8 IMPORTANT Composition Tips for Better Photos
TLDRThe video offers 8 tips to help you improve your photographic composition. It emphasizes getting into the right physical position and trying different angles. It advises using your phone screen to visualize the 2D composition. It warns not to overly rely on the rule of thirds and to consider the overall balance. Additional tips include squinting to see shapes and contrast, thinking conceptually about the image's meaning, simplifying by removing distractions, watching the edges of the frame, and using post-processing tools.
Takeaways
- 😃 Get into better positions - Changing the position of the photographer or subject can significantly change the feeling or meaning of a shot
- 📱 Use your phone to preview compositions - Seeing your shot framed in 2D on your phone can help learn to visualize better compositions
- ♻️ Don't overly rely on the rule of thirds - Placing subjects at intersection points doesn't guarantee a balanced composition
- 😶 Squint or blur your eyes - This helps see shapes and colors more abstractly when composing shots
- 🧠 Think conceptually about what you want to convey - Composition choices like angles communicate messages to the viewer
- 🗜️ Keep it simple - Remove distracting or irrelevant details from the frame so only what matters remains
- ⏰ Watch the edges of the frame - Avoid distracting elements at the borders that draw eyes away from main subjects
- ✂️ Crop and edit in post-production - You can rebalance and polish shots further in editing if needed
- 📚 Learn composition techniques systematically - Absorb them over time through deliberate practice
- 🎨 Let intuition guide you - If a composition feels right intuitively, there may be good reasons even if rules are broken
Q & A
What is one of the first compositional rules mentioned that seems simple but has more complexity to it?
-The rule of thirds seems quite simple initially, but there are other similar grid systems like the golden spiral, Phi grid, dynamic symmetry etc. that add further complexity.
Why is shooting with your phone screen a helpful tip for improving composition?
-Using your phone screen helps you visualize the 2D composition better since our eyes normally see in 3D. It's good practice to translate the 3D world into a nice 2D framed shot.
What is one potential downside when overly relying on the rule of thirds?
-Putting the subject at one of the intersection points can sometimes lead to too much empty space on one side, resulting in an unbalanced feel.
How can squinting or blurring your eyes help when framing a shot?
-It helps you see the abstract color, shape and form better rather than getting distracted by details. This guides you to find proper contrast and visual balance.
Why is the camera angle important beyond just composition?
-The angle also conveys part of the story and elicits an emotional response. An overhead shot feels more detached while a ground-level shot brings the viewer into the scene.
What common mistake do beginners make regarding too much in the frame?
-Including too many irrelevant details instead of simplifying the shot. Everything in the frame should contribute to the story.
What should you watch out for along the edges when composing?
-Avoid cutting off parts of the main subjects or having distracting elements that draw the eye away from the focal point.
How can post-processing help in improving your composition skills?
-Techniques like cropping, straightening and cloning can help finalize an image. It's good practice for learning to better visualize shots in-camera.
What are some of the benefits of using Squarespace for building a photography website?
-Easy custom templates, built-in ecommerce tools, solid analytics, no extra software needed since it's all browser-based, ability to update on the go.
What's one way you can try out Squarespace for free initially?
-They offer a completely free trial so you can test building a site first before deciding if you want to purchase a plan.
Outlines
😊 Introduction and Context
The paragraph introduces the video and that it is sponsored by Squarespace. It then sets up the context that learning photographic composition can be complex and confusing, with many rules to learn like rule of thirds and golden spiral. Many good photos seem to break the rules. So here are 8 simple tips to get you started improving your composition.
👌 8 Simple Composition Tips
The paragraph provides 8 composition tips: 1) Get your position right, explore different angles and viewpoints. 2) Use your phone screen to frame shots and visualize composition. 3) Beware over-relying on rule of thirds. 4) Squint/blur eyes to see abstract shapes and balance. 5) Think conceptually about visual storytelling. 6) Keep backgrounds simple, remove irrelevant details. 7) Watch the edges and borders of frame. 8) Refine composition in post-production by cropping, cloning etc.
🙌 Conclusion and Call to Action
The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the need to practice these composition techniques in order to internalize them over time. It thanks Patreon supporters and promotes the speaker's Lightroom preset packs and Squarespace website builder.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Composition
💡Rule of Thirds
💡Leading Lines
💡Viewpoint
💡Cropping
💡Backgrounds
💡Borders
💡Post-production
💡Negative Space
💡Aspect Ratio
Highlights
Changing either the position of your subject or the position of the photographer can change how your shot feels and what story it tells.
Don't always default to shooting at eye level. Try different angles like climbing up to get a higher vantage point.
Evaluate everything in your frame. Is everything exactly where you want it? If not, change it by taking a sidestep or crossing the street.
Take multiple shots from different positions and angles. Push yourself out of your comfort zone a bit.
Using your phone screen to compose shots is helpful to see the 2D composition and visualize the final image.
The rule of thirds is a starting point, but don't just place subjects at intersection points. Consider the whole composition.
Squinting or blurring your eyes when composing helps you see abstract shape, form and color contrast.
Think conceptually about what you want viewers to think and feel. This guides decisions on composition.
Keep compositions simple. Everything in the frame should be relevant to the story.
Pay attention to the edges of the frame. Avoid distracting elements that draw eyes away.
You can crop and edit images in post-production to refine the composition.
Practice one compositional rule at a time until they become intuitive over time.
Test shots by flipping, inverting colors or turning upside down. See if it still feels balanced.
You can desaturate or clone out distracting background elements in post-production.
Taking time to consciously practice different compositional techniques is key to improvement.
Transcripts
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