Rules of Thirds
For this rule, you have to imagine that the image/picture that you’re taking is divided into 9 equal segments with 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines. By doing this, you should be able to position the most important elements in your scene along the lines (or where they intersect).
Balancing Elements
In order to make the picture not seem ’empty’, you should balance the “weight” of your subject by including another object of lesser importance to fill the space.
Leading Lines
By placing lines throughout the scene, you can affect the way people view the image by having them follow the line(s) through the picture. There are many types of lines that can be used to enhance our photo’s composition: straight, diagonal, curvy, zigzag, radial, etc.
Symmetry and Patterns
Symmetry and patterns can make very eye-catching compositions. Another technique is to break the symmetry/pattern in some way, therefore introducing tension and a focal point to the scene.
Viewpoint
The viewpoint of a photo can greatly affect the message that the shot conveys. Instead of just taking the shot from eye level, think about taking it from high up, on the ground, from the side, from the back, from far away, from close up, and so on.
Background
Although the human eye is capable of distinguishing each particular element of a scene, a camera tends to flatten the foreground and background, ruining the photo. To fix this, look for a plain, unobtrusive background so that it doesn’t distract or detract the subject at hand.
Depth
You can creat depth in a photo by including objects in the foreground, middle ground, and background. Another trick is to overlap, where you deliberately partially hide one object with another. The human eye is advanced enough to naturally recognize these layers and mentally separate them, therefore creating depth.
Framing
By using natural frames around the edge of the composition, such as trees, archways, and holes, you help to isolate the main subject from the outside world. This focuses the image and draws your eye naturally to the main point of interest.
Cropping
By cropping tight around the subject, are are able to eliminate the background “noise”, making sure the subject gets the viewer’s undivided attention.
Experimentation
In today’s world, we no longer have to worry about film processing costs or running out of shots. We can take tons of pictures and delete the unwanted ones later. This allows us to experiment with your composition – you never know whether an idea will work until you try it.
