Setting the scene: stage direction

Begin to explore options for composition by using a makeshift viewfinder or digital camera
Stems in a cup
Mid-size objects such as potted stems are ideal for this exercise. Photograph: Jill Mead Jill Mead/Jill Mead

Duration 30 minutes

Materials A digital camera or make-shift viewfinder (ie an empty frame)

Subject Three mid-size objects

What will I learn?

In this exercise you will begin to explore options for composition by using a makeshift viewfinder or digital camera. Treat your objects as characters on a stage; try to develop and change the "story" of your objects, thinking about the relationship and role of your objects in terms of compositional balance.


1. You're going to make 12 different compositional arrangements of your objects, so start by looking at your objects from every point of view: from the left/right, from above, from eye level. Move in closer, step back, rearrange the objects and repeat the searching. Try the viewfinder in both landscape and portrait format. Consider placing one object in the foreground and one in the background to create distance and space.

2. Try to see shapes and blocks of tone instead of objects, and organise the objects to make maximum use of any tonal differences.

3. Consider the negative spaces. Leave out as much as you include - be selective. The relationship between three objects, and the interesting spaces between them, may provide a tension that you can use. Set up a little drama, and use the space between the objects to tell a story.

4. The edges of the composition play an important part in giving it dynamic strength. How the internal shapes extend out of, and come into the rectangle is very important. If possible, try to tie some internal forms and shapes to the vertical and horizontal edges of your viewfinder.

What do the results show?

Your composition should offer the eye a journey within the picture space, leading it through an arrangement of interesting angles, lines, divisions, shapes, forms, tonal contrasts and surface marks. It's important to realise that you have the ability to both move your objects to create a different compositional balance or tension, and to change your relationship to the objects by moving around the room.