Photography Composition Tips And Techniques
If you take a look at your images, what makes one more pleasing than the other? You will be surprised at how much you can improve your photography by following a few simple steps on where to place elements within your pictures. All the elements within photos together with their position are called the composition of a photo. If you use compositional rules within your photos, you will get much better at positioning your elements. Let's take a look at some key techniques that you can use.
Framing:
Always remember to fill your frame with the subject you are photographing. Let's say that you are photographing a person, make sure that they are not too small within the frame and that you can see them clearly. If you use this method, you will make use of all the mega-pixels that you have at your disposal.
You can also use frames within frames, which are another tip when taking a photograph. Don't be afraid to make use of elements around your subject to frame a more distant scene. To use an example: If you are shooting through a window, include its frame as an extra element.
Portrait Or Landscape:
You can use your digital camera to take a horizontally normal "landscape" positioned images or use your camera to take upright vertical "portrait" images. Experiment with the two types and see which one works best for a certain scene. I normally use both ways when taking a shot.
Rules of Thirds:
By carefully placing your main elements within your photo, you will add a dynamic feel and tension to them. First, imagine that your display screen is split into nine equal squares. Two lines are running vertical and two horizontal across it. Depending on the type of digital camera you have, you will be able to use grid lines to display on your screen.
Place your subject upon any of these grid lines where they intersect to position specific elements within your image. Your image will then have more impact. If you can, try placing an horizon across the top or bottom horizontal lines, rather than across the centre of your screen. When photographing a person, place them at one of the intersections when you want to include the context of a background in a landscape-style image.
Bull's Eye Composition:
This happens when the main subject of an image is in the centre of your frame. It must be avoided, unless you have a reason. These types of images have a lack in dynamism and are less pleasing to the eye.
Balance:
You can create images that are unequal or equally balanced. Let's say you have two buildings of the same size that balances each other out on the sides of your image. You would then have one prominent subject that has another element in the scene that is placed within your frame that would be closer or further away. To use another example: When you place a big tree on one side and then a person on the other. If you place your elements carefully, this technique will prove very successful.
Experiment:
The most important rule is to experiment. These techniques can be broken by mixing them up, you will then learn quickly on how to get the best from your digital camera.
Framing:
Always remember to fill your frame with the subject you are photographing. Let's say that you are photographing a person, make sure that they are not too small within the frame and that you can see them clearly. If you use this method, you will make use of all the mega-pixels that you have at your disposal.
You can also use frames within frames, which are another tip when taking a photograph. Don't be afraid to make use of elements around your subject to frame a more distant scene. To use an example: If you are shooting through a window, include its frame as an extra element.
Portrait Or Landscape:
You can use your digital camera to take a horizontally normal "landscape" positioned images or use your camera to take upright vertical "portrait" images. Experiment with the two types and see which one works best for a certain scene. I normally use both ways when taking a shot.
Rules of Thirds:
By carefully placing your main elements within your photo, you will add a dynamic feel and tension to them. First, imagine that your display screen is split into nine equal squares. Two lines are running vertical and two horizontal across it. Depending on the type of digital camera you have, you will be able to use grid lines to display on your screen.
Place your subject upon any of these grid lines where they intersect to position specific elements within your image. Your image will then have more impact. If you can, try placing an horizon across the top or bottom horizontal lines, rather than across the centre of your screen. When photographing a person, place them at one of the intersections when you want to include the context of a background in a landscape-style image.
Bull's Eye Composition:
This happens when the main subject of an image is in the centre of your frame. It must be avoided, unless you have a reason. These types of images have a lack in dynamism and are less pleasing to the eye.
Balance:
You can create images that are unequal or equally balanced. Let's say you have two buildings of the same size that balances each other out on the sides of your image. You would then have one prominent subject that has another element in the scene that is placed within your frame that would be closer or further away. To use another example: When you place a big tree on one side and then a person on the other. If you place your elements carefully, this technique will prove very successful.
Experiment:
The most important rule is to experiment. These techniques can be broken by mixing them up, you will then learn quickly on how to get the best from your digital camera.