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People talk about the subject, but composition is more than placing a "subject" somewhere. Composition is about what attracts the eye and where the eye is attracted. Center of mass is often completely irrelevant. Very often and perhaps most of the time, center of mass doesn't draw the eye and isn't the visual nexus. Or, the "subject could be perfectly centered and yet the image dynamic, if something particular draws the eye somewhere not central. An image with a very central visual nexus can still be a good composition, if there is a good intuitive reason that makes it work. For example, if the meaning of the image is to make a statement about solidity, stability, massiveness, or some-such, the static feeling associated with a central nexus placement would add to the meaning of the image. It also gets confusing because language is imprecise. Sometimes we say "subject" when we mean center of visual importance or the visual nexus. Sometimes we use it to refer to an object photographed, despite the fact that it might not be the visual center or only a small and select part of the subject is the center of visual interest. And sometimes visual elements that aren't the subject and aren't directly related to the meaning can influence how a scene is experienced and disrupt it's flow and meaning, or, conversely, make it stronger.
It would be convenient if composition was all about formulas and rules. One could learn the formulas and rules and make images by rote. Unfortunately, formulas and rules may help explain why an image works or doesn't work, but they aren't generally enough, by themselves, to make a really good image composition.
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