Adam Burton Photography

Top Ten Tips on Composition

Effective composition is one of the key ingredients to capturing great images.  You do not need to have the most expensive camera gear, or even be a wizard on the computer.  But there are several 'rules' that you can follow which will help you to identify and capture photographs with strong compositions.  Here are ten of my compositional tips:

Keep the composition simple.  When looking for a subject to photograph, compose your shot to remove as many unnecessary objects as possible.  A clean and simple composition is an essential ingredient to an eye catching image.

Rule of Thirds.  One of the most fundamental rules of composition, and for good reason; compose your image following the rule of thirds and you wont go far wrong.  Place the horizon on the first or second horizontal line, and place your focal point at one of the intersection of the lines.

Work in Odd Numbers.  Odd numbers are always very effective in photography, especially threes.  Any subject matter should well work this way, maybe 3 foreground rocks, or 3 trees on the horizon.  It’s up to you, but always remember that 1 or 3 is better than 2 or 4! 

Use Lead-in lines.  A good composition could consist of lead-in lines which draw the viewers eye from the foreground of an image towards the middle and then background.  Obvious lead in lines would be a road, river or pathway, winding throughout the image.  Less obvious lead ins could be a line of trees, rocks or waves breaking on the shore.

Foreground, Middle and Background.  To achieve a strong composition, try to feature a subject in each of these places but remember they need to work together in harmony.  Look for subjects which compliment each other throughout the frame, this could be in appearance, colour or maybe by their association to each other.

Don’t over dominate the foreground.  A wide angle lens helps to accentuate foreground and create shots full of impact.  But unless you are careful, the foreground subject will dominate the remainder of the frame and throw the composition off balance.

Look for unwanted items.  An obvious one, but something that we all fall foul of occasionally.  Once you have composed your shot, look carefully through the viewfinder for any unwanted items such as crisp packets, bottles etc.  These can be removed so much easier before taking the photo than wasting time in post processing afterwards.

Go Low (or high)! It is natural to take photographs at standing height.  But often compositions can be improved dramatically by setting your tripod nearer to the ground. By doing this you can maximise the intricate detail near the ground and give people viewing your shot a far greater sense of ‘being there’.  Alternatively, if opportunity allows try setting up your camera at a higher vantage point to gain another alternative view.

Use a small aperture.  With landscape photography, a small aperture (F16 – F22) will allow you to capture the full depth of your subject matter in sharp detail.

Ignore all the above! All the above tips are just a guide.  Rules are there to be broken, and doing so can often make the most dramatic images.  So next time you are out taking photographs, don’t be afraid to try something different.