Composition Tips

Composition Tips and Tricks

Visualize the Image

Before taking a shot, it’s best to visualize in your head, how you want the picture to turn out. Take some time to look and observe the surrounding, lighting and other factors that will either make or break your photo. Sometimes, you may need to wait for the right moment to press the shutter

Rules of Thirds

The main subject or focus in your camera does not necessarily have to be dead center in all your photos. Experiment by dividing your frame in 3 equal sections and placing the subject or focus in any of the three sections. You’ll be surprise how some empty spaces can make a photo tells a different story. Below is an example of placing the subject in a different portion of the frame instead of in the center.

Playing with Lines and Paths

In pictures where there are distinctive lines, its best to align them in a way that the lines flow beautifully instead of cutting through the frames, possibly causing distractions. It works the same way with paths. If your picture has a path or a walkway, frame the shot so that the path or walkway acts as a leading line to the main subject. Below is an example of playing with the lines to create a sense of depth.

Depth of Field

Instead of standing and focusing up close to snap a picture of a subject, try taking a few steps back, and zooming in onto the subject. For example, instead of taking a picture of a model using 20mm of your lens focal length, take a few steps back to frame the same shot but using a longer focal length, take for example 55mm or 80mm depending on your lens focal range. This will isolate the subject in focus while blurring the background. Below is an example of how this technique isolates the subject (camera) and blurs the background.