The design of an image is one of the most important aspects of photography, but composition is a vast and complex subject on which much ink has been spilled. It’s worth understanding the basic principles of composition, as they will change your photography.
I was about nine or 10 years old when I was on a school trip to the other side of the country from where I lived. I had an old Kodak Duoflex II camera and was looking at panoramic views of Dartmoor, a far cry from my home in the flatlands of Norfolk in the UK. One of the teachers gave me some photography advice, and it was the rule of thirds.
Then, and ever since, I have challenged the rules. Not to get in trouble, but to show that there are some prescriptive rules to break. For example, my English teacher at school said to never start a sentence with the word “because.” Because he said it, I immediately found a way to structure a sentence that could legitimately start that way.
So, when I was introduced to the rule of thirds, I had to find a way to work around it. Like every rule of photography, it can be bent, twisted and broken.
rule of thirds
Like other structuring approaches, the rule of thirds is one of many structuring techniques that can help you improve your results. It’s a simple idea. You divide evenly by placing imaginary tic-tac-toe board lines on your frame and using those lines for subject placement.
Here’s an example of how I’ve applied the rule of thirds. In photography, some people take the word “rules” literally, but it is never an order or law. This is a guideline, just like when we say, “as a rule.” There is always a chance of it bending or even breaking completely.
There are many ways in which you can get away with this, and there are many other ideas in composition that are not possible to mention in one article. However, I will cover these in more depth in future articles.
golden ratio
First, you can use the phi grid, which is a more sophisticated version of the rule of thirds based on the golden ratio. The lines are drawn slightly towards the center of the frame. Alternatively, you can also use the golden spiral based on the golden ratio.
If you’re not familiar with the golden ratio, it’s the mathematical relationship of 1:1.618, which I’ve already written about here. It is considered pleasing to the human eye because it matches what we see in nature. However, as I mentioned in the article, it is not the magic solution to composition that some people think.
It is often represented by the Greek letter phi (Φ) and is found in art, architecture, and the natural world.
static symmetry
Photography can benefit from symmetry as it helps create balance in an image. Symmetry is a mathematical concept that we typically think of as one side being the mirror image of the other. Nevertheless, reflection symmetry is not the only approach we can take.
Rotational symmetry is where an object looks the same after rotating it around a central point through an angle of less than 360°. For example, a starfish with five arms has rotational symmetry of order five. Related to this is radial symmetry, where parts are arranged around a central axis, like petals on a flower.
Meanwhile, translational symmetry is where a pattern repeats itself at regular intervals in a specific direction, as you might see in the patterns of floor tiles or wallpaper.
Glide reflection symmetry arises from the combination of reflection and change in the direction of reflection. A good example of this would be footprints where the left foot mirrors the right, but they are not aligned.
Although not directly applicable to two-dimensional photography, spherical symmetry is a concept where each plane passing through the center divides the object into equal parts such as a spherical ball.
dynamic symmetry
This type of symmetry is known as topological symmetry, which is characterized by simple, uniform partitions. But there is also dynamic symmetry, which is asymmetrical yet balanced based on natural proportions. For example, the golden ratio I mentioned above is a form of dynamic symmetry.
Another form worth exploring is the harmonic armature. It involves diagonals and intersecting lines drawn inside the basic rectangles to help direct the composition. They are often used in painting, photography and design. I will discuss this in future articles.
Lead-in lines and leading lines,
I distinguish between lead-in lines and leading lines. The first is a line that draws your eye across the picture, usually from the foreground to the distance. An example would be the following shot of a pier near my house. Notice how the edge of the boardwalk and the railing draw your eye deeper into the photo.
Meanwhile, the following image is a leading line that leads your eye around the frame.
It is worth noting that these lines do not have to be continuous. For example, in the above photo of the cyclist, the trees are separated, but, along with the road dug in the snow, they form a continuous line leading toward the person on the bike.
One should be alert to negative clues. They are lines or shapes that draw the eye away from the subject or to an unimportant area.
blocking elements
Sometimes also called visual barriers, blocking elements work in opposition to lead-in and leading lines, as they bring the eye to a visual stop. A common mistake of novice landscape photographers is to shoot towards the fence, which prevents the eye from moving beyond the scene. They can also be used to your advantage. For example, a person standing on the path may act as a blocker, which is usually the desired effect, since that person is likely to be the main feature of the image.
On the other hand, if there is an unwanted obstruction along the path, such as a bright red dustbin or piece of garbage, it can also act as a blocking element.
Dead space can also be a blocking element. This is an area that does not contribute to visual flow and can inhibit eye movement. Although the people riding behind the Huskies in the photo below are used as a blocking element, the grass on the right is dead space, creating imbalance in the photo.
distractions in photography
A distraction is typically an object that inadvertently blocks or redirects the viewer’s gaze. I once saw someone’s wedding photos, and behind the bride there was a bright orange road cone; The photographer should have been fired. Often, however, they are more subtle. A strand of grass or twig encroaching on an animal’s profile, a dark clump of leaves at the edge of the frame, or a loose hair straying from the model’s face can all be distracting.
Despite this, distractions may be used intentionally to reduce stress or focus.
subjectivity in composition
Although they are all helpful tools, it’s worth remembering that they are all human constructs and are completely subjective. If you’re happy with a photo and it doesn’t conform to any typical photography style, that’s all that matters. If someone else likes it, that’s a plus. If someone else criticizes you for your creation, it’s possible that they can’t see what you’re doing.
go out and exercise
This was a brief introduction to some of the key composition ideas for photographers. However, by knowing and adopting some of these techniques and avoiding the pitfalls mentioned here, you can significantly improve your photographic compositions.
The best way to learn these is to go out with your camera and try them out. Spend a day shooting pictures with the rule of thirds and then lead-in lines. Gradually, they will become ingrained in the back of your mind, and you will find yourself using them and other composition techniques without even thinking.
