Composition is the one thing that I can't teach. You can either see it, or you can't.
With that in mind, understanding the basic structure of an image can help you along the way.
We've broken down some of the basic "rules" of composition. However; rules, like art, are subjective.
We've broken this down into sections if you want to skip through any parts:
Understanding Composition
Arranging the subject within the field of view is what is known as “composition.”
Effective composition can draw the attention of the viewer to the parts of an image deemed important.
Mastering composition will add a dramatic effect to a photographer's overall image.
Photographs will cease looking like a simple picture and will engage the senses of your audience, capturing their imaginations. Remember that it's best to keep your composition simple. Don't unnecessarily complicate things.
When considering your composition, keep these things in mind:
If you are trying to create an evocative piece of art, less is quite often, more.
Along those lines, keeping your frame and your image can be difficult.
Sometimes, even more difficult than trying to produce a complicated, thought-provoking image.
Your ability to effectively simplify a piece will quite often show your skill and quality.
Keep your focus on the elements that add to the frame you've constructed and strip out those that take away from it.
The Rule of Thirds
One general tip to keep in mind when you arrange your subjects is the rule of thirds.
You should learn the rule of thirds because it adds a sense of balance and increase the interesting points within your image.
Following along with the rule of thirds, by using two horizontal and two vertical lines, you'll effectively split your frame into three horizontal and three vertical sections.
The points in which your image will carry its maximum impact and effectiveness are called the “power points.” The points where the four lines on your image intersect.
To draw attention to certain elements, place those subjects along any of the horizontal or vertical lines, or if it's a subject of great important, along the junction point of any of these lines.
The Horizontal Split Thirds
The skyline is a stunning visual. It offers a clean, sharp image that gives a very clear line of distinction between the Mountains, the sky, and a moorland, all divided into horizontal thirds.
It's easy to see the rule of thirds in action.
The top third of the image is the sky itself, which offers no distraction. Your middle third is the Majesty of the Mountains. And the final third is the moorland depicting the breaking clouds but also calm and tranquillity.
Off Centre Subjects
When considering subjects that are off centre, you can see the rule of thirds working in a different way.
In that type of shot, there is an obvious main subject within the frame as the main focus of the image.
Pictures that are flat and static often have their subjects placed front and centre.
There is no visual tension, dramatics, or visual interest. You can avoid that by positioning your subject away from the centre. Moving them to one side or the other, or along one of the main lines can impart a sense of interest.
Points of Intersection
In addition to the main subject of the image, there is a second subject as well. The Lighthouse has been included and has been placed along an intersection point, deliberately off centre.
The Lighthouse is positioned within the horizontal centre of the first section within a background that is clear and free from clutter. Allowing more space next to the subject gives a clearer view and is more apt to draw the attention of a viewer.
Balancing Elements
By depicting the visual weight of the man on one side of the image and the church on the other, we can see a balancing of the elements.
Either element has the potential to look lost or out of place within the scene.
Together though, they balance and support one another, helping create a story that's more dramatic.
Adding in Additional Elements
The introduction of additional elements into the scene brings a sense of balance and also helps tell the story.
Consider pet photography. Pictures of pets can look posed and static. However, if you introduced an additional element like a squeaky toy, ball or a bone, it not only fleshes out the story, it looks more natural since the dog will instinctively interact with their toys.
Introducing additional elements will also give you more control over the arrangement of the elements within your composition, by allowing the dog to interact with one of their toys, you capture an image of a dog that is relaxed and natural.
If you wanted to add another piece of interest to the image, try taking the photograph from the dog's level. It will infuse your image with not just a contemporary feel, but will give your audience an interesting point of view to consider.
Compositional Leading Lines
You can manipulate how your audience views your image by deliberately placing your lines within the compositional framework. You can guide your audience through the photograph, pulling them into the scene.
You can draw their eye to key points of interest and elements in your image you want to be sure they consider.
Leading Lines: Making Them Part of Your Subject
The leading lines in your image can be just about any form you can imagine. Long country roads, winding rivers, bridges, power lines – you name it.
The leading lines of your image can sometimes become your predominant subject.
Consider the following image. The leading lines within it give the scene more power and action. They create the drama and energy contained within the image.
Also consider that in this image, the way in which the stones which have settled around the groyne. It effectively tells the story of the patterns we often find in nature.
Using Curved Lines in Your Composition
In some images, you can use lines that curve like an S or a C. Sometimes, they can even originate from a corner and cut across the entire picture at an angle, such as the bend in the river in this example.
Adding curved lines to your image, in addition to appearing graceful, can also add a sense of movement. For example, in this photograph, the leading line of the curved river accentuates the moonlit tree and the reflection on the water.
Symmetry
Photographing subjects with strong symmetrical features runs contradictory to the rule of thirds, but you may find they also create some of the most powerful images. By using strong symmetrical lines, you pull your viewer's eye toward the main focal point.
Pulling them toward the focal point with strong symmetrical lines draws your audience into the scene. Simply taking a shot that's off centre won't necessarily achieve the effect you want. Instead, you will want to focus on the leading or converging lines, aiming for those that draw their eye to a central point, which creates a striking, contemporary look.
Dispersing Distractions in the Background
In this image, the bride is placing the ring on her husbands finger and Will is placed in a forward position, which removes them from a cluttered and distracting background, making them the focal point.
By using a narrow depth of field, the background is blurred out – which eliminates the unnecessary and sometimes, the very un-picturesque background noise – and puts all of the focus on them.
Employing these elements contribute to a softer, more romantic, and far more flattering image that imparts the serene atmosphere of the setting.
Building a Frame
To help draw the eyes of your audience to the key elements within your scene, build a frame or border that surrounds your main subject.
Choose carefully where to build your frame (ie: top, bottom, or the sides of your image) and frame only those specific areas.
What to frame is an individual judgment call and depends on the rest of the scene you are creating. Take care to choose only that which complements your overall frame.
Adding a frame to balance out your scene is effective if you find an overwhelming amount of blank space within your image.
For example, your landscape photograph may appear to be overwhelmed by the lake in the foreground and the amount of sky in the background, which contributes to a large amount of blank space.
Adding a new element within your frame can add some depth and an interesting point to consider. It can also help break up the amount of empty space created by the lake and sky.
Layering Your Frames
By layering in the foreground, middle, and background, you can add depth to your scene as well as guide your audience's eye to the main subject by using an effective frame.
Although the main focus of this image remains on the dress, the frame leads the audience's eye to the mirror itself, leaving the room as a distant background.
By structuring the image this way, it can tell a unique and powerful story.
Moments that Are Decisive
It can take years to master, but professional photographers must develop the ability to recognize important moments and act quickly to capture them.
The greatest strength of a camera is that it instantly captures an important moment or scene. The problem is that those important moments or scenes happen quickly, and even if the camera captures it, it might not always capture it well.
It's the job of a professional photographer to effectively capture and represent that important moment. But you must be able to capture that moment by using forms that are strong compositionally and stylistically at a moment's notice.
Take Multiple Shots... But not too many
When documenting a moment, take more than one shot, but don't "button mash", at some point you're going to have to go through them all to find the right image, which takes time and space on your hard drive. It's a good idea to think about what you're going to do with all the images you don't use.
Remember; you will always want to correct the focus every time you change your settings between images.
Equally as important to remember is that what you see on your LCD display isn't always the same image you'll see on your computer later.
Something else you want to be sure to do is to avoid the obvious scenes and angles. Scout your locations. Explore your surroundings. And then take a different angle and create something memorable.
For more information on how to book one of our one-on-one Workshops, visit HERE >