Composition in photography is an enjoyable but difficult skill to master. While I don’t subscribe to the so-called “rules of composition”, there are certain techniques and concepts that I have revisited and helped me develop my eye for composition.
In this guide, I’ll explain the composition techniques that have worked for me and how I use them to arrange compositional elements within a frame.
More importantly, we’ll examine how to progress from these techniques and use them as a springboard to grow your intuition for composition.
But first, let’s start with the basics of the basics.
What is photography composition?
There are many variations in defining composition, but they all boil down to this: how elements are arranged within a frame.
This means that you have the freedom to experiment and explore how you compose an image. It also means that there are no set rules for you to abide by.
Still, if you’re stuck on where to begin, I recommend these five composition techniques and concepts to kickstart your creative process and your composition venture.
(If you want to learn more about what makes a good composition and how to craft your ideal image, here’s a simple, two-step approach to help guide you on your photography journey.)
1. Rule of thirds
No composition guide will be complete without including the rule of thirds. It’s a great starting principle that leads to other composition techniques and concepts.
The all-time classic rule of thirds segments your frame with two horizontal and two vertical lines, which divides your frame into nine boxes of equal size.
If you have a single subject or point of interest, you can consider placing the subject within the centre column or dead centre in the frame to draw immediate attention to it. You can also place subjects along the four lines or at the four points of intersection. Our eyes tend to look slightly off-centre and gravitate to either of these four intersecting points.
In post-production, the rule of thirds comes in handy as you can crop and reframe elements to fit within the boxes or align them to the intersection points.
What’s next?
Again, I recommend using the rule of thirds as training wheels and integrate it with other concepts to enhance your composition skills. Let me give you some examples:
Negative space: It gives “breathing room” to your image, and removes any distraction from your point of focus. As in the example above, you can implement this concept with the rule of thirds to further emphasise a subject and the surrounding environment.
Left to right: When we read an English text or see an image, our eyes innately move from left to right. Using the rule of thirds, you can place two elements—one on the left column, and one on the right column—to illustrate the interaction between them and increase visual interest in the image.
2. Keeping it simple
Unlike painters, photographers do not have much control over the exact placement of elements. Rather, we have control over the arrangement of elements and how they are positioned and relate to one another to create meaning.
Simplicity is a helpful concept to train your mind to organise a composition, learn how to decipher which elements to focus on, and create order within the image.
I suggest starting with a single subject—it can be a person, tree, or an inanimate object—and decide how to compose the subject. Keep the composition simple by:
Framing the subject against a clean background (aka negative space)
Using a narrow depth of field to isolate the subject
Or using a telephoto lens to zoom in on the subject and eliminate unnecessary distracting elements
What’s next?
Now, I’m going to encourage you to do the opposite and incorporate two or more elements within the frame. Think about how subjects or elements relate to one another:
Is there a common activity or a line leading from one subject to another?
What’s the relation between the subjects, elements, and environment?
Is there an overall theme that binds the different activities and elements?
It teaches you to see the relationship between them by mixing in more elements, and it makes for a compelling, well-rounded composition.
3. Balance and symmetry
There are numerous ways to balance an image, but symmetry remains the most straightforward concept to grasp.
Balance broadly refers to the stability of an image. Depending on the size, number, texture, and colour intensity, each subject has a particular visual weight that draws your eye. On the other hand, symmetry occurs when two halves—either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally—have an identical or very similar structure.
You usually see this with architectures and man-made structures, and sometimes, in the natural world. My favourite use of symmetry is to use the reflection from a body of water to create balance and harmony in my images.
What’s next?
Oftentimes, you may not find symmetry in a scene, and you have to get creative.
Play around with proportions, positioning, proximity, colour, and edits in post-production to balance the visual weight of different elements within the frame.
Also, your frame doesn’t always have to be perfectly balanced. At times, you may want an unbalanced image, which is more energetic and can accentuate a subject.
4. Leading lines
Next to the rule of thirds, leading lines are a common compositional tool among photographers. They are lines that naturally draw the eye towards a specific point of interest.
The five types of leading lines include:
Horizontal lines that stretch across the width of the frame. You’ll see plenty of these lines in landscape photography that uses them to convey a sense of tranquillity.
Vertical lines that draw the eye up or down within the frame. You can use them to impart power and status, as what you’ll often see in portraits or most fashion shoots.
Diagonal lines that stretch diagonally across the frame. They usually track from the foreground to the background and communicate distance, movement, and depth.
Zigzag lines are a combination of diagonal lines that normally track upwards (or downwards) to make the image more vibrant and dynamic.
Converging lines lead your eye to the point of convergence. Compared to diagonal lines, they add more depth by giving a three-dimensional feel to the image.
Before composing, you should scan the scene for any lines that you can add to your frame. Recall the varying effects of the five leading lines, and look for naturally occurring lines to unify your image.
What’s next?
The movement of the eye is a vital consideration when it comes to composition. Leading lines are a great teaching tool for understanding how your eyes observe a scene.
The next step is to expand to other techniques and learn to guide your viewer through an image. You’ll want to ensure that your eyes flow through or around the image, telling a visual story from start to finish.
5. Foreground-Background
Having a foreground-background interest is another excellent way to immerse your viewer in a scene. It creates depth and gives a three-dimensional look to an image.
Besides converging lines, you can use a telephone lens to add depth by blurring elements in the foreground—like a tall patch of grass—while keeping the subject in focus.
It brings context to the image, and it creates intimacy by making you feel as though you are looking at the subject while hiding behind an object.
As for the wide-angle lens, I recommend checking out this video by Nigel Danson, who is a landscape photographer:
Nigel elaborates on locating and integrating a dominant foreground and ensuring that it leads into the image without cluttering it with too many distractions.
What’s next?
You are only limited by your imagination when it comes to creating foreground-background interest. Though there are many composition techniques to touch on, for now, here are two more advanced techniques for you to consider:
Juxtaposition occurs when you place two or more opposing elements side by side to create contrast. It’s one of Steve McCurry’s favourite techniques to add context and give his personal comment to an everyday scene.
Frame within a frame is a technique used to draw attention to a specific area in your image. You can shoot through a natural or man-made frame, like a tree branch or an arch, to highlight a subject and add depth to your images.
Aim for mastery (not perfection)
It’s a long, bountiful path to building your composition skills.
As with all other guides, these five composition techniques are merely stepping stones. As you become more comfortable with these techniques, you'll explore and find new methods to compose an image.
Be patient, and why not break a few rules along the way? You’ll eventually discover what works for you and what you want to express in your photos.
And that’s what matters.
About the author: Darius Tay is a photographer/visual storyteller who loves capturing meaningful moments and uses photography to tell stories and find beauty in everyday life. If you would like to leave a comment or engage him, feel free to email him at dariustay5@gmail.com.
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