12 ways of composition

Summary: Rule of thirds/?Center composition/?Frame composition/?Leading line composition/?Diagonal lines and triangle composition/?Discover patterns and textures/?Rule of odd numbers/?Leave blank space for the picture/ ?Minimalism/?Law of Space/?Balanced Composition/?Golden Triangle

1. Rule of thirds:

The picture is divided equally by two horizontal lines and two vertical lines. It is 9 identical rectangles, as shown in the figure below.

Many camera manufacturers that can display this grid in Live Shooting mode have actually included the ability to display this grid in Live View mode. Check your camera manual to see how to turn this feature on.

The idea behind this composition is to place important elements of the scene along one or more of the lines, or near the intersection of the lines.

For example, in the photo above, I placed the horizon line in the lower 1/3 of the picture, and the larger tree on the right, which is also the main subject of the picture, was placed in the right 1/3. If you put the main subject, the larger tree, in the middle of the picture, it won't have the same effect as the picture above.

In the above photo, the horizon is placed in the upper 1/3 of the picture, most of the buildings are arranged in the middle, the square occupies the lower 1/3 of the picture, and the prominent spire buildings are placed in the middle. Near the intersection point in the upper right corner.

2.? Central composition and symmetry:

In the rule of thirds composition, we just mentioned that the subject should not be placed in the center of the picture, but the composition is like this, there are no rules. Because sometimes, placing it in the center really makes the picture look better. Especially for symmetrical pictures, if the central axis is placed in the center, the picture will have a strong sense of formal beauty.

Many buildings and roads are suitable for expression with central composition.

Images with reflections are also very suitable for symmetrical composition. The photo above uses both the rule of thirds and symmetry. Place the tree on the right 1/3 of the picture, and the reflection in the lake will form an up-and-down symmetry. In many scenes, multiple composition methods can be used simultaneously.

3.? Frame composition:

Frame composition is another way to give a scene a sense of depth. The frame can be a window, an archway, or an overhanging tree branch, and the "frame" doesn't necessarily have to surround the entire scene.

The above photo was taken in St. Mark's Square in Venice. I used the arch as a frame to shoot the bell tower at the end of the square of St. Mark's Church. Viewing the scenery through the arch is a feature of Renaissance painting. If you are careful, you may find out why there is no one in the square? Because this photo was taken at 5am. The early bird catches the worm, and the same goes for photography.

The frame does not have to be a man-made structure, such as an arch or window. The photos below were taken in Ireland. This time, I took advantage of a tree trunk and branches growing to the left, forming a half-frame, creating a frame that contains the bridge and boathouse. While it doesn't completely "frame" the bridge and boathouse, it still adds a sense of depth.

Frequently framing your shots can cultivate the good habit of using your surroundings to compose your shots.

4. Leading line composition:

Leading lines can guide the audience’s eyes to important elements. For example, roads, walls or highly directional line patterns can be used as guide lines. For example, like the picture below.

In this photo of the Eiffel Tower, I used the pattern on the floor tiles as guiding lines. Lines on the ground lead the viewer’s eye to the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Similarly, this photo also uses the central composition method, because the surrounding scene is symmetrical, which can form a good formal beauty.

As shown in the picture above, the guide line does not necessarily have to be straight. In fact, curves are very attractive compositional features. In this case, the curved path leads the viewer's eye to the trees on the right. Similarly, the position of the trees still adopts the composition method of thirds, that is, the photo uses two composition methods at the same time.

5.? Diagonal lines and triangle composition:

People often say that triangle and diagonal composition can make a photo full of dynamic tension. But what does “dynamic tension” mean? This is a difficult question to explain, and there are some unspeakable meanings in it that can only be understood.

But we can understand it this way: horizontal and vertical lines indicate stability. If a person stands on a horizontal surface, you will feel that he is very stable. But if this person is standing on a slope, you will feel that he may slide down the slope at any time. We don’t like slashes in our daily lives because they make us feel unstable. Therefore, using diagonal lines and triangles in composition can help us achieve the feeling of "dynamic tension".

Including triangles in a scene is a particularly effective way to imbue an image with dynamic tension. Triangles can be actual triangular objects or implied triangles. This will be explained in more detail below.

