Composition Tips
A few weeks ago I wrote about "drawing with light," which is a very important element in creating images with impact. However a critical aspect of getting a good shot is composition. Recently I watched a course that Rick Sammon gave on KelbyOne - "The 20 Time Proven Rules of Composition." Take a moment and watch the intro to the course.
I know Rick and have participated in several of his workshops over the years, so some of what he shared was familiar, but I loved his tips and I thought I would share a few with you.
Rule of Odds: I am sure that you have heard about the rule of thirds - placing your subject on the intersection of lines, such as in this photo below.
But when taking a photo of multiple subjects use the rule of odds. Surround your subject with at least two others to create an odd number. For most of us, odd numbers give a sense of balance and harmony. Although there are multiple drums in this image, the three colorful ones make the photo work.
Leading lines: Using elements in a photo will help lead our eyes through the image. Here is one that I took while I was in Tbilisi, Georgia. The path as well as the building and brick wall are all pulling us though the scene.
Frame the subject: It is important to fill the frame of your photos, such as in the above, but framing the subject is a bit different. Seeing the old blue truck through the cab of another makes it much more interesting.
Looking at the sea surrounding the island of Santorini through the window of a door is another example of framing the subject. So look for opportunities to frame your subject. Walk around and see what you can use to give your image more impact.
I hope you have found these few tips out of Rick's course helpful. If you are not a member of KelbyOne, you might want to check it out. Finally, I want to leave you with another resource I found this week that will help your composition: learning more about aperture. Take five minutes and watch this video and I am sure that you will find it helpful. I know I did.
