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28 Composition Techniques
That Will Improve Your Photos
UPDATED FEB 15, 2023 BARRY O CARROLL

There are no unbreakable rules when it comes to how you should compose your
photographs. After all, who likes rules except for your old school principal or heads of
H.R. departments? There are, however, several photography composition guidelines you
can use to help improve the composition of your photos.

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Some of the ideas presented in this article have been around for millennia and have
been used in art and architecture by some of the most famous names in history.

Here’s the thing about these ideas; they constantly contradict each other. And that’s ok.
No one idea presented here is “better” than another. They can be used on their own,
combined, or completely disregarded depending on what you are trying to achieve in
your photograph. You won’t get sent to the principal’s office for ignoring them. I promise.
After all, there is more than one way to cook an egg. Poached egg is obviously the best
way though, and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise.

In this tutorial, I’ve listed 28 of these guidelines along with examples of each. I’ve started
with the most basic ones and finished with some of the more advanced composition
techniques.
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Photography Composition Defined

First of all, we have to define what is meant by ‘composition’. Composition refers to the
way the various elements in a scene are arranged within the frame. As I’ve already
mentioned, these are not hard and fast rules but guidelines. That said, many of them
have been used in art for thousands of years and they really do help achieve more
attractive compositions. I find that I usually have one or more of these guidelines in the
back of my mind as I’m setting up a shot.

At a Glance
Here is an index of the 28 composition techniques covered in this article:

#1. Rule of Thirds

#2. Centered Composition and Symmetry

#3. Foreground Interest and Depth

#4. Frame Within the Frame

#5. Leading Lines

#6. Diagonals and Triangles

#7. Patterns and Textures

#8. Break the Pattern

#9. Rule of Odds

#10. Fill the Frame

#11. Leave Negative Space

#12. Simplicity and Minimalism

#13. Use Black and White

#14. Isolate the Subject

#15. Shoot from Below

#16. Shoot from Above

#17. Look for Particular Color Combinations

#18. Rule of Space

#19. Left to Right Rule

#20. Balance Elements in the Scene

#21. Juxtaposition
#22. Golden Triangles

#23. Golden Ratio

#24. Let the Background Give Context to the Subject

#25. Let the Eye Wander Around the Frame

#26. Use Layers in the Frame

#27. Add Human Interest

#28. Wait for the “Decisive Moment”

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We’ll start with probably the most well-known composition technique: The Rule of Thirds.

#1. Rule of Thirds

So I’ve just told you that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to composition
and then the first thing I write about is the ‘rule’ of thirds. In my defense, I didn’t come up
with the name. The rule of thirds is very simple. You divide the frame into 9 equal
rectangles, 3 across and 3 down as illustrated below. Many camera manufacturers have
actually included the capability to display this grid in live view mode. Check your
camera’s manual to see how to turn on this feature.

The idea is to place the important element(s) of the scene along one or more of the lines
or where the lines intersect. We have a natural tendency to want to place the main
subject in the middle. Placing it off-center using the rule of thirds will more often than not
lead to a more attractive composition.

In this photo, I’ve placed the horizon roughly along the bottom third of the frame and the
biggest and closest trees along the line to the right. The photo wouldn’t have the same
impact if the larger trees had been placed in the center of the frame.
In this photo of the Old Town Square in Prague, I’ve placed the horizon along the top
third of the frame. Most of the buildings sit in the middle third and the square itself
occupies the bottom third of the frame. The spires of the church are placed near the
horizontal line to the right of the frame.

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 Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland

In this street photograph taken in my home city of Dublin, I’ve placed the woman in red
walking along the street on the point where two of the grid lines intersect. The cobbled
street roughly occupies the bottom third of the frame; the building ground floors
frontages occupy the middle third and the upper floors of the buildings occupy the top
third. Having the rule of thirds grid activated in live view on my camera really helped me
with composition when I took this photograph.

#2. Centered Composition and Symmetry

Now that I’ve told you not to place the main subject in the center of the frame, I’m going
to tell you to do the exact opposite! There are times when placing a subject in the center
of the frame works really well. Symmetrical scenes are perfect for a centered
composition. They look really well in square frames too.
 Ha’penny Bridge, Dublin, Ireland.

This photo of the Ha’penny Bridge in my home city of Dublin was the perfect candidate
for a centered composition. Architecture and roads often make great subjects for
centered compositions.
Scenes containing reflections are also a great opportunity to use symmetry in your
composition. In this photo, I’ve actually used a mix of the rule of thirds and symmetry to
compose the scene. The tree is positioned off-center to the right of the frame but the
perfectly still water of the lake provides the symmetry. You can often combine several
composition guidelines in a single photograph.

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 Maynooth University, Ireland

Square cropped frames can be a suitable option for centered compositions. A square is
completely symmetrical after all. I actually studied French and history at this university
over twenty years ago. I had very little time for photography though as I was just so busy
drinking beer discussing eighteenth-century French poetry and the merits of enlightened
absolutism in Prussia with my fellow scholars.
 Dublin Docklands, Ireland

Symmetry doesn’t always have to be vertical in nature. Reflections can create the
perfect opportunity to capture some horizontal symmetry. Early morning and evening
times often present good opportunities for reflections like this as the air cools and the
wind drops.

