Photography is an expressive and creative art. It is primarily subjective, but there are technicalities involved, making people think that learning photography is difficult. In reality, learning photography is fairly easy if you have the right eye to capture moments.
There are also certain rules of composition in photography that can help you. Once you learn that, you will be on your way! And by rules, I’d say it’s more of a guideline. Nobody’s gonna come track you down for tweaking or not snapping according to these rules.
Let us help you start from the beginning.
What is Composition?
Let’s begin by understanding what composition is and how it affects our photography.
Composition is the structure of an image with relevance to the frame. It is all about arranging the elements in the image to get the desired result.
A well-thought-out and structured composition will really help your image stand out and pop! The viewer’s eyes will be drawn to the subject along with other supporting pieces of the image.
What Are the Elements of Composition?
Every photograph has a few elements. The composition of these elements, their structure, and their design make up an aesthetically pleasing photograph.
These elements include:
- Lines – A great way to bring attention to the subject.
- Shapes – Shapes add weight to your image. Get creative and add different 3-dimensional forms to your image.
- Color – Not all colors go together. Identify different hues and shades to figure out what works best to bring out the emotion in your image.
There are more elements, but you need to understand the basics of photography first. Do not think of these elements literally as lines and shapes. Open up your mind. For example, when doing landscape photography, a line can be the horizon. How you place it and where you place it in your image is going to be the most important thing when capturing a moment.
Learning the rules of composition in photography might be easy but can only be done if you move around. Get going and study your surroundings. There is no such thing as a perfect moment or the right setting. When it comes to photography, it is the photographer who creates the magic.
What Are the Rules of Composition?
To create a great mix of elements, experts have come up with some rules of composition in photography. You can follow these to polish your skills. Although understanding them and applying them will help you compose an image that is well-designed and engaging, you need not follow them to the T.
Take your camera and try the following rules to test the waters:
Rule of Thirds
This is the most basic and common rule. So much so that companies actually have this feature available in their camera products (phone and professional). All you need to do is divide your frame into 9 equal parts of a rectangle. Put the important elements of your image on the intersecting lines and voila! You’ve got a great image.
Perspective
You do not need to be standing straight, still as a statue, when doing photography. Change it up and move around. Your perspective will change the mood of the photograph. Instead of just going for the boring old straight angle, try a different, more edgy angle. Take a shot from an elevated surface or get down on the ground like in the image above.
Rule of Space
Regarding the Rule of Space, there are two ways you can go about it. You can create Negative Space or Positive Space in your image by following this rule of composition in photography. The image above shows the use of negative space. The subject is brought into focus and it adds depth to the photograph. It is very similar to minimalism and still a very creative way to make the subject the center of attention.
If you want to create positive space, all you have to do is fill up the frame. Think of it as the absolute opposite of minimalism. This rule gives the image a busy feel to it. While minimalism uses space to bring attention to the subject, this keeps it in focus by eliminating the space around it.
Minimalism
Less is more rings true in photography a lot of times, especially when you want to focus on one subject. Instead of littering your image with more elements, go for simple colors and a single subject. The settings of this image will end up being instantly eye-catching.
Break the Pattern
A one-toned photo can sometimes be too monotonous. Bring attention to the subject by putting it in the middle of something that is different.
Symmetry
They say beauty is measured through symmetry. Anything that is aligned perfectly and has straight lines is very soothing to the eyes. It looks natural, and the image comes out looking crisp, and sharp. Images following symmetry are calming and have no distractions.
Balance
To create balance in your image, add some elements that add weight to your photography. Instead of making your subject the center of attention, balance it by adding extra elements. The picture above is a great example of creating a balance. Remember, creating balance is an art in itself. If you struggle with this particular aspect, we suggest you stick to minimalism until your photography skills improve.
Final Words
You went through all these basics and must have made up your mind to follow these rules, but the most important rule is the one that will be revealed now. That is:
There are no rules! Photography skills depend on perspective entirely. How YOU see the moment and the scene through your lens, how you capture it and put it in front of the world to see, is what makes you a good photographer. Follow the rules of composition in photography but don’t forget, the best art is produced when rules are broken.
Leave a Reply