Composition Techniques
Hey, how’s it going? I’m Andy Jones, and this is episode 193 of the Photography Side Hustle podcast.
This week, I’m going to try and explain the different composition techniques. It’s not the easiest thing to do on an audio-only podcast.
So you’ve probably already heard of the first one …
The Rule of Thirds
This is the starting point for most photographers. You have to imagine two vertical and two horizontal lines dividing the frame into equally sized sections.
The aim is to place the points of interest on the four intersections where the lines cross. By points of interest, I mean the subject you want the viewer to focus on when they look at the photo.
This rule was used by painters from the past, such as the Old Masters, like Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Rembrandt.
In Lightroom and other editing programs, the four lines appear when cropping an image. This allows you to place the points of interest correctly. You can also set your camera to show the lines in the viewfinder to help compose the photo.
The Rule of Thirds is very useful, but there are many more ways to consider when composing photos. These techniques can be used for all types of photography, and in some cases, you can find yourself using two of them in the same photo.
Next is …
Leading Lines
Okay, imagine a photo with a creek or small river entering the frame in the bottom right-hand corner and continuing diagonally across to the top left corner.
The line the creek takes draws the viewer into the photo. The leading line could be a road, a fence, a wall, or anything that takes the viewer into the image, even someone's footprints in fresh snow.
I found using leading lines improved my wedding and family portrait work massively.
Okay …
Points of Interest
These are the things you want the viewer to look at. It could be a single point of interest, like a child sitting under a tree.
You could also have multiple points of interest in the same image, like a landscape image of a cottage in the foreground and a mountain in the background.
If you shoot landscapes or wildlife, consider the power of three points of interest, like three trees on a ridgeline or three birds sitting on a tree branch.
For some reason, we humans find three subjects grouped together pleasing.
Next is …
Symmetry
Have you ever seen a landscape photo of a lake in the fall where the water is calm and the reflection is a perfect mirror image? That creates symmetry in the image; you could draw a line along the water's edge, and each side of the line looks the same.
You can get the same symmetry by photographing a subject close to a window.
Symmetry can be seen in the work of street and architectural photographers.
Next is …
Patterns
Just like symmetry, we love to see patterns in images. It could be the patterns in the brickwork of a building or the repeatable patterns of some trees.
Try using patterns in your compositions.
Next is …
Layering
This gives your image depth. You create depth by having a point of interest in the foreground, midground, and background.
You can use this composition technique for everything from portraits and weddings to landscapes.
Okay, the next composition technique is …
Triangular Formations
When you look at a landscape photo of a mountain range, triangular formations are everywhere. The mountain peaks are a triangular shape.
Look at some of the group photos taken by your favorite portrait and wedding photographers. They don’t just line the subjects up in a straight line. They’ll have people's heads at different heights. The imaginary lines between their heads form triangles.
Humans like triangular formations.
Okay, next is …
Centered Focus
If you want the viewer to look at your subject, you can place your subject in the center of the frame, and try to avoid a background that is distracting
High or Low Angles
Shooting from a high or low angle is such a simple thing to do, but isn’t used by many photographers.
It doesn’t matter if you are shooting landscapes or portraits, always check how the photo you are about to take looks from down low or up high.
You can get some great portraits by shooting with your camera close to the ground. For family shoots and weddings, I always took a step ladder with me for big group photos from a higher vantage point.
Today, you could use a drone for some epic shots.
Right, let's have a look at …
Negative Space
Using the empty negative space around the subject can give you some incredible compositions.
An example could be a polar bear way off in the distance, and all around is snow. The white snow creates a negative space.
It could be a silhouette of a couple on a cliff edge where the sky and the dark foreground are the negative space.
Using this composition technique will take some practice to get right.
Next is …
Diminishing Perspective
This could be a road that gradually fades into the distance. Any leading line you use could have a diminishing perspective.
It leads the viewer into the frame and gradually fades away. Understanding how depth of field works will make this type of composition easier.
Frame in a Frame
I really like this one. You could take a photo of your subject using some trees as a frame. It could be as simple as taking a photo through a window or doorway.
The image has a built-in frame. I’ve seen photos where a couple hold up a large picture frame in front of them. There are so many ways to shoot a frame in a frame.
I used to take Polaroid photos of couples at weddings, then take a picture of them holding the Polaroid out in front of them. With a shallow depth of field, the Polaroid is in focus, and the couple is out of focus.
As I said, there are lots of ways to shoot a frame within a frame.
Right, those are the composition techniques. If you choose one or two to start with and gradually add the others over time, you will improve your photography guaranteed.
In the meantime, have a great week. I’ll talk to you soon. Bye
