Travel Photography Tips Part II – Photo Composition
Last Updated on October 21, 2017
This is the second edition of our photography series: My first post explained the basic elements of photography: exposure, aperture and shutter speed; in this second post, I want to talk about photo composition, which is probably the most important aspect of a good picture. Sometimes the beauty of a picture is not what you are shooting, but how you present it. Here are 5 rules worth remembering when taking your camera out:
Table of Contents
1. Less is More
One common mistake when framing a picture is including too many elements in it. Before you take a photo, think of what your subject is and make it stand out. Anything in the picture accompanying the subject could distract the viewers attention away from it. If you are unsure of whether you should include something in a picture, your best bet is to leave it out.
One exercise that I like to practise is to use a teletype lens or to go really close to what I want to photograph. This way, the narrower frame forces me to choose details that I find interesting and leave everything else out of the picture.
2. Rule of Thirds
It’s not possible to talk about photo composition without mentioning the rule of thirds. This rule has been used for centuries not only in photography but also in all other kinds of two-dimensional art. The idea behind this technique is that a picture looks more interesting if the point (or points) of interest is positioned over one of the four intersection points formed by dividing the picture into nine equal segments. Most cameras offer a visual aid to help you apply this rule by overlaying a grid over the image (usually on “live view” mode for DSLRs). If your camera doesn’t have this option or you prefer to use the visor, the visor’s focus points can also be of help.
So next time you are taking a shot, instead of placing your subject in the center of the frame, try to remember this rule and play around with the composition. Another great use of the rule of thirds is with landscape shots, which usually look more pleasant to the eye when the horizon is aligned with one of the horizontal lines of the grid.
3. Framing
Framing is a technique that you can use to put more emphasis in your subject and make it stand out. Anything can be used as a frame for your photographs, from an open window to a narrow valley or a hole on a tree. The resulting image will be more focused and it will naturally draw the attention to the point of interest.
4. Repetitive Elements
There is something intrinsically interesting about repetitive elements in pictures that make them a great subject for shots anywhere in the world. Some say they give the observer a sense of union and companionship. From the pebbles on a beach to a row of Buddha statues in a temple in Burma, these elements can be found literally anywhere so make sure to look around you and let your creative side flow.
5. Play with the Lines
Lines have a vital role to play in photography. There is no better way to control the flow of the image, guiding the observer’s gaze to the points of interest, than using lines. There are many kinds of lines that you can use when shooting: the convergence lines of a narrow street as they disappear into the horizon, the zigzag lines formed by a winding road on the wide countryside, the light trails of a car that swoops by at night…
In most cases, some of these lines will disappear out of the picture. I often find that by making these lines disappear on the corners of the picture, they have a stronger impact on the image.
These are just a few composition rules that can help you take better pictures but there are plenty more that you should consider studying. Feel free to discuss any other rule you know in the comment section below.
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The Comments
Vicky
Great tips! I got into photography a little over a year ago after the purchase of my first dslr and while I focused mostly on food photography at first for my food blog, now it's time to switch gears and learns all the ins and outs of travel photography!
Alberto Molero
Glad you liked it guys!
The best tip I can give is to keep practicing, and try to learn as much about your equipment as you can.
Samuel Jeffery
These a fantastic tips! I find that 'framing' is a technique not used enough by aspiring photographers. I recently took a shot of Seoul using barbed wire as the frame. It was my favourite shot of the day.
Lester Donaldson
Great tips. I just got back from my first big overseas trip. I went with a rather old point and shoot zoom type camera. Although I have taken some really great shots with this camera in the past, I was disappointed with most of the photo's that I got this time. I will admit though that I probably would have done a lot better if I had read this article first. Since my trip to Canada, I have decided to buy a DSLR camera and get into photography. I have been trawling the web looking for photography tips etc and your article is by far the best that I have found. I specially liked your example of the jar of water in the first part. Thank you for the great article.
Alberto Molero
Lester DonaldsonHi Lester,
Thanks for the kind words! I'm glad that you found my photography articles interesting and I will try to get more in the future.
Ann-Katrin
Thanks, a very good summary! Especially the “less is more” part is something I now and then forget, luckily there is the possibility to crop the photo afterwards, if that happens.