Six Advanced Photographic Composition Skills

Presumably everyone knows the trichotomy and straight line composition. When taking pictures, people usually follow such rules to take pictures. Here are some less common composition techniques.

1. From left to right

Focus your subject more on the right than on the left. Our eyes are used to reading text from left to right, just as you are reading this article now. So, we can also put this idea on photography. This is not two-thirds of the three-thirds composition, but more attention to the subject of the photograph.

You can try this little exercise at home: find some pictures that you focus on on the left, and then use some mapping software to turn them over. Can you see the difference between them? Putting the subject on the right will make the photo more readable. Of course, you may not be accustomed to using this rule, but in some cases, it can take interesting pictures.

2. Tell a story

A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Think about what kind of emotion you are going to get when you press the shutter. For example, shooting a beautiful sunset, how to show its calm and peaceful feeling at the end of the day through images? What kind of story you are thinking about, you should show it. The next time you press the shutter, don't forget the message you want to convey.

Storytelling is not new, but how to reflect your story through photography, the composition of the photo is a key factor, you need to analyze every single detail in the photo, find ways to highlight or add themes.

For example, the two pictures above, the hut on the lake in the left photo, should only be part of the picture, and the picture on the left is more about expressing the tranquility of the overall environment. The photo on the right, after cutting, highlights the details of the cabin, more want to express the feeling about the cabin and family. Which of the two photos do you like better?

3. Simplify your work

Focus your attention on the subject and don't pay too much attention to all the details. Too many details can distract people from the focus and make it harder to understand what you are trying to convey.

One trick is to put your focus in a bright place. People's eyes will naturally move with the light, through the light, locate the subject, so that the viewer can see the subject at a glance, which will make your photos more influential.

4. Triangular Composition

Odd numbers are often more pleasing than even numbers. Because of this, triangles are more energetic than squares.

When taking a group photo of many people, the usual idea is to stand in three rows: front row, middle row, and then the tall person in the back row. In fact, this is a very dull combination. If the people in the picture stand in a triangle, it will make the picture more vivid. Even if there are even individuals, they can be placed in the triangle by triangulation.

Even and odd numbers can be neglected when there are large numbers, but when there are few, you can try triangulation.

5. Appropriate occlusion

Don't be afraid to cut off some of the elements in the diagram. For example, in the following picture, although the hat hides part of the face, it makes the details of the face more prominent.

6. Break the Routine

Don't be afraid to break the rules and try something new. Breaking the rules is also a good way to make photos stand out.