PHOTOGRAPHY COMPOSITION TIPS

The Photography Resource
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Composition Tips
The Rule of Thirds Placing the Horizon Filling the Frame Close Up Camera Angles
Click the tabs to jump down the page Size Matters Using Lines De-Clutter Abstract

Choosing a Format
Amongst some of the basic decisions that face you in composing any photo is whether to frame it in landscape or portrait format. As cameras are generally rectangular in shape and are more comfortable to hold horizontally, that's how most people compose their photographs. Turning the camera vertically (portrait) makes handling a bit awkward, but the effort will add power and visual variety to your pictures. Imagine how boring it would be to go to an art gallery and see only horizontal paintings, seeing the same subject with different frames, makes a completely different picture whether it be landscape, portrait or with a round or square border.. give it a go and see the difference.
Most subjects cry out to be framed in a particular way. As a rule, tall subjects (like tower blocks or people), or those in which you want to exaggerate near-to-far distance, stand more comfortably in a vertical frame. Framing a scene vertically forces your eye to scan the picture up and down which exaggerates the impression of depth and distance. Wide scenes or long, squat subjects (like landscapes or sunsets) lie naturally in a horizontal (landscape) composition. Horizontal compositions draw the eye from side to side across the frame, reinforcing the sense of width and spaciousness.
For many subjects, either landscape or portrait will work so choosing the best framing is then largely a matter of instinct. One of the joys of digital cameras is if deciding which format looks better becomes difficult for you, you can photograph it both ways and decide later without the cost of 'camera film and processing'; it's often easier to grasp the full impact from a print than it is when you're looking through the viewfinder but eventually, after enough practice, this will become second nature.
Though we may not always be aware of it, format also deeply affects the psychological content of a scene. Subjects framed vertically, for instance, often seem more aggressive and less stable: Skyscrapers loom overhead and trees totter in the wind, as opposed to horizontally framed subjects that offer a sense of equilibrium and stability.
The Rule of Thirds
Taking the time to find a placement for your subject within your frame that is both pleasing and effective is crucial to the success of your travel photographs. One method that artists have been using for centuries (not just in photography) is the rule of thirds. It involves dividing the viewfinder frame into a grid of thirds (9 squares), both horizontally and vertically. The four lines and four intersections of these lines can then be used as invisible guidelines to help you find dynamic subject placement.
By placing your subject at one of the four intersections�as opposed to placing it dead centre of the frame, you give it added emphasis. This technique works well with all subjects but is particularly effective when you are shooting a relatively small subject surrounded by a large expanse of space or against a plain background. The visual weight of your subject balances the vast emptiness. A lone tree in a field of corn appears stagnant and overwhelmed by its surroundings, but if it is placed at a thirds intersection, its position fulfills our inbuilt need for a dynamic visual tension.
You can use thirds to help with organising and supporting secondary subjects by setting them at diagonally opposite intersections�ie, placing a small fishing boat(the main subject) at the lower left intersection and the rising full moon (your secondary subject) diagonally opposite and above at the upper right junction. Again, this gives your image both balance and dynamics.
Thirds divisions can help you decide where to place the horizon. If you place it along one of the two frame divisions, you have a quick and effective shortcut for deciding how to arrange the composition. Imagine, for instance, that you're photographing a Spanish beach scene that includes sand, sea, and sky. Placing the horizon line at the upper third line gives the sky one third of the frame and the sea and sand two thirds. Conversely, placing the horizon along the bottom third line accents the sky by giving it two thirds of the frame. You can use the same idea whether you're shooting in portrait or landscape format. Again, give this a go and try out different combinations - It's best to try it out now that wait until you see that 'killer shot' and then miss it by not being prepared. (also see 'Placing the Horizon) Placing the Horizon
As in the last section about the rule of thirds, In outdoor photography, where you place the horizon line in your frame has a powerful effect on how your photographs are interpreted. Shifting the placement of the horizon by tilting the camera up or down can completely alter the balance of a scene.
Placing the horizon high in the frame, for example, accents foreground details and enhances the sense of distance within your image. Take care when using larger foregrounds to get as much depth of field as possible. If your camera has an aperture-priority or landscape mode, use it to set a low aperture (f/11 or smaller) to ensure maximum near-to-far crispness. Shooting from a high vantage point and tilting the camera down so it is more parallel to the plane of the foreground also helps extend the range of sharp focus.
Horizons placed very low in the frame increase the isolation of subjects at the horizon. By isolating a person at the bottom right edge of the frame, you will create an atmosphere of emptiness by contrasting it with the vastness of the sky. Low horizons can be effective, too, for capturing dramatic skies, colorful sunsets and illuminated clouds.
Dividing a photograph in half by placing the horizon across the centre of the frame is often considered breaking a design rule, but don't let that put you off, try it out as some of the best art in the world breaks the 'rules'. If it works�as it sometimes does in catching mirror reflections in pond or lake scenes�use it without shame.
