Unique Photography Composition Tip: Follow Your Intuition

Composition  •  Photography Tips

Composition is undoubtedly one of the most fundamental and important aspects of photography. This is why we come across so many resources developed around this topic. We also have a long list of “rules” that promise to improve your composition. But as with most creative tasks, sometimes it’s best to think outside the box. In today’s video, we have photographer Sean Tucker talking about how you park such composition rules for a bit and use your intuition when composing photos:

The basic notion here is that if you’re able to understand what draws the human eye, you can rely more on your gut. This helps you come up with more creative compositions. As Tucker points out, science has proven that, when looking at an image, the human eye is attracted to the following four things in order of priority:

• The brightest element
• The most saturated color
• The area of highest contrast
• Any human face

Now that you have this information, you can compose your images by utilizing the same. But keep in mind that these same elements could be potential distractions too. Since our eyes are first attracted to elements with these traits, it’s pivotal that your choice of elements are meaningful.

Tucker shares a bunch of brilliant photographs that follow this principle, but which also break the conventional rules. He also explains his thought process while taking those photographs. So we recommend you watch the entire video to understand his process. Coming from a professional, you can surely pick up important information that’ll help you improve your composition.

After you’ve picked your elements, you must know where to place them. Tucker walks you through this process as well and illustrates how you can create depth and dictate the path viewers will take through your image.

Being intuitive is key to creating photos with impact. However, when your intuition falters, it is always a good idea to return to an established rule of composition and use that to construct your image. Feel free to use such rules as a backup when you find yourself struggling.