#3. Foreground Interest and Depth

Including some foreground interest in a scene is a great way of adding a sense of depth
to the scene. Photographs are 2D by nature. Including foreground interest in the frame is
one of a number of techniques to give the scene a more 3D feel.
In this photograph of a waterfall in The Netherlands, the rocks in the river provided a
perfect source of foreground interest.

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Sonsbeek Waterfall, Arnhem

Adding foreground interest works particularly well with wide-angle lenses.

I took this photograph in the Dublin Docklands. The dock cleats along the quay provided
the foreground interest in this shot. I think it adds a real sense of depth to the
composition. The dock cleat in this scene was only a few meters in front of me when I
took this shot. Including it in the frame portrays a sense of depth in the scene by
including an element that I was quite close to as well as the bridge and buildings in the
distance and everything in between them.

A friend who was with me that evening tripped over one of the cleats and almost ended
up getting a very close-up view of the River Liffey. That’s one way of adding depth to the
scene I guess.
#4. Frame Within the Frame
Including a ‘frame within the frame’ is another effective way of portraying depth in a
scene. Look for elements such as windows, arches, or overhanging branches to frame
the scene with. The ‘frame’ does not necessarily have to surround the entire scene to be
effective.

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In the photo above taken on St Mark’s Square in Venice, I used the archway to frame St
Marks Basilica and the Campanile at the far end of the piazza. The use of scenery
viewed through arches was a common feature of Renaissance painting as a way of
portraying depth. As you can see, the square was completely empty when I took the
shot. This is one of the benefits of getting up at 5 am. Early morning is one of my favorite
times to get out and about with the camera.

Frames don’t have to be man-made objects such as arches or windows. The photo
below was taken in County Kildare in Ireland. This time, I used the tree trunk to the right
and the overhanging branch to create a frame around the scene containing the bridge
and boathouse. Notice that even though the ‘frame’ doesn’t actually surround the whole
scene in this case, it still adds a sense of depth.

Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland

Natural features such as trees can also be used to frame a scene. In this case, the
Autumn trees frame the stone bridge. In this case, I also used a centered composition
with the bridge in the middle of the frame. Note that the frame doesn’t necessarily have
to completely surround your subject. It could be trees on either side, as is the case here.

Using a ‘frame within a frame’ presents a great opportunity to use your surroundings to
be creative in your compositions.

#5. Leading Lines

Leading lines help lead the viewer through the image and focus attention on important
elements. Anything from paths, walls, or patterns can be used as leading lines. Take a
look at the examples below.

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In this photo of the Eiffel Tower, I used the patterns on the paving stones as leading
lines. The lines on the ground all lead the viewer to the Eiffel Tower in the distance. You’ll
also notice that I used a centered composition for this scene. The symmetry of my
surroundings made this type of composition work well.
Leading lines do not necessarily have to be straight as illustrated by the picture above.
In fact, curved lines can be very attractive compositional features. In this case, the path
leads the viewer to the right of the frame before swinging in to the left towards the tree. I
also made use of the rule of thirds when composing the shot.

#6. Diagonals and Triangles

It is often said that triangles and diagonals add ‘dynamic tension’ to a photo. My mother-
in-law also does an excellent job of adding tension to any scene. What do we mean by
‘dynamic tension’ though? This can be a tricky one to explain and can seem a bit
pretentious. Look at it this way, horizontal lines and vertical lines suggest stability. If you
see a person standing on a level horizontal surface, he will appear to be pretty stable
unless he’s stumbling out of a pub at 2 am. Put this man on a sloping surface and he’ll
seem less stable. This creates a certain level of tension visually. We are not so used to
diagonals in our everyday life. They subconsciously suggest instability. Incorporating
triangles and diagonals into our photos can help create this sense of ‘dynamic tension’.

Incorporating triangles into a scene is a particularly good effective way of introducing

dynamic tension. Triangles can be actual triangle-shaped objects or implied triangles. I’ll
explain this in more detail in a moment.
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This picture of the Samuel Beckett Bridge in Dublin incorporates plenty of triangles and
diagonals into the scene. The bridge itself is an actual triangle (It’s actually supposed to
represent a Celtic Harp on its side). There are also several ‘implied’ triangles in the
scene. Notice how the leading lines on the right of the frame are all diagonal and form
triangles that all meet at the same point. These are ‘implied triangles’. Having diagonals
going off in different directions adds a lot of ‘dynamic tension’ to the scene. Once again
you can see how I have combined two techniques to compose the image: leading lines
and diagonals.
In this photo of the Hotel de Ville in Paris, the implied triangles and diagonals create a
sense of dynamic tension. We are not used to seeing buildings leaning at such angles in
our everyday life. It is slightly jarring to our sense of balance. This is what creates the
visual tension. You can also talk about dynamic tension to sound intelligent (or
annoyingly pretentious) in front of your friends.

