The photographer chooses what he wants to have inthe frame of the image or not. How close or how far
he wants to be from the subject matter.

Rule of thirds:
It is a guiding principle for composing aphotograph using 4 lines and 4 intersections
that guide the placement of the subjectmatter.
Lines :The photographer can use the leading lines ofthe vanishing point to compose an image.
He can play also with the horizon line
(straight or incline).

See how the main subject is placed on each images.

Are your eyes drawn to a particular section of theimage?
What is the main element of the image ?
Look at the composition:
How are the elements positioned in relation to each other?

Why do you think each artist has chosen this composition?

Kai Fusayoshi, Throwingumbrellas. 1978
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2020

The triangle arrow madeby the umbrellas and theboy create dynamism andmovement.
Kai Fusayoshi, Throwing umbrellas. 1978
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2020

Ismo’s Stick, Fosters Pond, 1993,
picture by Arno Rafael Minkkinen
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

Ismo’s Stick, Fosters Pond, 1993, picture by Arno Rafael Minkkinen
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

The reﬂection creates
several symmetrical lines inthe picture.

2015 January 27th, fromAershan(Arxan) toBaicheng, Train No. 4346.
Picture by Qian Haifeng,
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

Horizon line

The horizon line isinclined in theopposite way of thearms. It gives moremovement to thescene.
2015 January 27th, from Aershan(Arxan) to Baicheng, Train No. 4346. Picture by Qian Haifeng,
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

© Pierre-Elie de Pibrac /Agence Vu’
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2020

Vanishing Point© Pierre-Elie de Pibrac / Agence Vu’ KYOTOGRAPHIE 2020

The photographer uses
the rule of thirds tocompose this image,placing the vanishingpoint at the intersectionof the lines.

Dad, 2016. © René Peña
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

The photographer gets very
close to the subject to show
only a detail. It is a close up.
The ring looks like amysterious eye.
Dad, 2016. © René Peña
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

Take 5 pictures placing the object or
person in a diﬀerent section of theimage:- try to incline the horizon line,- go closer and select a detail.
Choose an object or a person
as your subject.

Sit with 2 or 3 other people
and share the photographs
you have taken.

Discuss:
Which photograph is the strongest?
Why?

To suggest a three dimensional space in a photograph and create various
perspectives, the photographer should decide on angle, focus & depth ofﬁeld.
Angle : what is the photographer / viewer point-of-view in the photograph?

Focus & depth of ﬁeld :The photographer chooses what should be in focus (clear) as well as thedistance in front of and behind the subject matter which appears to be infocus. We call it depth of ﬁeld (DOF).

Large Depth of Field

Shallow Depth of Field

Where is the viewer positioned to look into theimage?
What is or not in focus in the photograph ?

Why do you think each artist has chosen this point of viewand this depth of ﬁeld?

May 9th boulevard SaintMichel , Daniel Cohn-Bendit,
Paris France © ClaudeRaimond-Dityvon
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

The Photographer
crawled on theground to take thispicture.
It makes us look up
at the protestors andcreates a feeling ofintimidation.
May 9th boulevard Saint Michel , Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Paris France © Claude Raimond-Dityvon
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

Francis Wolﬀ, Drummer Art Blakey
jamming at the Cork & Bib, Long
Island, 1958 © Mosaic Images LLC.
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2015

The photographer isalso positioned under
the scene inviting us tolook up at the musician
but this time it is with asense of admiration.
Francis Wolﬀ, Drummer Art Blakey jamming at the Cork & Bib, Long Island, 1958 © Mosaic Images LLC.
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2015© Izumi Miyazaki

The camera ispositioned above,
dominating the scene.
© Izumi Miyazaki
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

Ismaïl Bahri, Ligne,2011, HD video, 16/9,1 min loop
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2019

This picture is from avidéo where a drop ofwater is placed on
someone’s skin andreacting to arterial
pulsations.

Ismaïl Bahri, Ligne, 2011, HD video, 16/9, 1 min loop
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2019This image is an exemple
of a shallow DOF
The camera is close to thesubject, the backgroundappears blurry and out offocus.

