7 Golden Rules of Composition

In a creative field like photography one should not get bogged down by 'rules'. However, the fact remains that some of these 'rules' were formulated much before the advent of Photography. Many owe their origin to well-known painters of the bygone era. Even today, for instance,portrait photographers talk of Rembrandt Lighting.

Should we just ignore the golden rules formed over the years in the name of creativity? My answer would be to be aware of the rules but decide if you want to follow them depending on your style of photography, the effect you want to create and the situation.

You may want to totally ignore the so called rules and evolve your own creative style. For a beginner though, some of these rules may be invaluable as a starting point in composing good images. In this blog I will cover some of the guidelines which may help you create great images.

1. Rule of the thirds:

This is perhaps the most touted rule of photography. Simply stated it means that if a scene is pided into nine equal parts using two equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines, placing the object of interest on any of the four intersections of these horizontal and vertical lines will enhance the composition by highlighting the object and creating a visually more appealing perspective.

In this image, the pelican is roughly on the bottom right intersection of the vertical and horizontal lines.

2. Do not center your subject in the frame

This rule is a corollary of the rule of the rule of thirds. Placing an object in the dead center of the frame renders the subject static and compositionally devoid of interest. Place the main subject off center. This will result in a more dynamic and vibrant composition.

3. Let your subject move into the frame rather than move out of it:

This is an important aspect to consider while composing. For instance, if you are photographing flying birds, a moving car or any moving object make sure you have more space ahead of your object than behind it. This creates a better dimension of space and motion.

4. Beware of the background and distractions:

While concentrating on the main theme or subject, one should not neglect the background. Instances of a tree or a lamppost just behind a portrait subject can be distracting.

5. Focus on the eye:

Whether you are shooting wildlife or portraits, ensure that the eyes are in sharp focus. If both the eyes are not on the same plane, the one closest to the camera should be in sharp focus. Most of the reputed publications reject an image outright if the eyes are not in sharp focus. Improper focus in the eye is a major distraction.

6. Keep the horizon straight:

In Landscape photography ensure that the horizon is not tilted. While tilted horizon can be easily corrected in post processing, it will save a lot of time if taken care of at the time of shooting

7. Do not place the horizon at the center of the frame

If your foreground is more interesting, let it occupy about 75 % of the frame . If on the other hand the sky is your main area of interest let the sky cover 75 % of the frame. An image, where the sky bisects the image in the center, will not appear appealing.

These seven rules are of paramount importance while composing the image. There are many more aspects related to composition and lighting like balancing elements, leading and converging lines which I will discuss in future posts.