Here are a few composition tips to help improve your understanding
and layout of a scene.
1. Use rule of thirds, two imaginary lines horizontally in the frame
and two imaginary lines vertically in the frame, position items
of interest along these imaginary lines.
2. Keep your scene simple and uncluttered.
3. Use natural frames, natural frames give a scense of dimension
and closure to an image. Look for arches, trees, windows,
doors, etc.
4. Angles, take your time and check out all view points, if shooting
from a high position get low, if shooting from a low position
get to a high one.
5. Check a scene in the viewfinder for distractions and remove or
re-position.
6. Try not to position horizon line in the middle of the frame.
7. Use of foreground and background interest.
8. Use lead in lines to focus your attention to some point of
interest in the scene i.e, fence, wall, road, river, ploughed
furrows, etc. Lead in lines should show a sense of opposition
If a line starts at the bottom left of the frame it should exit at
the top right and vice versa.
9. Look for the 'S' or 'Z' shape in a scene either a road, a river,
the sea, a fence, a wall or a path.
10. Odd numbers - when shooting multiple subjects or focal
points in a single frame you should consider how many
to include, while one or two subjects work well when
using multiple subjects it is best to use odd numbers
to produce a more balanced scene.
11. Leave some space - leaving large areas of empty space
or simple patterns around the subject allows the viewer
to spend more time to contemplate the whole image.
12. Critique your photographs, if you take a photograph
and it did not work out then analyze it and figure out
why it didn’t work the way you planned and how to
get it right the next time.
13. Search out photographs that you think are fantastic
and figure out why they worked and apply that
formula to your own photography.
14. Forget all the above, if a scene looks right to you then
photograph it after all this will lead to a unique and
personal photograph.
15. “Trying not to try”, struggling to find a composition while
at a great location, the pressure of trying to find that
great scene that people will say Wow! to, then relax, clear
your mind and wander, stop trying so hard, pretty soon a
composition will present itself.
When rule of thirds is not enough -
When considering composition you must take into account
the elements and principles of design concepts within a scene
and not just use the rule of thirds.
Elements - lines, shapes, direction, colour, size, texture and value.
Principles - balance, graduation, repetition, harmony, contrast,
Dominance and unity.
1. Colour , the quality, the direction and the colour temperature.
2. Focal point, what is the focal point in the scene and how can I lead the viewers
eye towards this point.
3. Dept of field, how much of the scene do I want in focus.
4. Frames, look for natural frames in nature to enhance your image.
5. Lines and curves, using lines and curves as leads the eye to your focal point.
6. Contrast variations, how the difference in brightness of a scene relate to each other
and how an image can be enhance be those variations.
7. Harmony, how an image flows or relates to everything else in the scene.
Note : We are bombarded every day with images and
photographs, newspapers, magazines, television and
billboards, all of these have some photographer
behind them employing composition techniques,
all you have to do is recognize them and file them
away for use later in your photography, I personally have
an online gallery that I call my 'Inspiration Room' where I
file away any images or photographs that I think can
improve my photography, it is also a great way
of training your 'photographer's eye'.