Rule of thirds? Leading lines? The Fibonacci spiral? Learn it all with our deep archive of photography composition tips for beginner, intermediate and pro photographers.
Cameras, lenses, and other equipment are the tools of the trade. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to the skill of the photographer. A basic and very important skill that a photographer must have is composition: Mark Silber, along with his guest photographers, discuss a few quick and powerful tips […]
Beaches are usually a sort of visual chaos. There’s sand, surf, and the sun. But there are also rocks and tidal pools. More often than not, it’s easier to create a photograph that resonates when you simplify the composition. But how do you simplify such a scene? The answer is to use a mix of […]
It’s one thing to admire a photographer’s work, but it’s entirely something else to replicate it. Oftentimes, you will hear people remark that a photographer has “the eye” for it. Yet, that makes it sound like a predetermined ability instead of acknowledging that amateur photographers can study and experiment composition to improve their landscape work. Photographer […]
No one is born a photographic genius. Even masters of the medium have to go through a great deal of trial and error to develop a unique sense of style. As a seasoned professional, Evan Ranft is all too familiar with the mistakes that often plague beginners. Luckily, he’s got a few sage pieces of advice on […]
Want to know the secret behind photographer Peter McKinnon’s eye-catching images? As it turns out, most of it has to do with keen attention to detail when it comes to formulating a captivating composition. Here, he discusses the three aspects that most directly impact photo composition: 1. Framing One of the easiest ways to direct viewers […]
Composition is the cement that binds a photo together. Without composition your images are nothing more than a bunch of elements scattered across the frame. Photographer Marcin Lewandowski touches on some important aspects of this most critical element of photography: One of the things that you have to deal with in your photography on an […]
Simplification and negative space are two terms that are closely related. You can’t talk about one and ignore the other. But what exactly is simplification? And how do you explain negative space? Ted Forbes shares his take on the subject: Simplification Simplification denotes reducing the elements in your composition down to a bare minimum—just what […]
What is the most important thing for storytelling with your photography? Composition! This video from Mango Street is a quick refresher on the most important aspects of composition: Rule of Thirds The rule of thirds divides the entire frame into nine equal rectangles like a tic-tac-toe board. These are created using two sets of intersecting […]
The rule of thirds and its variation, the phi grid, aren’t designed to be rigid. As a photographer, it’s your prerogative to know when to break these rules. If you choose to use these structures, however, you can look at them as guidelines for building your compositions: The most obvious way to use the rule of thirds […]
Chances are, you’re familiar with the old adage that “rules are meant to be broken.” Photography is no exception to the saying. As David Bergman explains, although many of the rules and conventions photographers stick to are tried and true, often the most striking images ignore them entirely: Here are a few instances in which breaking the […]