#7. Patterns and Textures

Human beings are naturally attracted to patterns. They are visually attractive and
suggest harmony. Patterns can be man-made like a series of arches or natural like the
petals on a flower. Incorporating patterns into your photographs is always a good way to
create a pleasing composition. Less regular textures can also be very pleasing to the
eye.
The photo above was taken in Tunisia. I’ve used the pattern in the paving stones to lead
the eye to the domed building. The building itself incorporates a pattern in the form of a
series of arches. The domed roof also compliments the rounded arches below.
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In this second photo, also shot in Tunisia, I really liked the texture of the stonework on
the ground. This is less regular than the pattern in the first photo but the play of light and
shadow on the surface is very pleasant. There are also interesting textures to be on the
walls and roof of the passage. You may also have noticed that the arch creates a ‘frame
within a frame’ around the man and cafe on the other side of the archway.

#8. Break the Pattern

Sometimes using a pattern in your composition means breaking the pattern. This was
actually suggested to me in one of the comments of the last article I wrote on
composition.

Odd One Out | Adobe Stock

I’ve already said that some “rules” are there to be broken. The same goes for patterns.
Breaking the pattern can really make your photograph pop. In this case, the single red
candle really stands out among the vanilla-colored ones. It’s also slightly taller than the
others which is another way of breaking the pattern. Notice how the photograph still
follows the rule of thirds.

#9. Rule of Odds

In the world of photography, there are certainly plenty of ‘odds’ but the ‘rule of odds’ is
something different entirely. The rule suggests that an image is more visually appealing
if there are an odd number of subjects. The theory proposes that an even number of
elements in a scene is distracting as the viewer is not sure which one to focus his or her
attention on. An odd number of elements is seen as more natural and easier on the eye.
To be honest, I think there are plenty of cases where this is not the case but it is certainly
applicable in certain situations. What if you have four children? How do you decide
which one to leave out of the shot? Personally, I’d go by future earning potential.

The photo above is an example of the rule of odds. I deliberately framed the scene to
include three arches. I think that two arches would not have worked as well and may
have divided the viewer’s attention. It also so happened that there were three people in
the scene. This composition also makes use of patterns and ‘frames within a frame’.

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In the photo of two gondoliers in Venice above, you will see that I’ve completely ignored
the rule of odds. It is true that your attention may shift back and forth between each
gondolier. However, this is exactly what a conversation between two people is like, a
back and forth. For this reason, I think the even number of subjects works in this case.
 St. Mark’s Square, Venice

This photo was also taken on Saint Mark’s Square. This time, it completely ignores the
“rule of odds” several times in the frame. There are two principal human subjects, four
street lamps, and two ornate columns, all even numbers.

It would also be a lot of trouble to get out my angle grinder to cut down one of the street
lamps. As for the columns, I don’t know where I’d start. I’d need a very strong rope and a
heavy truck at least. In Venice, that would have been a challenge. I could always ask
one of the subjects to leave the scene or ask somebody else to join them I guess. Or I
could just ignore the rule of odds.

#10. Fill the Frame

Filling the frame with your subject, leaving little or no space around it can be very
effective in certain situations. It helps focus the viewer completely on the main subject
without any distractions. It also allows the viewer to explore the detail of the subject that
wouldn’t be possible if photographed from further away. Filling the frame often involves
getting in so close that you may actually crop out elements of your subject. In many
cases, this can lead to a very original and interesting composition.
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In the photo of my pet cat on the left, you’ll notice that I filled the frame completely with
his face, even cropping out the edges of his head and mane. This allows the viewer to
really focus on details such as the eyes or the textures in his fur. You may also notice
that I used the rule of thirds in this composition. He is a lovely pet but you should see the
state of our furniture. He also loves children but he couldn’t eat a whole one.

In the second shot of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, I have left very little space around
the edges of the building. the point of this photograph is to showcase the architectural
detail of the front façade of the building.

Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris

In this photo, Notre Dame Cathedral and the adjacent buildings almost completely fill the
frame. This allows us to explore details such as the flying buttresses, the stonework, or
the ornate balconies on the building next door. It is a scene where the eye wanders
around the frame.

#11. Leave Negative Space

Once again, I am going to completely contradict myself! In the last guideline, I told you
that filling the frame works well as a compositional tool. Now I’m going to tell you that
doing the exact opposite works well too. Leaving a lot of empty or ‘negative’ space
around your subject can be very attractive. It creates a sense of simplicity and
minimalism. Like filling the frame, it helps the viewer focus on the main subject without
distractions.
This photo of a giant statue of the Hindu god Shiva in Mauritius is a good example of
using negative space. The statue is obviously the main subject but I have left plenty of
space filled only by sky around it. This focuses our attention on the statue itself while
giving the main subject ‘space to breath’ so to speak. The composition also creates a
sense of simplicity. There is nothing complicated about the scene. It is the statue
surrounded by sky, that is all. I also used the rule of thirds to place the statue to the right
of the frame.

