Rules of Composition

 Basic rules of composition in photography.

Rules of composition from AnthonyMurtagh

Rules of Composition

 With the advent of the mobile phone and tablet, everyone seems to be taking photographs, and for many people all they want is a record of a holiday or family event or a special moment in their lives which they are happy to share with their friends and perhaps to look at some years later when it will bring back a fond memory of times past.

Some of us however want to take their photography one step further and turn it into a hobby which we can develop and improve. So we dispense with our point and shoot camera and stop using our phones and invest in a reasonably decent camera. Personally, although I had been taking pictures for almost 50 years, I only took it up as a serious hobby in 2010 when I purchased a Panasonic DMC-FZ38 prior to visiting Kenya on my first Safari.

To begin with, I looked at the 128 page manual, hardly understood a word, so set the camera to auto and went off on safari. I took some great photos but it was only after I joined a local camera club and started to learn about the art of composition that I began to actually look through the lens and think about what I was doing, instead of simply pointing the camera at an object and pressing the shutter.

Like me, I suspect that many new photographers get confused, or even totally put off, by such things as focal length, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, focusing, exposure, etc., etc., and while I believe that it is very useful to understand the more technical elements, and I shall be covering some of those in later articles, I do believe that the most important element for a new photographer to get to grips with, is Composition. All digital camera manufacturers spend a large amount of time and money on software to help the user get the correct camera settings to capture that shot and, as I did initially, if you set your camera on auto, the vast majority of time you will get technically good results. However the one thing that no camera is able to do, no matter how much money you have spent buying it, is compose a photo that is attractive to the eye.

So what do I mean by Composition? Putting it into its very basic form, composition can be said to be the way to create a photo that is aesthetically pleasing to the viewer. Sounds simple doesn’t it? Google “composition in photography” and you come up with such results as:- 20 Composition Techniques That Will Improve Your Photos: 10 Top Photography Composition Rules: 9 Top Photography Composition Rules You Need To Know: 18 Composition Rules For Photos That Shine: 5 Elements of Composition in Photography: 5 Easy Composition Guidelines: The 10 rules of photo composition (and why they work): 12 Rules for Effective Composition in Photography: etc., etc.!

While you will undoubtedly learn by reading all of those articles, (and I would suggest that you do in time), I will concentrate on a few simple rules that I follow. Before I go further, while some of these are called rules, remember rules are there to be broken. What I am trying to do is to encourage you to think about what you are trying to achieve when looking through the viewfinder. I will start then with something that you have probably already come across:-

The Rule of Thirds

Basically, if you imagine a photo divided into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, the main subject of the image should be where a vertical line cross a horizontal one, as in this photo of a leopard in the Serengetti. Also the branch runs along the bottom third of the frame. This is much more pleasing than if the leopard was bang in the centre of the image. 

Leopard In Serengeti

Many modern cameras allow you to place a grid in the viewfinder which can be used to place the object where two lines intersect. While we are talking about the Rule of Thirds, it is generally best to place the horizon on one of the thirds, rather than in the centre of the frame, dependant on whether the main points of interest are in the sky or on the ground. 

Leading Lines

These lead the viewers eyes into the picture either to the main subject or on a journey through the whole of the picture. In the image below of the Old Town in Stavanger, the viewer is taken into the picture by the lines of the timber boards of the building towards the centre while the curves of the pavement and road, coupled with the pedestrians walking down the road, help the viewer complete their journey.

Old Town Stavanger

Symmetry

To demonstrate that the rules are no more than guidelines, the next one contradicts the Rule of Thirds. If your image is symmetrical, then it could benefit from being centred either on the horizontal, or vertical centre line. This works particularly well for reflections, as is the case below, where the mute swan and its reflection are centred along the horizontal centre line, or for architecture where in the shot from the Dome of St Peter’s, the image is centred on the vertical line.

Mute Swan

View From Dome Of St Peters

Rule of Space

This rule is talking about giving the subject in the photo, space to move into the frame. This particularly applies to animals and vehicles. The first photo below, of a Secretary Bird, was taken on my first safari before I had begun to learn anything about photography and as you can see, it looks a little odd, with the bird looking out of the frame, and all the space behind it. The second image was taken three years later when I was aware of the need to give the subject some space to move into.

Secretary Bird

Secretary Bird

I hope you will agree that the second one looks more natural and is better on the eye.

