Photo Composition Tips

The rules of composition, such as the placement of your subject according to the rule of thirds. The prohibitions about not including this or that, such as a good photograph should have only one main subject. The warnings about lines crossing horizontally through the frame, or vertically along any side from top to bottom, all have their place, and are important rules for making good images.

But of equal importance, in my opinion is in the conveying of a mood. All good photographs need a voice, they need to say something, otherwise they fall flat on their face, and become just another snapshot. Portraits of people, or animals usually have a built in personality, and convey a message about the subject easily. But inanimate objects, and landscapes need help from the photographer, they need to be given a personality or voice. A few, but very few of these types of subjects can speak for themselves.

There are many rules about converging lines, crossing lines, and other types of lines in a photograph. Most go on to prohibit or encourage the use of certain lines, in locations where they distract from the photograph, or draw your eye in, or out of the image. These are good rules, but just that; they are rules. Rules only set the stage, they do not speak. Following a rigid set of rules all of the time produces technically correct images, But also can produce rather clinical, and dry dead voiceless pictures.
That's how the great photographers like Ansel Adams, Alfred Stieglitz, and others, made such classic masterpieces. It wasn't because they had access to images that we don't today, or subjects that are not as equally impressive. They didn't layer them, or tinker with them in Photo-Shop, to create a pseudo image. They understood how to give them power, they knew how to make those images speak to us, even today their photographs remain classics.

Those same techniques they used are still out there. They are in the park, down on the street corner, along the river side, in architectural structures, and almost anywhere else you look today. They are in the shape of curves, zig-zags, diagonal, converging, crossing, parallel, and other forms of lines. Every line in a picture has a special meaning. But what do they say, and how would I use them. Here are a few suggestions.

Straight Lines: For instance, suggest solidarity, strength, direction, and vigor. They say I am strong, pay attention.

Curved Lines: Speak of beauty, softness, and grace. Every good picture contains a blend of both straight, and curved lines. With one definitely predominating.
For instance if you want your image to speak boldly, with a strong demanding strength. Select an angle, that emphasizes the straight lines in the picture. If on the other hand if you want to the image to speak of beauty, and charm, select an angle that emphasizes the curved lines. Just make sure they don't curve out of the image. This will lead the viewers eye away form your subject, to the edges.

Vertical Lines: Vertical lines speak of power, hope, and courage.

Horizontal Lines: Speak quietly, of balance, and rest. Choose an angle that does not let either horizontal, or vertical lines cut completely through the image. This will lead the viewers eye right out of the image, and can speak of confusion by dividing your subject into sperate pieces.

Zig-Zag Lines: Are the most active, they speak of business, and energy.

S - Shaped Curves: Speak with the strongest voice of beauty, and grace.

Two Lines: Crossing each other speak of violence, and disturbing action.

Two Lines: Running parallel to each other (one repeating the pattern of the other) speak of sympathy, understanding, and acceptance.

Last but not least, possibly the voice I use most. The lines that very nearly say it all.

Diagonal Lines: Speak of speed, direction, motion, presence, and activity. They can lead you along a path, and control the direction of your eye when viewing an image; more than any other line. In western countries, lay these lines along a path from left to right. Form a very young age we are taught to read, and naturally observe in this manner. In eastern countries of course from the right, would be the proper direction. Here is a photo I shot, while trying out a new camera.

Its just a simple bridge, in a local city park. It is also a HDR image (high dynamic range), this is done by layering two or three different exposures of the same image together, to increase the dynamic range, and definition in a photograph.

Taken form the side, it would reveal little of the details about the structure. Giving it no direction, and would just be a snapshot of a bridge, and not a very good one at that. If it had been taken straight on, again it would have not revealed as much detail, and spoke of no action.

Taken from a diagonal angle it has a path, and speaks of action. It is clearly pointing in the direction of the playground, and pool area. Inviting you to cross, saying come on I'm going somewhere, drawing your eye across the bridge, and beyond into the image. In this case if you noticed, no rule of thirds was applied. It wasn't needed, and would have changed the whole image. It has perfect balance the way it is, and has a strong voice and feeling of action.

Final Comments: In general, good pictures result from careful attention to some basic elements of composition, together with appropriate lighting and an interesting subject. There is, however, no "right" way to take a picture. Three photographers recording the same scene may create equally appealing photographs, with entirely different compositions. Never allow yourself, to believe you have to follow a strict set of rules. Self expression is just as important in photography, as in other art forms. To restrict yourself, is to limit your creativity, and loose your identity – just taking another indistinguishable so-so picture.