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 Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland

This simple landscape photograph makes use of negative space. The misty morning
actually helped obscure some of the background elements making the tree on the left
really stand out with little to distract from it.

#12. Simplicity and Minimalism

In the last guideline, we saw how leaving negative space around the main subject can
create a sense of simplicity and minimalism. Simplicity itself can be a powerful
compositional tool. It is often said that ‘less is more’. Simplicity often means taking
photos with uncomplicated backgrounds that don’t distract from the main subject. You
can also create a simple composition by zooming in on part of your subject and focusing
on a particular detail.
In this first photo, I zoomed in on some water droplets on a leaf in a garden. It’s such a
simple subject but is also very beautiful because of its simplicity. A good macro lens can
be a very useful tool for creating these types of photos.
In this second photograph of a tree at dawn, I made use of a very simple and uncluttered
background to focus attention on the tree. This photo makes use of ‘negative space’ to
create a sense of simplicity and minimalism. I’ve also used the rule of thirds and leading
lines in the composition.

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#13. Use Black and White

Converting a photograph to black and white can be a very effective method of simplifying
your composition. In some ways, color itself can be a distraction. Black and white
photography often allows us to focus on the textures, light, shadows, and shapes in the
frame. Take a look at the following photographs taken along the Copper Coast in County
Waterford, Ireland.
 Copper Coast, County Waterford – Colour Version

The light in this version actually isn’t all that interesting. It’s that harsh daytime light that
is rarely conducive to spectacular landscape photography. The location itself has
potential though. Let’s see what happens when we convert this image to black and
white.

Copper Coast, County Waterford – Black and White Version

With the “distraction” of color removed, I think this becomes a much stronger shot. That
harsh light now helps to highlight the textures on the tree, in the grass, on the cliffs, and
in the sky. The bold shape of the tree stands out against the sky and the scattered
clouds in the sky look more dramatic. The color was hiding much of this in my opinion.
Not every shot is suited to a black and white conversion but in this case, I think it was.

#14. Isolate the Subject

Using a shallow depth of field to isolate your subject is a very effective way of simplifying
your composition. By using a wide aperture, you can blur the background that might
otherwise distract from your main subject. This is a particularly useful technique for
shooting portraits. You can learn more about how to use different aperture settings in my
tutorial on Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO.

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In this photo of a cat hiding in a box, I set an aperture of f/3.5 which is very wide and
results in a very blurred background. This focuses attention on the cat as the blurred
background is now less distracting. This technique is an excellent way to simplify a
composition. You may have noticed that I also used this technique to focus attention on
the water droplets on the leaf in the last guideline.

#15. Shoot from Below

The vast majority of photographs are taken from head height. That’s not very high in my
case as my experience with the borrowed Dutch bicycle demonstrates. Getting down low
or up high can be a great way of capturing a point of view that is more dynamic or
interesting. I have often seen wildlife photographers lying on their bellies to get that
special shot.

Eiffel Tower, Paris

I took this photograph of the Eiffel Tower while standing at its base and pointing my
camera up. This was also a perfect occasion to use a centered composition due to the
symmetrical subject. It means I have a photo that’s a little different from the majority of
shots of this Parisian landmark.

Sometimes finding that perfect point of view means getting your feet wet. Above is a
shot I took while standing in a stream in Ballyhoura, County Limerick, Ireland. I actually
had to wait quite a while for a rain shower to pass and the sun to come back out. It was
worth it though to get low down and capture the motion of the water as if flowed over the
rocks. I needed several hot whiskeys after to warm myself back up though.
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#16. Shoot from Above

Whenever I visit a new location, I like to get high at least once. I also like to take
photographs from a high vantage point at some point during my trip. Before my trip, I
always research the possibilities to take some bird’s eye photos. Most cities and towns
usually have a high building or bell tower you can climb to get some shots from high
above your surroundings. Just make sure they allow tripods if you plan to bring one.
 Markt from the Belfry of Bruges

I had to work extremely hard to get this shot of Markt Square in the heart of Bruges. For
a start, I had to lug my camera gear up 366 narrow steps to the top of the Belfry. Now
thankfully I’m in shape. Well I mean, round is a shape, isn’t it? As I wheezed my way to
the summit, I think some of my fellow climbers were worried I might require medical
attention. I actually met a guy whose office was right at the top of the belfry. He told me
that he made the trip up and down the tower several times a day in a suit and dress
shoes. Whereas I looked like I’d just climbed Everest; he barely broke a sweat.
 Paris from the Montparnasse Tower. This shot of Paris at night was taken from the roof of the
Montparnasse Tower in the 15th Arrondissement. Whenever I visit a city, I always try to see if
there are any buildings with viewing platforms to allow me to photograph the city from above.
Getting high up gives you the chance to capture spectacular views of a city, especially at night.

