Make great photos 01: Composition
We’re so inundated with quality media these days, our eyes can now quickly discern the difference between a photo we like and one we don’t. But the process of understanding how to create a good photo vs. a lackluster one isn’t always so simple. Though, it is intuitive, and you will see why below.
The first topic in this multipart series covers composition, which is the placement of the subject and its setting within the frame of your capture. Composition is where you not only get to define the information you want to convey (or omit), but also where the viewer puts their focus. Let’s examine some easy ways to create more compelling composition.
High and Low Angles
Most humans are accustomed to seeing the world from eye level (typically 5 to 6 feet off the ground). As such, photos taken from this height tend to look boring. A creative and successful photographer such as yourself seeks out points of view that aren’t as commonly seen, getting particularly low to the ground, or particularly high in the air, to capture the viewer with an interesting new perspective of your world. Very smooth.
Depth
A great way to attract a viewer’s eye to your subject is to separate them from their background. Yet, often when we think about taking a photo (particularly portraits) the first thing we do is put our back right up to a wall and say cheese. A savvy and experienced content creator like you pulls the subject away from the wall, placing the subject closer to the camera than they are to the background. This leverages the natural features of the camera lens to create a more blurry background and thus separation and focus on the subject at hand. Nice work!
Leading Lines
Strong lines that cut through a photo (sometimes called “vectors”) are very effective at leading your viewer’s eye to a particular location inside (or outside) of the photograph. If not used wisely, you can kick your viewer’s attention clean off of your image and into the next room! But being wise and observant as you are, you notice the lines in the sidewalk, and utilize their powers of suggestion to point the viewer’s eye towards your subject. Simultaneously, you notice the power lines converging towards the edge of the frame, and adjust your composition so they don’t pull your unsuspecting viewer into another dimension. Well played.
Fill The Frame
Most of the photos we share these days are viewed on a mobile device, which means that if your subject isn’t fairly prominent in your composition, it may be too small to see. Even if it’s not on a tiny screen, you want to be sure the viewer is mostly seeing the subject you want them to see, not a bunch of potentially irrelevant surroundings. Now, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for use of negative space, but it’s important to consider what story you’re trying to tell, and whether or not the subject or everything around subject tell that story better.