© Pierre-Elie de Pibrac /Agence Vu’
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2020

All the plans are infocus in thisphotograph.
We say there is a“large” or “deep”
depth of ﬁeld.
© Pierre-Elie de Pibrac / Agence Vu’
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2020

Imagine you are a bird looking
down at the object.
Imagine you are a worm looking
at the object.
Face your object at eye level.
Take the object from a long
distance
Take the object at a short distance
Choose a person or an object andphotograph it from diﬀerent point of view..

Sit with 2 or 3 other people
and share the photographs
you have taken.

Discuss:
Which do you think is the most interesting
view ? Why?
How does the point of vue change theway we see and understand the object?

Light, color, line, shape or texture are the 'ingredients' used by thephotographer to create balance, contrast, movement, emphasis, rhythm
and unity in their image.

Lighting plays a crucial role in photography. It
can bring a photograph to life, it can generateeﬀects, including spectacular shadows orsilhouettes.
Lights have diﬀerent colors, dependingon time or sources.
Direct & diﬀused light:
Weather changes the brightness of thesun. Clouds make the shadows
disappear.

Find the diﬀerent lights sources in each photograph.

Are lights natural or not ? What colors do they give to the image ?

Lines and texture : How have the photographers used theseelements to create a particular visual eﬀect, feeling or mood?

Tryadhvan © Eriko Koga
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

In this photograph the lightilluminates the subject
from the back(backlighting).
This createsa glowing eﬀect on theedges of the subject, whileother areas are darker.
Tryadhvan © Eriko Koga, KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

Wing Shya, In the mood for love,
2000. KYOTOGRAPHIE 2020

The scene was taken
during a movie.
The photograph is
illuminated with artiﬁcial
lighting systems, urbanlighting, sodium lamps.
These lamps give theimage an orange hue.
Wing Shya, In the mood for love, 2000. KYOTOGRAPHIE 2020

Zanele Muholi_Bester
1, Mayotte 2015 ©
Zanele MuholiKYOTOGRAPHIE 2017

The photographer playswith colors ( black andwhite) and textures (theskin, the fabric, theclothespins, thebackground) to create
contrast.
Zanele Muholi_Bester 1, Mayotte 2015 © Zanele Muholi
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2017

Photography byTOILETPAPER: Maurizio
Cattelan and PierpaoloFerrari. KYOTOGRAPHIE
2017

This is a studiocomposition withartiﬁcial lights(from blue to pink).
The artist uses
contrast (betweentextures, colors,
subject matters) tocreate a funfeeling.
Photography by TOILETPAPER: Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari. KYOTOGRAPHIE 2017

ANTARCTICA. 2017. NASA Ice Bridge
ﬂight surveying climate change inAntarctica. Aerials taken from a NASAP3 plane ﬂying over South Peninsula
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2019

The photographer
focus on the texture ofthe landscape. There isno context to thisimage, just shapes andlines created by the icemelting.
ANTARCTICA. 2017. NASA Ice Bridge ﬂight surveying climate change
in Antarctica. Aerials taken from a NASA P3 plane ﬂying over South
PeninsulaKYOTOGRAPHIE 2019

Hiding in the vineyards
with the Ruinart Cellar
Master, Liu Bolinfor
Ruinart, 2017 © Liu Bolin
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

The photographer,Liu Bolin, is the manon the right. He playswith natural color andtexture and uses themin his make up to hidein his photographs.
Hiding in the vineyards with the Ruinart Cellar Master, Liu Bolinfor Ruinart, 2017 © Liu Bolin
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

Take 4 photographs, eachfocused on a diﬀerent
element :Sit with 2 or 3 other people
and share the photographs
you have taken.

• Isolate the elements of art highlighted ineach photograph.
• Choose 3 photographs that are the mostsuccessful and discuss thecharacteristics that make them thestrongest.

The subject is the main element that occupies the image.
It appears ﬁrst in the image.
Note: there can be more than one in a single image.
The Theme is the general idea that one wishes to address and convey
to the spectator. It is possible to approach a theme through diﬀerent subjects.
One subject can express diﬀerent ideas.The theme depends on the pointof view of the photographer.
The caption is an element that can guide the eye and help the comprehensionof the spectator.

