Composition: Realizing your vision

It’s the photographer, not the camera that takes good photos. Good equipment will help you achieve much as far as quality goes, but the true mark of a great photograph depends on the vision of the photographer. Composition is the representation of that vision. What makes a good photographer is the ability to see the unusual, to compose it effectively and to capture that vision as an image.

Composition can be defined as the "pleasing selection and placement of subjects (objects) within the picture area (field of view)". Sounds simple, but getting the composition just right is what makes a great photo.

Learning how to compose an image effectively isn’t something that you can learn overnight or through following a rigid set of rules or guidelines. It takes time and experimentation. After a while you will develop a feel for it and good composition will start to come naturally.

The following guidelines should provide you with a good starting point for composing your images. However you should not consider them the be all and end all of photography. Sometimes you will achieve much better results by ignoring them altogether.

The Rule of Thirds

This is likely the most popular and most often broken rule in photography. The rule of thirds specifies that you divide your LCD or viewfinder into a grid of 9 areas. You then position the main elements of the image you are trying to capture at the intersections of the dividing lines. It is believed that by putting the focal point of the image at one of these intersections you get a better photo than you would have, if you placed the focal point in the center of the image.

The same rule applies for vertical objects. Off-center placement is usually the best option and adds that bit of extra interest to the image, which would otherwise have appeared static.

With landscape photographs, you need to align the horizon with one of the grid lines. Generally it's best to either place the horizon in the top or bottom third of the image, but not in the middle.

When taking shots of moving subjects it's also a good idea to leave plenty of room in front of the subject. That way it won't look as if the subject is running out of space and you provide a clear path for the subject to follow.

Never try to ignore your natural feel for the image in order to abide by the rule. If you feel that an image looks better by breaking the rule, don’t hesitate. Always remember that it’s just a rough guideline to use as a starting point. If something works, it works. If not, you are free to experiment to see what works best.

Part 2: Keep it simple