This is part three of a series on composition. While it is not necessary to read part one or two in order to understand, I would definitely recommend it. You can find part one here and part two here.

Follow up:

Have 5 photographers set up on the same scene and there is no doubt you will get many different compositions. Organizing the subject and other elements of a scene within the borders of your photo is a very personal endeavor and can’t always be dictated by a rigid set of rules. We talked about the rule of thirds and how utilizing it can make for a more pleasing picture. At the same time, sometimes ignoring the rules works as well. It’s all about developing our eye to see what the camera sees. In today’s article on composition we will be discussing a few small things that when we pay attention to them can make a huge difference in the type of shot we take.

1. No clearly defined centre of interest Nothing will bore a viewer faster than an image that appears to have no topic. Just because you know what the shot was suppose to portray does not always mean that someone else will. A well defined centre of interest will solve this problem.

2. Subject too small in the frame The best way to assure better compositions is to fill the frame with the subject. Get closer, and when you think you are close enough get closer again. When you fill up the frame this way with your subject you’ll make it obvious what the photo is suppose to be about.

3. Too much clutter Sometimes you’ll find that the backgrounds to your photos have far too much clutter, or stuff in the picture that serves no purpose but to distract our eyes away from the main subject. Try to eliminate this as much as possible. Search for simple backgrounds that don’t take away from your subject. Ultimately, composition is something that will become instinctive the more you look at photos, the more you analyze the photos you’ve made and the more you photograph. It’s really easy to end up over-analyzing things but there’s no doubt you’ll get more personality in your photos when you react with your heart. Practice your craft so that it becomes second nature. Use the rules as guidelines and continue to give things your own interpretation.

“Glorious Violet” was taken at a garden close to my home. I loved the purple hues and the sense of tranquility that it invoked in me. This particular print can be found in the Flower category of our catalog.