Take the time to observe the main elements evident
in the following photos.

What is the main subject that the artist has chosen to portray?
How does the subject convey the theme?

Read the captions. What happens if you change them?

Série Primates, 2015
La Vallée des Singes, Romagne,
France © Isabel Muñoz
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2017

Tryadhvan © Eriko Koga
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

"Falling Leaves" 2017
© Akihito YoshidaIn the three photos, the artist photographs two hands holding
each other to convey love and intimacy.

Série Primates, 2015
La Vallée des Singes, Romagne,France © Isabel Muñoz
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2017

Tryadhvan © Eriko Koga
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

"Falling Leaves" 2017
© Akihito Yoshida

The framing gives a sense ofintimacy and connection.
Observe the way the gaze
wanders between the hands andface of the baby chimpanzee.
Série Primates, 2015,
La Vallée des Singes, Romagne, France© Isabel Muñoz KYOTOGRAPHIE 2017

Observe how the close-up
highlights these two hands.
The intimacy of this close-up
suggests a fragility created bythe diﬀerence in size between
the two hands.
Tryadhvan © Eriko Koga
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

Observe how the image isconstructed: the shot is wider,taken from the back of thecharacters. It gives theimpression of seeing the hidden
link between these two people
and shows the complicity andbenevolence that unites them.
"Falling Leaves" 2017
© Akihito Yoshida

Bento is ready © Atsushi Fukushima
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2020

Tryadhvan © Eriko Koga
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

Rice, © 2016 Izumi Miyazaki
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

In the three following photographs, the artist is depicting rice butwith totally diﬀerent meanings.

Bento is ready © Atsushi Fukushima
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2020

Tryadhvan © Eriko Koga
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

Rice, © 2016 Izumi Miyazaki
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

Observe the composition ofthis image of a meal tray, madeof geometric repetition,and color. These repeating
shapes give a sense ofuniformity.
Bento is ready © Atsushi Fukushima
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2020

Observe how the compositionand light enhance the food inthis photograph.
The rice is part of a set on alacquered tray, giving it aceremonial aspect. The
sunlight overexposes the tray
and sublimates the scene.
Tryadhvan © Eriko Koga
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

This is a digitally edited
photograph.
The artist uses rice as apattern, which reinforces theaesthetic of her self-portrait.
Rice, © 2016 Izumi Miyazaki
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

May 23, place Saint-Michtel, Paris, France© Claude Raimond-Dityvon
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

Demonstration in front of
the New Haven County
Courthouse during Bobby
Seale, Ericka Huggins
trial, May 1st 1970 ©
Stephen Shames / StevenKasher Gallery.
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

Sanrizuka, Narita airport protest movement © Kikujiro Fukushima
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

In the three photos, the artist photographs protest movements.
You can note a similar approach to each photo.

May 23, place Saint-Michtel, Paris, France© Claude Raimond-Dityvon
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

Demonstration in front of
the New Haven County
Courthouse during Bobby
Seale, Ericka Huggins
trial, May 1st 1970 ©
Stephen Shames / Steven
Kasher Gallery.
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

Sanrizuka, Narita airport protest movement © Kikujiro Fukushima
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

The activist’s brightly patternedand colourful clothing
contrasts and suggests anopposition to the helmeted andaustere black-uniformed groupof police oﬃcers.
May 23, place Saint-Michel, Paris, France© Claude Raimond-Dityvon
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

Observe how this photograph iscomposed.
Here, two young African-Americans are
sitting on the statue of an old whiteman. The photographer uses theartistic means of the black and whitetechnique to highlight the oppositionand conﬂict of two generations andworlds.
Demonstration in front of the New Haven County
Courthouse during Bobby Seale, Ericka Huggins
trial, May 1st 1970 © Stephen Shames / StevenKasher Gallery. KYOTOGRAPHIE 2018

A group of activists with improvised
weapons are standing in line. Thisposture demonstrates both a sense ofprotection and attack.
They counter-attack a threat which
would be outside of the frame.
Sanrizuka, Narita airport protest movement © Kikujiro Fukushima
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

Drowning world © Gidéon Mendel
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

From the 247th to 341st Day, Tohoku © Tadashi Ono.
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2013

Aerials from a NASA P3 plane ﬂying over Seelye Loop
South in Antarctica. Antarctica. 2017. © Paolo Pellegrin |Magnum Photo KYOTOGRAPHIE 2019In these three images,
the artist photographed the power of the water.