When you think of places in Paris to climb up high, you immediately think of the Eiffel
Tower. The problem with shooting from the top of Paris’ most iconic structure is that you
can’t include the Eiffel Tower in your shot! This is why the viewing deck of the
Montparnasse Tower in the south of the city is a much better location to capture a bird’s
eye view of the City of Light. The tower itself is a pretty ugly building, to be honest, so
being on top of it has the added advantage that you can’t see it while you are up there.

This photograph was taken just after sunset while there was still some color in the sky. I
waited for the “decisive moment” the Eiffel Tower sparkled as it does for one minute on
the hour, every hour throughout the night. If I had waited another hour, however, the
beautiful purple tones in the sky would have been gone.

#17. Look for Particular Color Combinations

The use of color itself is an often overlooked compositional tool. Color theory is
something that graphic designers, fashion designers, and interior designers are all very
familiar with. Certain color combinations complement each other well and can be visually
very striking.

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Take a look at the color wheel above. You can see that the colors are arranged logically
in the segments of a circle. Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel are
said to be ‘complimentary colors’. As photographers, we can look for scenes that
incorporate complementary colors as a way of creating attractive and striking
compositions.
Have you ever noticed how many movie posters have blue and yellow/orange color
schemes? This is done quite deliberately to create eye-catching adverts.

Customs House, Dublin.

I made use of the striking blue/yellow color combination myself in this photograph of the
Custom House in Dublin. The yellow hues of the illuminated building contrast beautifully
with the deep blue of the blue hour sky.
 Stephen’s Green, Dublin.

Red and blue are also complimentary colors on the color wheel. The Stephen’s Green
Shopping Center in Dublin was lit up red for Christmas last year. This was very striking
against the deep blue of the early night sky. I love photographing cities during blue hour.
The deep blue of the sky at this time provides a very attractive backdrop to the city’s
architecture and lights. The pure black of the late-night sky is not as striking and
contrasts too sharply with the lights of the city.

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#18. Rule of Space

The rule of space relates to the direction the subject(s) in your photo is facing or moving
towards. If you are taking a photo of a moving car, for example, there should be more
space left in the frame in front of the car than behind it. This implies that there is space in
the frame for the car to move into. Take a look at the example of the boat below.
In this photo, the boat is placed on the left-hand side of the frame as it moves from left to
right. Notice how there is a lot more space for the boat to move into in front of its
direction of motion (to the right) than behind it. We can mentally imagine the boat moving
into this space as it sails along the river. We also have a subconscious tenancy to look
forward to where an object is heading. If the boat was right up at the right-hand side of
the frame, this would lead us out of the photograph!
This can also be used for pictures of people. The rule of space suggests that the subject
should be looking or facing into the frame rather than out of it. Take a look at the
musician in the photo above. I composed the shot with him sitting on the left-hand side
of the frame. He is facing to the right (as we look at him) into the area of space between
him and the right-hand edge of the frame. If he had been facing the other way, he would
be looking out of the frame and this would look odd. By looking into the space in the
frame, he leads our eye past the man leaning on the railing and to the couple dancing on
the right-hand side.

The Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Admittedly, I’m not much of a sports photographer but I quite like this shot I snapped with
my camera phone during a rugby match featuring the mighty Leinster. Notice how the
kicker (Johnny Sexton) is placed to the left of the frame and the ball is traveling into the
space on the right. He made the kick by the way.

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When I was a kid, the modern stadium you see in the photograph hadn’t been built yet.
Instead, there was a rather basic and decaying old ground called Lansdowne Road.
Back then, my dad used to lift me over the turnstiles to get in for free. We tried doing this
again recently but with less success. I’m now 41 years old, have put on a few pounds
since I was a kid and my dad has had a hip replaced.

#19. Left to Right Rule

There is a theory that says we ‘read’ an image from left to right in the same way we
would read text. For this reason, it is suggested that any motion portrayed in a
photograph should flow from left to right. This is all very well but it assumes the viewer is
from a country where text is read from left to right. Many languages are read from right
to left such as Arabic for example. To be honest, I’ve seen plenty of fantastic
photographs that ‘flow’ from right to left.

I was once criticized by a judge for the fact that a woman in a photo I took was walking
from right to left. He told me it didn’t follow the ‘left to right’ rule. I reminded the judge that
the photo was taken in Tunisia where people read from right to left. I didn’t win.

The photo above follows the ‘left to right’ rule. The woman walking her dog in the
Tuileries Garden in Paris is walking from the left to the right of the frame.
 Tuileries Gardens, Paris

This photo also adheres to the ‘rule of space’. You will notice that there is much more
space in front of the woman than behind her. She has plenty of ‘space’ to walk into in the
frame. I also used the rule of thirds and a ‘frame within a frame’ to compose this
photograph.

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 Campo in Venice, Italy

In this photograph, I completely ignored the left to right rule. Does the photograph suffer
as a result? I don’t think so. What interested me was the woman walking across the
beautiful campo while staring at her phone (as we so often do these days) as well as the
colorful buildings bathed in the evening light. Frankly, I don’t really care what direction
she is walking in. I suppose I could have asked her to walk back from where she came
from.

