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Check out any modern tutorial or guide to photography and you’re bound to come across a litany of rules and specific procedures. Whether for operating the camera itself or creating an image –or getting the right look and feel during post-processing–, photographers often have a certain technique they follow closely, and finding a “correct” method among these is a largely fruitless endeavor. This is especially true when it comes to composition. One of the most important elements of a successful photograph is quality composition, and yet, this is one of the most subjective elements of the medium. Unlike ISO film ratings and the balancing of shutter speed with aperture, which are akin to the SEO specialist’s keyword choices in the realm of search engine optimization, composition is difficult if not impossible to pin down into a rigid set of rules. The creative spirit that goes into the composition of a photograph is a large part, however, of the experience and enjoyment of photography, and a few basic guidelines and tips can help budding photographers find their own sense of composition.

One of the easiest ways to create a pleasing composition is to consider symmetry when shooting. Images that contain balance on either side of a line or central object tend to attract interest, no matter the subject at hand. This balance doesn’t have to work with like elements; contrast or opposition between sides can also work well. A photograph of downtown Austin Texas composed of half the city under a dark storm cloud and half radiant under a full, shining afternoon sun is likely to have lots of substance, whereas a picture of the same Austin TX scene with only a slight edge of either weather condition would likely fail to be as powerful.

Patterns and textures are also important in composition. Patterns can be used to create a kind of visual landscape; one that is either continuous and considered for the pattern itself, or one which is disturbed by various elements. Noticing patterns and textures in nature and wherever you’re shooting can lead to more interesting photographs, and will influence the way framing and focusing is completed in your pictures. Much of the technical work involved in photography is based on achieving a precise depth of field, and this concept reaches into composition as well. Experimenting with foreground and background, on focusing and fuzzing out, will allow the emerging photographer to understand which parts of an image should stand out, and which parts should support, just as web designers must experiment with layout to arrive at a balanced web design scheme.
Though composition in photography is largely learned through in-the-field experience, keeping these basic concepts in mind when holding camera to scene or subject can help lend substance and style to beginning images.

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