Often not including a horizon at all works best. Instead of battling to find the best horizon placement, try zooming in on a main subject and eliminate the horizon completely. Finally, no matter where you place the horizon, keep it level unless you're intentionally trying to rock your viewers' visual boats. Of course with digital cameras and photo editing, this can always be altered once back at your PC.
Filling the Frame
There's an old saying in photography "if you want to improve your photographs 100 percent, move closer". It's true. The one sure way to keep from including too much worthless, distracting information in a photograph is to fill the frame with your subject and nothing but your subject. Filling the frame from edge to edge leaves little or no doubt as to what your intended subject was. There are two ways to get closer: Use a zoom lens or get your walking boots out and move on in...
Making your subject larger in the frame involves the viewer at a more intense level. A chin to hairline portrait of an interesting face, for example, immediately puts the viewer eye to eye with your subject.
A common problem with this is that we often think we're filling the frame when in fact we're no where near. How many times have you looked at a photo of a nice waterfall you took on holiday and been dissapointed as it looks so far away and 'nothingy'. What's happening is that when you're standing in front of a scene, you're concentrating so intently on your subject that your brain is tricked into thinking your subject is closer than it actually is.
The solution is simple. As soon as you think you're close enough to your subject, take a few steps forward (provided you're not on the edge of a cliff) and look at the frame again. Just before you click the shutter, look around the frame and see if there's anything you could lose without taking away from your main shot. When in doubt, take a few more steps closer. Close Up
The world is full of tiny objects and creatures that can draw a curious eye. Often seemingly insignificant details tell the story of a locale as well as broad views do. In a slide show, a close-up of a painted Chinese character is the perfect sequel to a Beijing street view. One of the great things about digital cameras (particularly point-and-shoot cameras) is that due to their sensor size and optical design they have brilliant close-up capabilities. If you do a search on Flickr.com or on our 'daily photos' page, on "close ups," you'll see the most stunning examples of close-up photos of insects & flowers among other things.
Many digital point-and-shoot and zoom cameras will in fact focus sharply on subjects close to an inch from the lens. If shooting close-ups is an importnat part of your photography, be sure to consider the capabilities when choosing your camera.
Taking close-ups with a point-and-shoot or zoom camera is very straightforward and usually there's a special close-up shooting mode that will handle most of the technical details for you. You'll know when you're trying to take a photo that's beyond the camera's capability, because the autofocus will not lock on to your subject and usually won't let you take the shot. Fixing the problem is simple: just move backwards slightly until the "correct focus" indicator light let's you know it's safe to shoot then try again.
On the other hand, with a DSLR camera, the degree of closeness is almost unlimited. A variety of accessories can be used in conjunction with your camera setup to provide ever-increasing magnification. If you take close-ups only occasionally, a simple set of screw-on close-up filters will provide an low cost solution. For more serious work, a macro lens or a zoom with a macro feature offers the better quality.
Whatever camera equipment & accessories you have, using an ISO of about 200 or 400 is very important: The closer you get, the less inherent depth of field there is and the more camera shake is enhanced. Using a higher ISO allows the camera to select higher shutter speeds and smaller apertures, which help correct both problems.
Camera Angles
Surprise is an important ellement in a good travel photograph, and capturing your subjects from unexpected angles is a simple and great way to add this. Most of us tend to spot and snap potential subjects from eye-level, and a straight-ahead point of view. We look down at flowers, directly out at the sea, and upwards at skyscrapers. By exploring your subjects beyond predictable first impressions, you can create new and impressive compositions.
This requires a bit of visual detective work to find new angles. Walk around, over, and under your subject until its true personality surfaces, climb on walls and trees and get down on your knees.. the simplest idea of takeing the picture from ground level makes an impressive difference. You may feel silly in getting to such vantage points, but your pictures will make up for it.
High vantage points help organize complex scenes. At street level, faces and signs in a crowded marketplace dominate, making the scene chaotic. From a balcony or window above, however, the same scene looks completely different, crates of colorful fruits and vegetables from a nearby market stall form patterns, and streaming crowds weave inviting visual rhythms in your photograph.
Low angles can exaggerate the height of tall subjects or reveal unseen aspects of low-lying ones, especially when combined with a very close viewpoint and the perspective-stretching effects of a wide-angle lens. A photo of the Statue of Liberty from a normal viewpoint with a standard lens looks, well, normal. But move nearer to the base with a 24mm or wider lens and shoot straight up, and it becomes a soaring tower of converging angles. Size Matters
One of the main differences between looking at a scene in person and looking at a photo of it is that in person you have numerous cues as to the size of objects. A cow, a car, or a football somewhere in the scene helps shape your sense of scale. When you compose a photo though, you eliminate many of these clues, leaving the viewer to contemplate the size of objects, subjects that appear only inches tall may in reality be enormous, and vice versa. The more unusual or obscure the subject, the less we're able to judge its true size without help.
