Simple Photography Composition Tips That Will Improve Your Photos
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When you learn about photography, one of the first tasks is to discover how to compose a photo.
The problem, of course, is learning how to implement photography composition tips in a way that enhance your images.
Though every case is different and every subject might require a different compositional approach, there are a few fundamental things that will help you.
In the video above, Nigel Danson outlines seven photography composition tips that you need to know to improve your photography.
I've outlined a few of Nigel's critical points below.
Editor's Tip: Step up your iPhone photography game by upgrading your phone's lenses.
How to Compose a Photo: Look for the Composition
Nigel's first point of emphasis is actually on the process you go through before you bring the camera to your eye and compose the photo.
That step - looking for the composition - involves taking some time to inspect the scene and look at it from multiple points of view.
That is, rather than coming upon a landscape and settling for the first view you see, walk around a bit to see if there are even better ways to photograph what's before you.
Oftentimes, simply moving a few steps to the left or right can dramatically change the composition for the better.
One way to make the most of the time you spend looking for the composition is to use your smartphone camera as a visualization tool.
By using your phone, you can easily point it at a scene or subject, and see how taking a lower or higher shooting position, or one to the left or right will impact the image.
YouTube Screenshot/Nigel Danson
Additionally, you need to look for a point of interest to anchor the photo.
This is important because many beginner photographers see something like the beautiful sunset in the screenshot above, and simply photograph the sky.
But by adding a point of interest as a visual anchor - in this case, the sheep in the center of the frame and the stone walls that criss-cross the image - you create a photo with much more life, depth, and interest.
Learn More:
Photography Composition Tip: Find Patterns
YouTube Screenshot/Nigel Danson
Including patterns in your compositions is a good idea because our eyes are naturally drawn to patterns.
Not only are they visually stimulating, but they also give you an opportunity to help direct the viewer's eyes toward the primary subject.
In the image above, you can see how the repeating pattern of the grasses in the foreground create a bit of symmetry that's so pleasing to the eye.
But because the grasses have a similar shape as the mountains in the background, this also serves to connect the foreground to the background, helping to push the viewer's eye upward to inspect other areas of the shot.
Learn More: Compose a great shot, then see what your photos would look like as a large fine art print.
Look for Lines and Shapes
YouTube Screenshot/Nigel Danson
Similar to patterns, lines and shapes help you compose a much more interesting image because they can help facilitate eye movement.
Consider this - if you took a portrait and simply placed the person in the middle of the frame in front of a plain, white background, viewers would look at the subject and have nowhere else to go in the shot.
But by including lines and shapes, you can help direct the viewer's eye to different areas of the image and hold their attention for much longer.
In the screenshot above, notice how the lines created by the rocks in the foreground help push your eyes toward the city and harbor in the midground and then beyond that to the Golden Gate bridge in the distance.
YouTube Screenshot/Nigel Danson
Leading lines and shapes don't have to be as obvious, though.
In this example, the small footpath helps direct our eyes through the foreground to the tower of the Golden Gate Bridge.
But there are also numerous triangular shapes in this shot that help direct our attention to deeper and deeper areas of the photo.
As you can see above, the three triangles at different points in the image all point upward, and help keep moving our eyes around the photograph.
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Final Thoughts
There are plenty of other photography composition tips that you can use to enhance your photos, but those outlined above and discussed in the video will get you started in the right direction.
Remember that composing a great photo isn't just about technique, either.
Instead, you need to take your time, slow things down, and really think about how to place the elements in the frame to get the best results.
Be sure to check out the complete video for even more awesome tips on how to compose a photo.