It is common to photograph Samuel Beckett Bridge using triangles and diagonal compositions. The bridge itself is a triangle, and there are several other triangles implied in the scene. Pay attention to the leading lines on the right side of the picture. They converge at the same point, forming multiple triangles.

These are "implied triangles". Diagonal lines with different directions give this photo tension. Similarly, this photo also uses two composition methods, leading lines and triangle composition.

This photo was taken of the H?tel de H?tel de Ville in Paris. It also uses triangles and diagonal lines to add tension to the picture. In daily life, we don’t see tilted buildings (unless it is about to be demolished or it is the Leaning Tower of Pisa), so when we see tilted buildings in photos, we feel unharmonious, and this The feeling of "disharmony" is the reason for the formation of visual tension.

6. ?Discover patterns and textures:

Humans are naturally attracted to patterns. Regular patterns and textures create a sense of harmony. The pattern can be artificial, such as a row of arches, or natural, such as leaf veins or petals. Adding pattern to a photo always adds a sense of beauty to the viewer, and less regular textures can sometimes be pleasing to the eye.

The photo above was taken in Tunisia. I used patterns on the paving stones to lead the viewer's eye to the domed building. The series of arches in the building also have good formal beauty.

The photo above was also taken in Tunisia. I love the texture of the stone on the ground. It's a little less patterned than in the first photo, but the effect of light and shadow is really nice. There are also interesting textures on the corridor walls and roof. At the same time, the arch forms a frame composition, still using two composition methods at the same time.

7.? The Law of Odd Numbers:

In the photography world, there are of course a lot of "odd numbers", but the "Law of Odd Numbers" is something else entirely. This rule states that if the number of subjects is odd, it is more likely to attract attention. The theory is that even-numbered elements in a scene are distracting because the viewer isn't sure which element to focus on more.

The photo above is an example of the odd number rule. I intentionally made the scene include three arches. I thought the two arches might distract the audience, but luckily there happened to be three of them on site. This composition also uses a framed composition.

Photo of two gondoliers taken in Venice. You'll notice that I'm not using the odd number rule. And our eyes do keep moving between the two boatmen. However, this is just right for showing the scene of two people talking, just like two people chatting with each other.

8. Leave your screen blank:

It can be tempting to leave a lot of blank or "negative" space around your subject. It creates a minimalistic feel and fills the picture with artistic conception. Like having the subject fill the frame, it helps the viewer focus on the subject without distraction.

9. Minimalism:

In the previous article, we learned how to create a minimalistic feel by creating white space around the subject. Simplicity itself is a powerful compositional tool. People often say "less is more". Simplicity often means shooting with a simple background that won’t distract the viewer. You can also simplify composition by taking close-ups of scenery.

Zoomed in on a drop of water on a leaf in the garden to make the image simpler. When the picture becomes simple, the beauty is revealed. A good macro lens is a useful tool for taking these photos.

10. The Law of Space

Arranging space in your photo relates to the direction the subject in your photo is facing or moving. For example, if you are taking a picture of a moving car, there should be more space in front of the car than behind it. This means there is room for the car to continue moving forward. Take a look at the example of this boat below.

In this photo, the boat is placed on the left side of the frame, leaving more space on the right side of the frame. Since the boat moves from left to right, we unconsciously think that it will move to the space on the right, leaving space that matches the viewer's visual experience. And if the ship is placed on the right side of the screen, our line of sight will be directed outside the screen.

11. Balanced composition:

The first composition guideline we look at in this article is the "rule of thirds." This means we often place the subject of the photo to one side of the frame, along the 1/3 grid line. But sometimes this results in a picture that lacks balance and leaves a "white space" in the rest of the frame.

In order to avoid the problem of weightlessness in the picture, you can arrange a companion slightly further away in the picture and occupy a smaller proportion of the picture. This not only balances the composition, but also does not affect the main expression of the picture.

For example, the following picture of a gorgeous lamppost

The lamppost is arranged on the left side of the picture, and the Eiffel Tower is placed slightly further on the right side as a companion.

12. Golden Triangle:

The photo above follows the "golden triangle composition method. The train track is on the focus line, and the buildings on the left and right are on two vertical lines.

The statue and the Eiffel Tower can be separated by a diagonal line, and the vertical lines on the left and right sides just go through the tower and the statue. Although this composition is a bit complicated, it can indeed produce some very attractive photos. Attention-grabbing work.

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