While almost any object of known size will provide such cues, the human form is perhaps the most universal size indicator. In the photo of the giant hand, for example, it would be impossible to guess its true magnitude without having the children as a comparison.
What to do if there are no size cues handy? Creative use of framing can indicate size. In photographing a lone pine tree, for instance, you can make it seem larger by moving closer to it and filling the frame; or, you can move farther away and make it appear more diminutive by giving it less space in the frame.
You can easily turn the tables on reality by using your knowledge of size recognition. One method is to use a wide-angle lens close to a foreground subject to make it appear to loom over a much bigger subject in the background. It's important when using this technique to set as small an aperture as possible to keep both foreground and background in crisp focus.
Alternatively, you can disguise the sense of scale within a scene altogether by eliminating any visual cues to size. Abstract images often work best when the viewer is left without any hint of the real dimensions of a scene leaving them in deep thought or confused.
Using Lines
You may not think of lines as being as exciting a travel subject as, say, a poisonous snake sliding through the grass. But photograph that snake and you will surely have captured a distinctive�and emotionally charged�line. Nor would the idea of taking a photo of a line in the sand seem that intriguing, unless it was the sinuous line of a sand dune shifting in a desert wind.
Lines have many uses in a photo. They can divide, unify, or accent certain parts of a composition. If they are interesting enough, they can become a visual topic in themselves: Who could resist the lines of a spider's web glistening with dew? Stay alert to catch transient lines, like shadows or shafts of light, before they disappear.
Lines lead the eye into a scene. Stand on a train platform and you'll see it's all but impossible to keep your eye from following the line of the railway tracks to the horizon. Parallel lines that appear to converge this way create what's known as one-point or linear perspective, potent for showing distance and depth in a photograph. Curved lines can lead equally well: The undulating lines of the country road draw the eye into the frame.
Leading lines are most effective when there is a relation between line and your subject, such as winding stone steps leading to a castle door. You can exaggerate their impact further by using a wide-angle lens and finding a vantage point close to the beginning of the lines�kneeling to get close to train tracks, for example.
The shape and the direction of lines in a photograph are also forceful setters of mood. Straight lines, whether vertical or horizontal, seem stable and formal. The sharp lines of a picket fence have little sensuousness, but consider the alluring slopes of rolling hills or a tanned body lying on the beach.
De-clutter
Trying to pack too much information into a frame is like cramming too much into your suitcase. It only makes the thing you're looking for that much harder to find. A good photograph should reveal a single subject or idea with as little clutter as possible. It's okay if someone looking at your travel photos asks where they were taken, but if he or she has to ask what the picture is of, you're on shaky ground - unless you are taking abstract photos...
Paring your compositions down to their bare bones begins as a mental process. Try to describe in a single sentence what it is you're photographing: "This is a photograph of a lighthouse at sunset." Then begin to eliminate all but the essential visual elements. Do you need the kids on the sandbar in the foreground to make the photo? Or the boat dock in the background?
One way to isolate subjects is to experiment with different angles of view. Often, shooting from an elevated vantage point will help you eliminate distracting or cluttered backgrounds, while getting down on your belly and shooting from ground level will let you isolate subjects against the sky. Another way to subdue a busy background is to use a technique called selective focus, which puts everything except your main subject out of focus. Of course, if your subject is movable (like a person), you can always move it to simpler surroundings.
Yet another technique for clarifying your message is to silhouette a subject by photographing it against a brightly lit background�a fisherman at sunset�so its shape is instantly identifiable.
Abstract
No rule in photography says every photo you take must be a literal translation of your subject. Indeed, many of the most alluring travel photographs break from reality and offer an interpretive or even totally abstract vision of the world. Because travel itself is often a surreal and fragmented experience, occasional forays into abstraction may be the best way to capture the true spirit of a trip. There are no rights or wrongs: You can simply let your imagination run wild.
Where to find fodder for your abstract ambitions? After a rain, reflections from wet sidewalks and puddles produce myriad impressionistic images. At twilight, when neon store signs and traffic lights begin to glow, wet asphalt becomes a luminous billboard of color. Look also to the fractured, mosaic-like mirror of city life found in the glass-and-steel facades of modern buildings.
Striking abstract subjects can emerge from well-observed (though often overlooked) confluences of color, shape, texture, and form that are the components of larger scenes. Pioneer color photographer Ernst Haas, one of the masters of abstract color photography, had an intense affection for peculiarly shaped fragments of peeling paint, torn billboard posters, and even crushed beer cans. Another master of photographic abstraction, Pete Turner, frequently finds his colorful compositions in the odd shapes and contrasting colors of such ordinary things as plastic garbage cans and beach umbrellas.
Whatever the source of the design, as with patterns, the secret to finding and capturing powerful abstracts is isolation�extracting the components of your images from their surroundings completely enough so the design and not the individual object or objects becomes your subject. Keep in mind, though, that not everyone will see the same beauty in your flights of visual whimsy that you do; don't be too offended by quizzical stares when you pass your snaps around at the office.