Once during a club competition, a judge docked points from I photo I took in Tunisia for
not adhering to the left to right rule. I argued that as the photograph was taken in an
Arab country where people read from right to left, this should not apply. Unsurprisingly, I
did not win.

#20. Balance Elements in the Scene

The first compositional guideline we looked at in this tutorial was the Rule of Thirds. This
of course means that we often place the main subject of the photo to the side of the
frame along one of the vertical grid lines. Sometimes this can lead to a lack of balance in
the scene. It can leave a sort of ‘void’ in the rest of the frame.
To overcome this, you can compose your shot to include a secondary subject of lesser
importance or size on the other side of the frame. This balances out the composition
without taking too much focus off the main subject of the photograph.

Take a look at this photograph of the ornate lamppost on the Pont Alexandre III in Paris.

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The lamppost itself fills the left side of the frame. The Eiffel Tower in the distance
counterbalances this on the other side of the frame.

You may have remarked that this seems to go against the idea of negative space
mentioned in guideline number 10. It also contradicts the ‘rule of odds’ as we now have
an even number of elements in the scene. As I said at the very beginning of this tutorial,
there are no unbreakable rules in photographic composition. Some of these guidelines
contradict each other and that’s ok. Some guidelines work well for certain types of
photographs and not others. It’s a question of judgment and experimentation.

The photo above was taken in Venice. Once again, a decorative lamppost dominates
one side of the frame. The church tower in the distance provides balance on the other
side of the frame.
This also has a secondary effect on the composition. The church tower in the distance is
obviously much bigger than the lamppost in real life. It appears smaller in the
photograph as it is far away. This helps add a sense of depth and scale to the scene.

#21. Juxtaposition
Juxtaposition is a very powerful compositional tool in photography. Juxtaposition refers
to the inclusion of two or more elements in a scene that can either contrast with each
other or complement each other. Both approaches can work very well and play an
important part in enabling the photo to tell a story.

Mauritshuis, the Hague

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In this photograph, there is a juxtaposition between the beautiful older buildings of the
Hague in the bottom half of the frame and the modern skyscrapers that rise up behind
them. The handsome building in the center is the Mauritshuis Museum which houses
paintings such as “The Girl with the Pearl Earring” and “The Anatomy Lesson of Dr.
Nicolaes Tulp” by Rembrandt.

I spent a few days cycling around the Hague on a borrowed bike made for a 6 foot 4
Dutchman. I am a 5 foot 5 Irishman so that was fun and quite terrifying as I dodged
trams on the uneven cobbled streets. On several occasions, I got my bike wheels stuck
in a tram line. In this case, you basically have two choices: fall to the left or to the right. I
tried both on multiple occasions.

Take a look at this photo taken in Paris. In the bottom half of the frame, we have the
slightly rough and ready book stands full of clutter and posters hanging from the tops.
Rising above all of this, however, is the magnificent medieval Notre Dame Cathedral.
This architectural gem is the epitome of order and structure unlike the unsophisticated
but attractive bookstalls below. They seem to be in direct contrast with each other yet
they work well together. They both represent the city of Paris in different ways. They tell
a story about two different elements of the city.
 Dealul Mitropoliei – Bucharest

Contrasting the natural and built environments is another way of using juxtaposition, In
this case, the delicate pink roses contrast with the solid man-made building in the
background. In this case, I blurred the background but not so much that we can’t make
what is there. We saw this in the section on letting the background provide context.
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The photo above was also taken in France, but this time in the picturesque little village
of Meyssac in the South West. In this shot, the old Citroen 2CV car looks perfectly at
home in front of the typical French cafe in the background. The two elements
complement each other perfectly. The man with his back to us in the cafe is the owner of
the car and he seemed surprised when I asked if it was ok to take a picture of his car.
He asked why I’d ever want to take a photo of ‘that old thing’. He didn’t seem to realize
that he had unwittingly set up a quintessentially French scene by parking in front of that
particular cafe.
#22. Golden Triangles
The golden triangles composition works in a very similar way to the rule of thirds.
Instead of a grid of rectangles, however, we divide the frame with a diagonal line going
from one corner to another. We then add two more lines from the other corners to the
diagonal line. The two smaller lines meet the big line at a right angle as is illustrated
below. This divides the frame into a series of triangles. As you can see, this way of
composing helps us introduce an element of the ‘dynamic tension’ we learned about in
guideline number 6. As with the rule of thirds, we use the lines (of the triangles in this
case) to help us position the various elements in the scene.

The photo above contains strong diagonals that follow the lines of the ‘golden triangles’.
The light trails from the traffic perfectly follow the diagonal line running from the top right-
hand corner to the bottom left-hand corner. The tops of the buildings on the left are close
to the smaller diagonal on the left. The small line on the right meets the larger line at the
top corner of the buildings.
The photo above makes use of the ‘rule of triangles’ in a more subtle way. The heads of
the statues create an ‘implied triangle’. This line leads us to the Eiffel Tower in the
distance. The smaller line on the left meets the longer line right at the halfway point of
the Eiffel Tower. The smaller line on the right goes right between the two statues. The
rule of triangles can seem like a complex way of arranging a photo but it can result in
some really striking compositions.

