Improve your Photography Composition

There are various rules of Photography Composition out there such as the rule of thirds and the 80/20 rule however lets try to ignore these rules most of the time as I feel they limit your flexibility, like any rule they can make great results however as they say rules are meant to be broken.


Photography Composition is essentially an editing process  deciding what to leave in and what to leave out. There are basic accepted criteria for good Photography Composition that, when applied, will help you achieve visual harmony or dynamic tension. Faithfully following all the "rules" of composition will not necessarily culminate in a good photograph.


The rules are intended more as guidelines than strict dogma, but they will help you design well-balanced images that are pleasing to the eye. While it may be the subject that initially attracts viewers to stop and look at an image, it is the artistry of composition that holds them there.

here 5 tips used by some photographer:

Tip 1. Use lead in lines to guide the eye through the shot.

Lead in lines can be simple straight lines that pull the viewers eye into the centre of the shot helping to create depth. In the example below the two edges of the concrete walkway lead the viewers eyes toward the marker post on the horizon.

Lead in lines don’t always have to be simple straight line, you can use natural lines and elements in the landscape, to allow the viewer to mentally walk through the shot. In the example below the eye follows the flow of water to the left edge of the frame before being pulled back towards the distant castle.

Tip 2. Use shapes to create layers and depth within the picture.

Triangle almost act as arrows pointing the viewer around the photograph, using a combination of triangle can add depth and keep the viewer exploring the photo.

 Simple rectangles can be used to create layers in a photography.

Tip 3. Use the corners of the frame

The corner of the frame can be a great place to start lead in lines from and helps to use all the space in the photograph. In the example below I have started the edge of the jetty in lower corner and used it natural curve to guide the viewers eye into the centre of the shot.

Tip 4. Make elements reach across the frame.

I see a lot of photos that I feel are a little flat, many photographers tend to shoot either along an element or have it across the frame however placing the element at an angle running away from the viewer and across the frame can make a very pleasing composition as in the shot below of the Humber Bridge.

 

Tip 5. Don’t be afraid of putting things in the middle.

There is a rule in photography that says don’t put your main object in the centre of the frame, I’ve never been a fan of rules in design and certainly don’t like this one. Personally if you have a strong element in your photograph put it right smack bank wallop in the middle.

Read also related previous post Exposure and Composition in BW