‘Composition is the artistic arrangement of visual elements within the picture frame.’
A snapshot shows the world what your camera sees, but when you create a composition, you show the world what you see. As Ansel Adams, the grandfather of landscape photography, famously remarked...
‘You don’t take a photograph. You make it.’
Rules are made to be broken, but they’re an important starting point. Remember that the professional landscape photographers abide by these 90% of the time too. Here are some basics:
1) Rule of Thirds
The most common mistake is to place your subject in the centre of the frame … boring!
Try applying the Rule of Thirds. Divide your camera’s LCD screen into a 3x3 grid, and place key elements of your scene on the intersecting lines. For instance, if the sky is un-interesting, put the horizon one third of the way down the photo, and major on the landscape. Conversely, if you are looking at a stunning cloud-scape, make this fill two thirds of the photograph.
2) Symmetry
The exception to the Rule of Thirds is when shooting a symmetrical scene such as a building, or a mirror lake with reflections. Use symmetry if you want to convey a sense of tranquil calm, or a formal view of something important.
3) Lead-in Lines
These devices include fences, roads, tracks, shorelines or rivers. They can help the viewer’s eye to navigate through your composition, then, finally arrive at the focal point.
4) Foreground Interest
Try to include some foreground interest in your photos. This gives the viewer’s eye something to lock onto, before exploring the remainder of your picture.
5) Background
Keep the background behind your main subject simple, and uncluttered. This applies mainly to portraits, groups of people, and animals. Avoid having a telephone pole or tree sticking up behind a person’s head!
6) Angle of View
So many people take photos from where they happen to be standing, from eye level. Merely moving a few metres away, or lying down on the ground can instantly improve your camera angle. Also, it is especially important when photographing children or wildlife to get down to their level.
7) Less is More
Beginners often try hard to get everything into a single exposure: their friends, plus the pretty view behind the group. Less is more.
Try filling up the frame with your subject. Don’t be afraid to crop off the top of a person’s head to get an intimate portrait of their facial expression. Ask yourself: ‘what are the key elements in this scene that make it work?’
Stick to a single subject; eliminate everything else.