Photo Composition Tutorial

This photo composition is perfect. Do you agree or disagree?

Either way, I’ll explain why the 5 primary photo composition techniques used make this image perfect, and after this in-depth composition tutorial, I’d love to know your opinion, which you can post in the comments below.

If you stay until the end, I’ll share a bonus composition tip you’ve never heard before, which can help you create better images.

Photo Composition Technique 1

This image used one of the most controversial photo composition techniques among photographers.

And the reason it’s controversial is because it tends to be overused.

However, you can find the Rule of Thirds used in most landscape photos.

According to the Rule of Thirds, the Horizon should be placed along the top or bottom line when shooting landscapes.

Which one you choose depends on what you think is the most interesting part of the scene or the one that will tell the story you’re trying to portray or create.

I chose the top line because I wanted to highlight the foreground, which I felt included elements that could tell the story of a hot, dry, isolated location.

The Rule of Thirds states that if you want a stronger composition, place your elements along the left or right side.

I placed this dead bush there. Looking back, the bush should have been placed along a point where two lines intersect according to the rule of thirds to create a stronger composition.

But because the sun was setting faster than I would have liked, I didn’t quite get it at that point of intersection, and that’s okay because I still love this image.

Anyway, let’s review the second composition technique used.

Photo Composition Technique 2

When I started photography in the early ‘90s, I knew nothing about composition, what it was, or any of the 30-plus composition techniques and rules we can use to create better images.

But I studied images I liked, copied them, and tried to apply what I saw to my own images.

One pattern that I recognized on a regular basis included a foreground element like flowers or a boulder.

And in this image, I added this dead bush because I felt it would not only add an additional point of interest but also add to the story.

This composition technique is known as Foreground Interest.

Adding a Foreground interest… can improve your images in several ways.

One, as mentioned, adds another interesting element that can complement the primary subject or the story you’re telling.

It also draws the viewer into your photo by creating a path leading from the foreground to the middle and background, which is part of the third composition technique.

Photo Composition Technique 3

One of the most difficult aspects of photography, in general, is capturing a 3D world and presenting it in a 2D format, whether the image is shown online and/or in print.

So, how can you give your photos an impression of being 3d, and why would you want to do that?

If you can add depth to your images, they will become more dimensional and memorable. This can be done with the Layering composition technique.

For this image, we have four different layers: the foreground interest, the middle ground, the background, which includes the large Buttes, and, further in the distance, more mountains and the sun.

Photo Composition Technique 4

Now, if you’re saying that all this empty space is creating an unbalanced image, I agree.

But, I utilized two composition techniques to emphasize this emptiness on purpose.

The first is the composition technique known as Negative Space.

Negative space is typically used to emphasize a subject around the empty space, or it can be used to balance an image, more on that in a moment.

For this image, I decided to include a large section of empty space to evoke the feeling of isolation.

Photo Composition Technique 5

Now, this image is balanced. Or is it?

Well, I specifically used this next photo composition technique to add tension, again enhancing the story.

At first glance, dividing it in half is not balanced.

But if we look closer, we will see that we have a large empty space over here and a smaller empty space up here.

Remember, according to the Negative Space rule, one of its functions is to create balance.

So, those negative spaces balance each other out a little bit anyway. Since one is bigger than the other, it’s not perfect.

However, the brightness and colors up here make up for its lack of size, which is why those two sections balance each other.

Next, we have this area with the foreground interest and the top right.

To be honest, these two do not balance each other out. The butte and the sun's brightness dominate versus the lower left side.

We can divide this image into the top third and the bottom two-thirds.

The top third, with the buttes, feels heavy, and the bright sunlight aggressively attracts our eyes.

And the bottom two-thirds balance that out due to its size.

This composition technique is known as Asymmetry.

Asymmetry in photography is a composition technique that balances visual elements without mirroring them or creating a symmetrically balanced photo.

To use it, you place uneven elements across your frame in a way that creates an imbalance that is harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
Unlike Symmetry, which divides a frame into mirrored halves, asymmetry relies on an unequal distribution of visual weight across the composition.
When done correctly, Asymmetry provides a more interesting, dynamic, and visually engaging photo, like this image.

BONUS

So far, we’ve covered 5 different photo composition techniques, and I’ve said several times that I used them to create a story.

Storytelling in photography is a skill anyone can learn once they know the 5 keys to creating stories with their images.

And it doesn’t matter if you shoot wildlife, portraits, landscapes, or anything else. You can tell a story through your photos.

Five major components can help tell a story, whether it’s presented as a movie, a book, a painting, or your photo.

The five keys are Who, what, where, when, and why. The most difficult key is why; we’ll explore that in another video.

So, subscribe and turn on All to be notified when my Composition Made Easy System is published.

The who or the primary subject of this image is the Buttes due to its size and brightness level, which is very dark in this case, and it evokes a sense of heaviness or weight that dominates the image.

The foreground, middle-ground, and background indicate where.

The what, which provides more insights into the location, includes the foreground interest, the empty space, the setting or rising sun, and the mountain, all provide additional context.

Then, the setting, or rising sun, gives you the time of day.

So, together, I’ve created a story or two about this hot, dry, and isolated location.

If you perceive the sun is rising, the story can imply that it will get hotter throughout the day.

Or it’s going to get colder as the sun sets.

Check out this photo composition playlist to learn how to improve your images.