Composition rules

A lesson every beginner learns about photography, other than it can drain our bank accounts, is that for each desired result, there is a required action to create it. When we want a lighter image, we use exposure adjustments. When we want a sharper image, we adjust shutter speed etc. The technical side of photography is not easy.

A lesson learned in photography is that for composition, the equally important part of photography, exactly the opposite is true in a lot of situations. No rules can be followed or steps taken that can guarantee a well-designed image. Knowledge must come from within and for those who image design is not intuitive, composition guidelines can be indispensable information.

Guidelines are loosely referred to as rules; such as in the title of this information. In reality, they are merely guidelines, proven design principles used by artists and designers to assist in the organisation and creation of images. As visual artists, it is our right to compose our images any way we want and there are no hard and fast rules. The guidelines help, and it's critically important to the diversity of our portfolios that we make the distinction between using them as rules and using them as regulations.

Many composition guidelines exist to help us organise the elements of an image. These are suggestions for predictable results and should be used with care. When guidelines rule our work, our images themselves can become predictable.

There are times when guidelines are helpful, and there are times when they can be modified or ignored. When to ignore the guidelines requires some experience, but the results can be quite dramatic and cause a photograph to shine above the rest.

Many photographers wield the guidelines as a sculptor. Often blending their understanding of composition with personal interpretation, and sometimes technical experimentation, for results that often go beyond the realm of rules. Now, there are no formulas for achieving this ability; it must come from understanding and experience. Here are four examples that have broken major nature and wildlife composition rules. They are still compositionally sound images.
 
Never Centre the Subject: Many skilled photographers would dismiss a centered subject as amateurish. Often, centering a subject provides an average view of a scene and robs the image. Anyone can stare straight at a bird in a lake - what's special? If there are concentric circles around the centred bird, this will make the scene work. This shot was obvious: ignore the guidelines and rules. Focusing on the circles, the silky texture of the water, the bird, all contribute to the success of the image.

Balanced composition

Informal balance gives uneven or unequal balance in the picture. When you have a large object in the picture it should be counter-balanced with a smaller object or objects to make a good layout.

Imagine a seesaw with a 5-year-old boy on one side and his Father on the other. The balance will be uneven as the father is larger and will make the seesaw heavier. Now the boy will be high in the air and the Father will be on the ground.

Now, in a photo scene, if you have a large tree on the right side of the picture frame then you must try to balance it with a smaller object such as a house, a small tree or even the figure of a person on the other side of the picture. The ways you balance the objects in your picture frame will determine the success or failure of the photo. You will have to resort to the use of different types of lenses in order to create the balance you require.

A very wide angle lens can create unbalanced composition very easily by taking the objects in front of the lens up close. The front objects will appear very large in the picture frame while the rear or distant objects will appear smaller even though they are actually larger still.

One way to create unequal balance is to find a position that will cause one object to appear larger or smaller because of the angle you took the shot. When you are out creating photographs be sure to keep these rules about balance in mind and try to incorporate them.

Smack in the centre is a definite no, no in good photo-composition rules. With the main subject right smack in the centre of the picture area it is called a Bull's Eye composition. Avoid this at all times, unless you have a definite reason for doing so. When the main subject is in the center of the picture frame the eye will go in to the picture and stay in the center of the frame looking at the main subject and will not move around in the picture to see and enjoy any other items in the image. now, the eye will get tired very fast and lose interest in the photo.

The purpose in taking photographs is to have people look at them, enjoy them, and talk about them. When they cannot get interested in a photograph they will not bother to look at it. It's best to always have the main subject off-centre in the image. Just a little off-centre it will improve the picture's composition.

Holiday photo composition

Try to be very careful with the composition and subject matter. Note that one thing you can do to improve your photography is good composition and layout ideas. Older manuals used to say that you should place your subject in the middle of the photo image. Note that this was because viewfinders showed more than would end up in your picture, but it usually looks poor.

Try to imagine three equally-spaced lines running across your image both horizontally and vertically lined up. Note that where the lines meet are the strongest areas to place your object. Of course, you don't need to draw lines on your viewfinder to do this, however, just practice putting your subjects off-centre. Now try taking a few shots from different angles, you'll get the hang of it quite quickly.

Always shoot slightly more than you want in the picture, because when you get prints, your images may end up getting cropped to fit the print. Now, if you have photo editing software, you can crop it yourself to the right size so that it looks the best possible. Try not to go over board with the extra space, though, because printing a small portion of a larger image will result in poor quality results.

Photographing landscapes will help capture the feeling of a place, but too often they are boring. Placing something in the foreground will jazz up your landscape scenes. For example, a lone fisherman on the lake in front of majestic mountains not only adds interest to the shot, it shows just how huge the mountains actually were. Try leading lines, which are good in any image, and even more so in landscape shots. Leading lines are things like roads, fences, or a line of trees which begin in the foreground and lead the viewer's eye to the background of the scene.

When you're traveling you also want to see people in the scenes. Of course, there's nothing wrong with photographing your companions by a famous landmark, but remember to use creative layout. Avoid the "people standing in a line in front of a monument" snapshot by taking candid shots. Note that you'll also get more genuine expressions.

The more your subject fills the frame, the better the photo will be. This is especially true for people and animal shots. Now, you probably don't care about your companion's vacation wardrobe; what's important is their face in the photo. Your camera may not have a zoom lens, and you'll be more limited in how tight a shot you can achieve. Look at what's going on in the background of the scene. Avoid a sign sticking out of someone's head or face.

Try photographing local people, this can help tell a story about the place you're visiting, especially if you're in an exotic location. Many people find it rude to be photographed without permission, however. If someone looks upset about you pointing your camera at them, ask if it's okay to take their photo. Flattery may be helpful, and some may even ask for payment.

Interesting photo opportunities are everywhere around you. For example, a bustling market, a cityscape, details of an object or building, a roadside food shack, or a lizard sunning himself can all make great photos. While everyone prefers to remember their travels as pleasant experiences, few places are completely stunning, so do your best!