The importance of Composition
We all appreciate composition in the images we capture. The aesthetics are sometimes subconscious but they can make a major difference as to how we appreciate an image.
Composition is key regardless of the camera. Whether it be a camera phone or a top-of-the-range Digital SLR, it can make a bland subject standout and capture your attention but, likewise, it can make an image feel unbalanced and awkward. Understanding composition separates a rushed snap shot from a well thought and and planned image. It is this photographic composition in conjunction with the camera settings such as aperture, shutter speed and ISO that gives animage its depth and feel.
Understanding this unwritten language not only makes you a better photographer but will enable those who view your images to get greater satisfaction from them through their greater depth and meaning.
When composing your image, try and think about the following...
- What are the points of focus?
- Where am I placing them within my image?
What is the Rule of Thirds?
 The Rule of Thirds is one of the most common know ‘rules’, in short it uses a guide (or grid) to position the subject within the frame thereby reducing any dead space around the point of focus.
Try to position the important compositional elements on any of the four lines or at one of four points were the horizontal and vertical lines cross, these are sometimes called a point of power or crash points. By doing this the viewers attention will be naturally drawn to these points of focus and as such this gives a more flattering and striking composition to your photographs.
When photographing people, it is also helpful to position the subject with plenty of room in the direction the subject is moving, allowing the ‘mind’s eye’ to visualise their movement giving more depth to the photograph without making it feel cluttered or the subject trapped within the frame.
What is the Golden Spiral and Golden Mean?
 The Golden Mean and Golden Spiral originate from Greek mathematicians and has been adopted by painters, photographer and architects; it has even made its way into music! The ratio is in fact 1:1.618 (whereas the Rule of Thirds is simplified to 1:1.5).
The Golden spiral is different to the Golden Mean, but is just as effective. The Golden Spiral, often referred to as the Fibonacci Spiral, is a swirl that leads to a single point in the corner of the image; it is made up from a logarithmic spiral where the growth factor is related to the Golden Ratio (Golden Mean.)
It does look a little similar in that by using the Golden Spiral you will position the point of focus (point of interest) on one of the correspond points of power.
This is especially useful with macro photography with the point of focus representng a flowers centre, with the petals expanding out.
What is the Diagonal Rule?
This ‘rule’ is a little more simple than the previous two, encouraging the photographer to achieve a line leading from the corner of the images towards the centre. This draws the eye into the image and works particularly well for landscapes and still life.
How can I use this within my photos?
"Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk."
- Edward Weston
The key is to not think too much about them, instead use them as a rule of thumb. Remember, a good image will still be a good image regardless of it following the rules or not. Gradually try to introduce them into your work until you begin to use them instinctively. Be wary though as it is quite easy to over think your images causing them to be cluttered and unwelcoming.
The rules have been developed heavily over the last two centuries; they work in conjunction with how the brain naturally reads imagery. Using these rules will undoubtedly improve your composition; it is these and other technical masteries that can make you a great photographer. Also, remember that not everyone agrees with the rules (see below) and they are there more as a guide, it is up to you to choose whether you’re going to follow them or not, but knowing the rules is the first step towards mastering them.
"The so-called rules of photographic composition are, in my opinion, invalid, irrelevant and immaterial"
- Ansel Adams
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