Drowning world © Gidéon Mendel
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

From the 247th to 341st Day, Tohoku © Tadashi Ono.
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2013

Aerials from a NASA P3 plane ﬂying over Seelye Loop
South in Antarctica. Antarctica. 2017. © Paolo Pellegrin |Magnum Photo KYOTOGRAPHIE 2019

The couple is holding each otherby their waists. The water thatreaches their hips and rushes into
the threshold of the building
suggests a ﬂood. This couple
seem powerless against the forceof the rising water but they remain
united despite the ordeal.
Drowning world © Gidéon Mendel
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

The photographer puts inrelation the strength of theelements and the work ofmankind.
Here the bridge did not resist
the onslaught of the waves
and seems to have collapsed.
From the 247th to 341st Day, Tohoku© Tadashi Ono. KYOTOGRAPHIE 2013

In this photograph the caption isimportant.
There are no clues about thepresence of man, and according tothe caption, this photograph wastaken from space. Thanks totechnology, it has been possible towitness this area preserved fromhuman activity.
Aerials from a NASA P3 plane ﬂying over Seelye Loop South in Antarctica.
Antarctica. 2017. © Paolo Pellegrin | Magnum Photo
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2019

Arrival to Kakuma.Kakuma. KENYA. 2002.
© Alex Majoli
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

Arab refugees cross into Jordan during the Six Day
War. JORDAN. 1967 © Robert Capa
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

Civilians returning home. Pont
L'Abbé. France. June 15th, 194 ©
Robert Capa
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

In the three photos, the artist photographs people in exile.
What is common to these images?

Arrival to Kakuma.Kakuma. KENYA. 2002.
© Alex Majoli
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

Arab refugees cross into Jordan during the Six Day
War. JORDAN. 1967 © Robert Capa
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

Civilians returning home. Pont
L'Abbé. France. June 15th, 194 ©
Robert Capa
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

A group of families ismoving away from thevehicles to go outside theframe of the image, which
gives a feeling ofwandering.
They are holding lots ofbags.
Arrival to Kakuma.Kakuma. KENYA. 2002.
© Alex Majoli

In this photograph we ﬁnd
the bundles, symbols of anexodus.
The broken windows andthe damage on the walls
suggesta diﬃcult, even hostileenvironment. The bundles
indicate a precarious
departure, an exodus.
Arab refugees cross into Jordan during the Six Day War. JORDAN. 1967 © Robert Capa
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

The photographer approaches thesubject of exile, making the link
between the destruction of the cityand the displacement of thepopulation.
Civilians returning home. Pont L'Abbé. France. June 15th, 194 © Robert Capa
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2016

Select 2 subjects that willconvey this concept and takediﬀerent pictures.
Write a caption for each image.

Choose a theme.
(school, peace, growth, friendship, etc.).

Sit down with 2 or 3
other people and share
the pictures you've taken.

• Examine each subject of the photographs:
which theme/concept was explored?
• Was the theme/subject clearly communicated?
Why?
• Does the text in the caption help to understandthe meaning of the photograph?

2021
The KYOTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival is held
every year in Kyoto in various traditional and modern spaces.
(September 18th - October 17th 2021). The festival brings people
together of all ages, cultures and backgrounds through photography.

In 2021, the theme is ECHO.

KYOTOGRAPHIE 2021
INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOGRAPHY

Direction / Conception
Marguerite Paget
Texts
Laura Dormans (Canadian Academy of Fine Arts)
Romain Protin ( Engl. Fr)
Asumi Nagaoka (JP)DesignJacky Tong
Romain Protin
EditingGisèle March ( Art instructor, Doshisha International School, Kyoto) (Engl.)
Lauren Hadler (Engl.)
Kaoru Mori (Jp)
© KYOTOGRAPHIE 2021