Composition

Rule of Thirds

What is the rule of thirds?

The rule of thirds is a composition guideline that places your subject in the left or right third of an image, leaving the other two thirds more open. While there are other forms of composition, the rule of thirds generally leads to compelling and well-composed shots. 

If you imagine dividing a photo, or even your camera’s viewfinder, into nine equal zones using horizontal and vertical lines, that forms your rule-of-thirds grid — a setting you can select on most cameras and even on your phone.

That means the corners of the central square are the intersection points in your grid where you want to place the focal point of your shot. It’s called the rule of thirds, but you can think of it as giving you four crosshairs with which to target a shot’s important elements. This will help you balance your main subject with negative space in your shot to nail an effective photographic composition that will draw the viewer’s eye.

Leading Lines

What are leading lines in photography? 

“Leading lines are a compositional technique where human-made or natural lines lead the viewer’s eyes through a photograph to the subject or the heart of the image,” explains photographer Lukas Kosslow. “They can be very noticeable, or they can be quite subtle.” This compositional tool helps photographers direct the focus of the photo, create balance, and tell a story with the image.

Like the rule of thirds, leading lines are a compositional element that can be used across all kinds of photography, from portraits to landscape shots. Photographer Felipe Silva provides another useful leading lines definition. “Leading lines can be anything. They can be a road or a line of trees leading you somewhere. They can be people and repetitive objects, like railroad tracks.”

And while many photos may unintentionally contain lines that highlight a specific point of interest, intentional lines and compositions make for the strongest images. Whether you use bold straight lines or graceful curving ones, leading lines can elevate your composition and add a unique aesthetic to your photos.

Central composition

What is Centre Composition?

Central composition is the most powerful and easy way to draw attention to your main subject. As the name suggests, in the centre composition, the main subject is placed smack in the middle of the image frame. 

 Watch your proportions, If your subject occupies too little or too much of the image frame, the shot will not look visually balanced. Make sure that the main subject is not overpowered by other elements. Experiment with different focal lengths/shooting distances until the proportions look just right. 

Negative space

What is negative space photography?

Negative space photography is related to minimalist photography. It emphasises not just the subject but also the empty space around the subject. So, although the viewer’s eyes may focus on a central figure, they can’t help but notice the large section of emptiness that surrounds and defines that figure. Essentially, that emptiness (in whatever form it takes) gives definition and emphasis to the subject. “If the model or the performer is the noun,” says photographer Jimmy Marble, “the negative space is the adjective.”

“It’s minimalism in photographic form,” says photographer Will Milne. “You have your focal point and very few other elements on the page.” That focal point or main subject is the “positive space,” and the rest of the frame, be it a blank sky or the studio's white space, is the negative space.

Regardless of your focal point or subject, the space around it needs to be impossible to miss. “You always want the space to steal the show,” says photographer Petecia Le Fawnhawk-Maggiori. A good rule of thumb is that the amount of negative space should take up at least 50% of the photo to achieve the right effect. A landscape photo with a single figure in the distance that gives a sense of scale and loneliness is an example of negative space photography.

Framing

What is framing photography?

This type of compositional technique involves using or adding frame elements to emphasise and lead the viewer’s eye towards your subject or to simply add interest to your image. It can be anything from natural frames like rock formations or man-made ones like windows and tunnels. Whatever shape or form, as long as it helps bring focus to your intended subject, it’s bound to create a more aesthetically-pleasing image.