Whether you’re a brand new photographer or a veteran that’s been at it for decades, one thing that’s common to both groups is that there is always room for improvement.
This is what I mean: even the pros are still learning. That’s part of the beauty of photography - there is always something to improve upon, some new way of challenging ourselves to be better.
One way that you can constantly work to improve your images is by focusing on your composition.
Sounds easy, right?
In some ways it is - it’s a matter of training your eye to look for elements that enhance the photos you take. By the same token, it’s also a matter of minimizing distractions that detract from your vision for your photos.
In other ways, perfecting your composition is a little tougher than that. There are plenty of “rules” in photography, but they don’t always apply. In fact, a great photo can result from throwing the rules out the window!
With that in mind, I’ve selected six things you can do to dramatically improve your photos. Bear in mind that these are only suggestions, but if you practice them, you’ll develop your creative eye and learn some fundamentals of composition too.
Seek Great Light
Ask just about any photographer what makes or breaks a shot and there’s a good chance they’ll say light.
No matter if you’re photographing a person, a landscape, a building, or an insect, lighting can elevate the image to a totally other level. Conversely, poor lighting can ruin an otherwise spot-on image.
Because of this, make light your starting point. When you’re hunting for a scene to photograph, look at the way that light interacts with that scene. Look for interesting shadows or reflections. Inspect the scene for the color of lighting to help you set the mood. Head out during Blue Hour or Golden Hour to capitalize on what many regard as the best lighting of the day.
Then, once you find yourself some good light, consider how it can enhance your image.
In the image above, note how the lighting adds to the overall feel of the scene. The setting sun not only creates beautiful colors in the sky, but it also highlights the texture of the grasses in the foreground.
What’s more, we see the value of the color of light on full display. That is, the soft, warm tones of the Golden Hour lighting warms up the image and helps viewers imagine themselves sitting on this ridge with the sun on their face. That’s the value of lighting!
Move Around
The importance of moving around your subject to find multiple points of view cannot be understated. Creating a well-composed photograph requires that you find the best angle and perspective from which to shoot so you can highlight the subject most effectively.
This means that you need to move around - look at the shot from a very low or very high perspective. Get in close and take a few steps back. Even if you have a zoom lens, you still need to move around! Don’t rely on your lens’s ability to get you closer and further away. Use your feet, and work hard to find the absolute best point of view from which to create your shot.
In the image above, we can see how moving around led to a better photo. Not only is the photographer down on the child’s eye level, but instead of taking a photo of the child in front of the brick wall, the angle of view down the wall itself adds much more interest to the shot.
So, by moving around, the photo is stronger in a couple of distinct ways. First, there is additional visual interest because of the close-up view of the texture of the wall. And second, there are stronger leading lines directing the eye towards the child.