Question: Do you struggle with photo composition? Do you find yourself limited by the same photo compositional techniques and rules?
Despite working professionally as a photographer, I often wrestled with feeling confident in my creativity. Even with a technical learning background and 20 years of experience in the field, creativity often felt like a kind of elusive creature. I knew it existed, but it always felt beyond my reach.
Until one day, while on an outing with a fellow photographer, I had a kind of epiphany. I realized, if I could master composition, then creativity would follow naturally.
So Many Composition Techniques - Information Overload
I knew that photo composition was the key to creating more compelling photos and feeling more creative. So I set about learning as much about composition as possible. I spent hours upon hours studying composition techniques in photography, painting, drawing, and other arts.
I went from unaware to researching over 60 different photo composition techniques in excruciating detail. I felt as if I had to learn and master every composition technique I could find to unlock my creativity with 'the perfect composition.'
Quickly, I became overwhelmed. I had all the knowledge, a foolproof blueprint for discovering and developing creativity, but I found myself stumped yet again. I'd be out on a shoot with a beautiful scene in front of me, and still, I couldn't decide which technique I should apply.
Just like learning how to craft a well-written story, photo composition is a lifelong pursuit that requires study, practice, and inspiration to master.
Step 1: Prepare the Camera
Every good story needs a strong opening, and photography is no different. How you position your camera isn't just the vital first step to developing composition, it's also an opportunity to hone your style and show off your sense of originality.
Step 2: Position the Subject
In the same way that an author has to develop characters through detailed descriptions and their interactions with others, photographers are responsible for positioning the subject in a way that connects with the viewer.
Step 3: Position the Supporting Elements
Try to think of the position of your supporting elements in the same way that a writer would approach their plot development through effective dialogue.
Step 4 - Edit to direct viewer attention
The last step in finalizing a piece of writing, photography, or really, almost any other form of art, is to edit. When done correctly, the editing process serves as the final satisfying conclusion to your story.
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