#23. Golden Ratio

What is the golden ratio? Well, it’s actually very simple: two quantities are in the golden
ratio if their ratio is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities.
Wait, what now? Ok, if that sounds too complicated, perhaps this mathematical formula
will help:

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What do you mean you’re even more confused now? Is this form clearer?

Ok, that seems to have just made things worse. Forget all that.

I often describe the golden ratio as being a slightly more complicated version of the rule
of thirds with a little bit of the golden triangles method thrown into the mix. Take a look at
the image below.
 The Golden Ratio / Phi Grid / Fibonacci Spiral | Adobe Stock

Rather than dividing the frame into equal rectangles, it is instead divided into a series of
squares as in the example above. This is known as a “Phi Grid”. These squares are then
used as a guide to add a spiral that looks like a snail’s shell — this is known as the
“Fibonacci Spiral”.

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These squares, lines, and spiral are then used to lay out the elements in the frame as
with the rule of thirds and golden triangles. The spiral is supposed to lead the eye
around the frame and show us how the scene should flow. It’s a bit like an invisible
leading line. We will look at leading lines in more detail shortly.

Adobe Stock

The similarities with the rule of thirds and golden triangles become clearer once we add
a few lines to the diagram. The golden ratio also divides the frame into 9 parts although
this time they are not all the same size and shape. The diagonals we saw in the golden
triangles examples can also be added here.

It is believed that the golden spiral method of composition has been in existence for over
2,400 years having been devised in Ancient Greece. It is widely used in many types of
art as well as architecture as a way of creating aesthetically pleasing compositions. It
was particularly well employed in Renaissance art.
 The Parthenon, Athens | Adobe Stock

Ok, I have to admit something here. I have never actually purposely set out to compose
a photograph using the golden ratio. When I looked back through my photographs, I did
notice that I had unintentionally used it a few times.
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Here is a perfect example of one of my accidental uses of the golden ratio. I took this
photo in Venice. The bridge and steps on the left occupy the large square to the right.
The Fibonacci Spiral then leads us from here across the top of the bridge and down to
the two women sitting next to it. It may have been a lucky accident but it seems to work!

The golden ratio can be set up in different directions. In this photo taken in Prague, the
spiral leads us across the bridge to the castle on the far bank. Another lucky accident!
 Paris, France

In this case, the Fibonacci Spiral starts in the top right-hand corner, passes under the
couple dancing and finishes on the street musician’s face. The fact that I accidentally
stumbled upon the golden ratio a few times shows how many of these composition
“rules” may actually be manifestations of our internal aesthetic preferences that come
naturally to us. Woah. Deep. It reminds us that these should be used as ideas and not
strict rules.

#24. Let the Background Give Context to the

Subject
Now it’s time to contradict myself again. There are times when I like to use a busy
background. In these cases, I want to background to provide some context to my
subject.
 Dublin Seagull

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This photograph doesn’t contain any old seagull. This is a Dublin seagull! The slightly
blurred O’Connell Street in the background gives the subject some context. The fact that
he was eating a bowl of coddle and drinking Lyons Tea when I spotted him also lets me
know that he was indeed a Dublin seagull. Notice, how the background is still blurred but
not so much that the seagull doesn’t stand out. It’s about getting a balance between not
distracting from the subject and providing background context.
 Dealul Mitropoliei – Bucharest

I took this photograph of a rose at a monastery complex on the outskirts of Bucharest,

Romania. Once again I blurred the background just enough to let the rose stand out.
There is still however enough detail to show the viewer the context that the rose was
photographed in.

#25. Let the Eye Wander Around the Frame

And for my next trick, I will once again completely contradict myself. This is the antithesis
to the concept of simplicity and minimalism. There are some occasions I like to take
photographs with plenty happening in the frame. Take a look at the paintings of Pieter
Bruegel to see an excellent example of art with plenty of different characters and
activities going on in the frame.
 Temple Bar, Dublin

This photograph was taken in the Temple Bar area of Dublin City. The frame is full of
different characters and activity. In this case, the eye can wander around the frame
noticing all the little details such as the flowers, the building details, and various people
walking, exiting a building, or checking their phone outside a pub. There is no one main
subject.

It is not a question of simplicity being preferable to complexity or vice versa. One isn’t
inherently “better” than the other. It all depends on what you are trying to achieve with a
particular photograph.

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#26. Use Layers in the Frame
A very effective way to add a sense of depth to a photograph is to shoot a scene that
contains layers of elements at varying distances from your vantage point. These layers
can lead the eye through the scene from the foreground, through the middle distance to
the background.
 Groenerei Canal, Bruges

In this photograph of a canal in Bruges, the bridge acts as foreground interest. The
buildings along the canal provide the next layer in the middle distance. These buildings
then lead the viewer through the image towards the more distant elements. Finally, the
bell tower from a distant church rises from behind the other buildings in the background.
In this case, I did the opposite to the photos with foreground interest; I used a zoom lens
to compress the perspective.
#27. Add Human Interest
Including some human interest in a scene can make a photograph far more engaging as
well as adding a sense of scale. this is something I sometimes forget as a mainly urban
landscape photographer. I’ve noticed that most of my best urban photographs include
people somewhere in the frame.

