Photo Composition Tips
Read this book for advice and ideas on composing a great photograph.
Fill the Frame - Get up close!
Get up close to fill the frame.
Not so exciting....
Closer is more interesting...
And really close with a shallow depth of field focuses the viewer's attention on details not seen every day.
More Examples:
Framing
Framing is more than what you do with your prints! It is a powerful composition technique.
More Examples:
Leading Lines
Use leading lines to draw the viewer's eye through the photograph. This is an especially powerful technique to draw the viewer's attention to one or more intended subjects or a single focal point.
More Examples:
Look for Unlikely Pairings
Look for irony, humor, and other statements that could be made by putting unlikely elements together in a photograph.
Rule of Thirds
Use the rule of thirds to help choose where to place the subject in the frame to create well balanced and appealing photographs.
The Rule of Thirds is more of a guide than a hard and fast rule, but is very helpful when choosing the placement of the subject in the frame. A photograph is often much more appealing when the subject is not directly in the center, and occupies a significant area within the frame.
The Rule of Thirds basically divides the frame into thirds in the vertical and/or the horizontal directions. Take a look at the example below. A grid has been placed over the image at the thirds vertically and horizontally. The lighthouse has been placed over the rightmost vertical and centered in the vertical direction. The lighthouse sign has been positioned in the lower left cell.
