Photography tips: Compose for maximum effect

How you compose your shot is one of the most important decisions that you make about any photo that you take. Although many guidelines help you compose well, most of them have been often broken while still creating excellent photographs. That said, always try to look at those rules, such as the rule of thirds as mere guidelines, rather than unbreakable rules.

Image below by ~ mathias-erhart was composed following the rule of thirds, giving more balance and interest to the image.

Using a digital camera with a zoom lens makes it possible for you to try different compositions and angles without having to move as much. You can shoot a wide-angle photo and then zoom in to compose a much tighter view of the subject or scene. The perspective and vantage points are also significant aspects of composition that you can control somewhat when using a zoom lens. Look for interesting angles that present your subject or scene in new and interesting ways. Also, look for ways to accentuate form, texture, and patterns. If you have composed a photo that invites the viewer to look more closely, most likely you have composed it well.

The ultra soft background in both photos above keeps focus on the main subject, better accentuating its importance and strength. Both photos by ~ Denis Collette…!!!

You can help convey information to the viewer about your subject by framing a photo with the foreground (a frame within a frame). Using this powerful technique also makes viewers of your work feel as if they are in the photo adding a little feel of activity and dimension, as demonstrated by the bellow two images.

Photo by ~ Stuck in Customs

Photo by ~ ‘J’

It takes effort to see new ways to compose. Yet, if you take a few good photographers and ask them to shoot the same subject, there will be many different compositions. Find a subject and see how many different compositions you can shoot as an exercise to further enhance your composition skills.

Composing the shot of this building in this way further emphasizes the architectural perspective and rigidity. Photo by ~ ‘J’

If you have taken some strongly composed photos, we would love to see them. You can share your links with The D-Photo readers in the comments below.