Ponte Romana, Tavira

The old bridge in the large town of Tavira in Portugal is a very attractive photography
location in itself. This photograph would have been quite good without any human
interest but I think the lone figure really makes this shot. The person adds life to the
scene as well as giving a sense of scale to the surroundings. I had to wait a while for the
right person to enter the scene and click the shutter at the right moment. We will see
more about capturing these “decisive moments” next.

#28. Wait for the “Decisive Moment”

The idea of the “decisive moment” in photography is of course most associated with the
great French street photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson. But what did Cartier-Bresson
mean by the “Decisive Moment”? The great man himself said the following photography
quote:

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"
Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and
you must know with intuition when to click the camera. —Henri Cartier-Bresson

In the case of Henri Cartier-Bresson, this meant clicking the camera at the exact
moment a man leaped over a puddle behind Gare Saint Lazare or capturing the fleeting
cheeky expression of a French boy as he joyfully carried a bottle of wine in each hand
through the streets of Paris.

Carmersstraat Bridge, Bruges

This is actually one of my personal favorite photographs from my portfolio. I took it on an
atmospheric misty morning in the picturesque Belgian city of Bruges. The location for
this photograph was certainly interesting but for me, it is the man crossing the bridge on
his bicycle that makes this photograph special.

This was one of those occasions when I had to wait for that exact right moment to press
the shutter. I crouched beside a canal sidewall, composed my shot, and waited…. and
waited…. and waited some more. Every so often, someone would cycle across the
bridge but the shot would be ruined by a car coming in the opposite direction or perhaps
the cyclist would look too modern for the mood I was trying to create in the final
photograph – very inconsiderate in my opinion!

Finally, after about 45 minutes, I saw the gentleman you can see in the photo
approaching the bridge. I waited until he was right in front of the light-colored building
you see right behind him so he would stand out and pressed the shutter.

It was one of those moments I knew straight away that I’d gotten the shot I wanted from
this location. I think it was worth the wait. I was quite lucky as there was a car coming
from the opposite direction ready to spoil my shot. Thankfully for me the cyclist just beat
him to the bridge. I think he should consider taking part in the Tour de France this year.

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 Phoenix Park Tearooms, Dublin

Sometimes capturing the “decisive moment” can be a case of being in the right place at
the right time. In this case, I had already set up my camera to photograph the old tea
rooms in the Victorian Era Phoenix Park in Dublin. As I was waiting, a young couple
entered the frame and said goodbye with a tender kiss in front of the doors to the tea
rooms. Patience and luck both play a role in capturing the “decisive moment” in your
photographs.

Applying These Composition Tips to Your

Photography
I have told you that it is often possible to combine two or more of the composition ideas
I’ve covered in one photograph.
 Arcade du Cinquantenaire, Brussels

This shot taken in Brussels combines several of the ideas we covered in this section:
centered composition, symmetry, rule of thirds, leading lines, rule of odds, frame within a
frame, and color theory.

Obviously, it would be impossible to have all of these compositional guidelines in your

mind as you are out shooting. Your brain would melt! However, a good exercise is to
make an effort to use one or two of them each time you go out. You could do a photo
session where you look for situations to use a ‘frame within a frame’ for example.

After a while, you’ll find that a lot of these guidelines become ingrained. You will begin to
use them naturally without having to think about them. As you can see from the golden
ratio, I even used one of them without even realizing it!

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I hope you found this tutorial useful and that it will help you bring your photography to
the next level.

P.S. Another exercise you could do is to look at some of the photos in my galleries or
any collection of photos and try to see if you can tell which compositional techniques
have been used.

About the author: Barry O Carroll is a Dublin, Ireland-based photographer specializing

in landscape photography with a particular emphasis on urban landscapes, street
scenes and architecture photography. You can find more of his work on his website or by
following him on Facebook and Twitter.
T I P S , T U TORI A L S

A DV ICE , B A R RYO C A R R O L L , C O M POS IT I O N , C O M POS IT I O NT E C H N I Q U ES , T E C HNI Q U E S , T I P S

R E L AT E D A RT I C LE S

The Masterful Photo Compositions of Henri Cartier-Bresson

Two New 'Rules' of Composition that Can Improve Your Images

Composition Tips: How to Capture that 'National Geographic Style'

5 Basic Photography Techniques Every Beginner Should Know

Quick Tip: Composition for Beginners

DI SCU S S I ON
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Pete L. − ⚑
6 years ago

So I clicked expecting another kind of silly article with arbitrary lines drawn on average
pictures, but this is a pretty good primer on composition techniques. Well done.

17 0 Share ›

Vangelis Matos Medina > Pete L. − ⚑

6 years ago

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