Photography Explained Podcast Episode 13 - What Are The Rules Of Composition
Rick McEvoy
Architectural and construction photography. Creator of the Photography Explained podcast. Photography blog. Photography educator and all round good egg!
In this episode of the Photography Explained podcast I have told you what the rules of composition are.
The rules of composition are for me not really rules but are proven, helpful techniques that can help us all improve our compositions. The rules are based on sound artistic and aesthetic principles, and can help us all create more pleasing and aesthetic photos. Composition is the most important thing when taking a photo, and an excellent composition will make a photo, whilst a poor composition will break a photo. Learn to use the rules, apply the ones that work for you, and break them when you are ready to.
I don’t like the term rule – it makes me not want to know more so lets just get over that and learn these things to help us all with our photography.
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Composition is king
A great composition is the beginnings of a great photo. A rubbish composition makes a rubbish photo that no amount of editing can make up for. A rubbish composition is the end of a photo.
Fact!
Get it right in camera
Get your composition the best you can in camera. Editing should be to enhance the composition you have created, and not to make the composition after the event.
Learn the rules of composition, try them all out and see which work for you.
Read the list below, and find out more about them. Try some out, and see which work for you. Before I go on let me tell you what the rules of composition are.
What Are The Rules Of Composition?
I am now going to tell you what the rules of composition are, and after that why they are important. I have enjoyed producing this podcast episode and blog post, as I had some work to do which I really enjoyed.
I have learned stuff which is good. And that is the point of my podcast.
I will caveat this episode by saying that rules are of course there to be broken – enough on that in a future podcast episode.!
Here are the “rules of photography” that I can find in alphabetical order. There are many lists that I found, and in some of these there are rules I have to admit I have never heard of. But this is the most complete list that on the internet I believe.
- Balance
- Centred composition
- Colour theory
- Complimentary elements
- Contrasting colours
- Cropping
- Depth of field
- Diagonals and triangles
- Don’t cut off limbs (but the top of the head is fine!)
- Fill the frame
- Foreground internet and depth
- Framing
- Golden ratio
- Golden spiral - finabicci
- Golden triangle
- High or low
- Juxtaposition
- Leading Lines
- Left to right
- Negative space
- Patterns
- Reduce clutter
- Reflections
- Repeat elements
- Rule of odds
- Rule of Thirds
- Scale and hierarchy
- Simplicity and minimalism
- Space to move
- Symmetry
- Viewpoint
Blimey!
That is quite a list.
Don’t worry!
But don’t worry – I am not saying that you have to learn how to use them all – far from it.
This is obviously a visual thing which is hard to describe in words but you know what the rules are to check them out.
The purpose of this podcast episode and blogpost is to make you aware of the rules of composition and give you all something to think about and learn, which will start the cogs whirring on composition.
So why do we have rules?
Rules have evolved over the years. The reason I am telling you about them is so you are aware of them and can have a look at them.
They are not really rules - another term that I hate. They are ideas, techniques, tips, things to think about.
They are based on sound compositional principles which can help us all with our photography.
Be aware of them as they will help you but don’t try to use them all at once. Take the ones that work for you – you will find that you are thinking more about composition which is the whole point of this episode.
Top Lightroom Tip
Some of these rules you can find in Lightroom in the crop tool would you believe. If you have Lightroom go to the crop tool by pressing the R key, then press O and you can cycle through the different crop tools – neat eh? Let’s consider that a bonus tip from me for free!
What are these rules important?
They are important as they are based on sound artistic, aesthetic and compositional principles that really do work.
These rules have evolved and developed over the years and are great starting points in learning how to create better compositions, which mean better photos.
And this is what we all want from our photography!
Recap
A a good composition is the starting point in creating an image that is pleasing to the viewer, gives interest that makes the viewer look at the photo and explore the content. A good composition draws the viewer into the photo, making them want to find out more and explore the image.
A rubbish composition makes a rubbish photo.Postarubbish photo and noone will want to spend any time looking at it – people will just scroll quickly past it looking for better photos.
Making a great first impression
A photo is often the first time someone is aware of you. As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression. If someone finds one of your photos what they see will instantly form a view of you and your photography.
If they see a great photo they will want to know more about you.
If they see a rubbish photo you will be instantly discarded and forgotten.
Harsh but this is the reality.
What is next on the Photography Explained Podcast?
In the next episode I will tell you the rules of composition that I use – I just want to make you aware of these rules and check them out to get you thinking about composition ok?
I will tell you which rules I use and why. I am going to go through the list and tell you what I think quickly of each rule.
If this sounds good then I look forward to speaking to you on the next episode of my podcast.
Thank you
Thanks for listening to my podcast (if you did) and reading this blog post (which I assume you have done as you are reading this!).
If you have listened to my podcast
I hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did please leave a nice review and rating wherever you get your podcasts from, and please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. And if you could also tell everyone you know about my podcast that would be even better.
OK – just tell one person and I will be very grateful.
Do you want me to explain a photographic thing?
Let me know if there is a photography thing that you want me to explain and I will add it to my list. Just head over to my website and click on the podcast tile. If I explain your thing I will give you a shout out on that episode. And the list is now live on my website for all to see!