1. 10 Compositional Theories of
Still Photography
“There is a vast difference between taking a picture and
making a photograph.” – Robert Heinecken
2. Rule of Thirds
Rather than place the
subject in the center of
the photo, imagine a grid
that splits the frame into
thirds both vertically and
horizontally. Then, place
the subject along those
gridlines. The
intersections of the lines
are especially compelling
places to position your
subject.
Portrait of Tom Kobayashi at Manzanar(1943) Ansel Adams
4. Leading Lines
Lines that guide a
viewer’s eyes around, or
through, the photograph
are called leading lines.
Scanno (1953) Henri Cartier-Bresson
5. Monks Along the River Arno, Florence (1935) Alfred Eisenstaedt
6. Strong Diagonal
A strong diagonal is a
form of a leading line. It
can transform a boring
composition into a
dynamic one.
Female Welders, Gary, IN (1942) Margaret Bourke-
7. In the Waiting Room of the Union Station (1943) Jack Delano
8. Point of View
Pictures do not always
need to be taken at eye
level. Moving the camera
above, or below, the
subject can create a
more interesting, dynamic
photograph.
This is a good way to
transform an ordinary
subject into an
extraordinary picture.
Sisters of Charity (1956) David Moore
10. Framing
One way to make your
subject stand out is by
finding and using a
natural frame within the
composition. The frame
helps draw the viewer’s
eye to the main subject.
Framing can also be
used to create a sense of
depth in a photograph, or
to provide a context for
the photograph.
Cabaret L’Enfer, Boulevard de Clichy, Paris (1952) Robert Doisneau
12. Simplify
Try to eliminate
unnecessary items from
your composition – they
will only distract the
viewer.
Sometimes, the most
simple of objects make a
beautiful photograph.
Pepper (1930) Edward Weston
14. Depth of Field
Depth of field is the
distance within a
photograph that is in focus.
A shallow depth of field
leaves just a small portion
of the photograph in focus,
while the rest remains
blurry.
Shallow depth of field can
be used to draw the
viewer’s eye to the main
subject. It also can
compensate for a
distracting background.
One way to achieve a
shallow depth of field is to
use the macro function on
Come Alice,Julia Margaret Cameron your camera.
15. A photograph taken with the macro function, producing a shallow depth of
16. Strong Foreground
When taking a photo,
particularly landscape
photos, that have a large
depth of field, a strong
foreground element can
help bring the viewer into
the photograph, as well
as provide a sense of
depth.
Canyon de Chelly(1904) Edward S. Curtis
18. Fill the Frame
It is not always necessary
for the entire subject to
be included in the
composition. Sometimes
it is more effective, and
interesting, to crop the
edges of your main
subject.
False Hellebore (1926) Imogen Cunningham
20. Active Space
It is important when you
are capturing a
photograph of an action,
that you leave space
between the side of the
frame and the subject. If
you do not do this, the
picture will feel
unbalanced.
Walter Iooss Jr.
23. Composition
1. Rule of Thirds
2. Leading Lines
3. Strong Diagonal
4. Point of View
5. Framing
6. Simplify
7. Depth of Field
8. Strong Foreground
9. Fill the Frame
10. Active Space
Tuskegee Airman (1945) Toni Frissell