Rule of Odds

Generally speaking, it is thought that photos with an odd number of subjects is more visually appealing and natural looking than those with an even number, where the viewers eyes may flick around the image, unsure of where to settle. The main reason that I have included this is that it gives me an excuse to include my award winning image of a three-headed giraffe. Other than this, which was a purely lucky shot, I do tend to use the rule of odds if taking a close up of flowers or the like.

Three Headed Giraffe

Patterns

I will close on patterns, which can be found everywhere, both in nature and architecture and the image below, which shows reflections in the Birmingham Symphony Hall, combines patterns with one of my personal favourite composition techniques, the use of reflections.

Birmingham Symphony Hall Reflections

I hope that I have given you a brief insight into composition and that when you next look through your viewfinder you will at least stop and think for a few seconds at what you are looking at and how the shot may be improved. But just remember, these rules, and all the others you will come across, are simply guide lines to help you go in the right direction, they are not railway tracks that you have to stick to rigidly. Finally I will end with the words of Pablo Picasso - “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” 

Tony Murtagh

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As usual, my work is available to purchase as original  Wall Art, in a variety of formats from stretched canvas or framed prints, metal or acrylic prints,or simply as standard prints for you to mount in your favourite picture frame. They are also available as greeting cards or printed onto iPhone or Galaxy phone cases, throw pillows, duvet covers or tote bags. Simply click on the  image and you will be taken to my gallery where you will find full details.

Angle, angle, angle

*Teaching kids to milk cows in Elementary Education in Wisconsin, America's Dairyland*

 It is always said, "location, location, location"...for this picture it is "angle, angle, angle"!

I'LL BET THAT WHEN THE TEACHER SAW THE PICTURE, SHE FAINTED.,

It's all about camera angle, and I bet whoever took this picture was laughing as he/she pushed the button....

Tonys Photos Updated

I have just finished giving my web site a full make over. 

If you click through to Tonys Photos, you can see a new home page, a much improved shop, with separate departments for prints, greeting cards, iphone cases and photographic books and equipment.

There are also new pages giving the latest photography news from around the web and links to informative articles and tips.

So if you wish to view examples of my photography, buy prints in a range of formats, treat yourself to an original, personalised phone case, buy a new camera or lens, or a book about photography, we have it all for you on TonysPhotos!

Three Headed Giraffe

I have just heard from my photo news agency, that my photo of the "three headed" giraffe, has been used by The Perth Sunday Times.

It was published in the UK, in both the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror, in May this year. I'm afraid I dont have a copy of the Perth publication but you can see scans of the two UK ones here.

For those of you who haven't seen the photo before, here it is:

Three Headed Giraffe

If you wish to buy a  Print of this, visit Photo4Me, where you are able to chose from a standard canvas print, a canvas tryptich, a framed print, a print mounted on MDF or an acrylic print.

You can also order prints and cards from Fine Art America.

My Photogrpahy website & Blog

I have recently totally updated my photography webiste Tonys Photos, where I have posted albums of various themed photos and where I also have a blog concerning my photographic activities and other items I feel may be of interest to photographers.

If you have an interest in photography, or just like looking at photos, click on one of the links above and let me know what you think.

My Photography Blog and Website

You may have seen one or two earlier posts of my photographs, but now I have a website Tonysphotos.eu and a blog where you can see samples and details of my photography. As a sample, here are a couple of my recent photos.



My Photos

I was going to use this blog to display some of the photos that I had taken, but have instead, decided to start a web site to display them.

So if by any chance you are interested in photography in general, or in seeing my photos in particular, please visit my new site, TonysPhotos.eu

Stratford Upon Avon

We spent a pleasant weekend during November in Stratford Upon Avon and here are a few photos of the town and the river that I thought worth sharing.

Safari photos in Kenya

A few more of my favourite photos from our Safari in Kenya earlier this year.

African Elephant

Leopard

Lilac breasted roller

Secretary bird

Cheetah

Lions

Rhinoceros

Crocodile

A Three Headed Giraffe

One of my favourite photos from our Safari - not technically brilliant, but I find it amusing!

Giraffes in the Masai Mara, Kenya

Photography

I have recently taken up photography as a hobby and joined our local camera club - Maidenhead Camera Club.

So I thought that as well as filling this blog up with jokes, I would use it to post one or two of my favourite photos.

So to start, here is one that I took on Safari in Kenya earlier this year, and which achieved 18 points (maximum is 20) in the first club competition that I entered.

Zebra on the Masai Mara, Kenya