A classic "C" curve.
The subject of how to compose a photograph could be endlessly long, there is simply so much to know and consider. Composition is the most important artistic aspect in photography and good composition makes all the difference in how your photographs are viewed by others. If you come from an art background your segue into photography is easier than if you have no art background. The concepts in creating a piece of artwork, including photography, are pretty much the same.
Photography artistic training usually starts with the rule of thirds and lines, especially a leading line or an S curve or C curve, these are the basic components of a good photograph. However, there are many, many other aspects in composition to consider in creating the best photograph that you can. Composition can be and is a learned skill, notwithstanding that special person who simply has a "good eye." But oftentimes, these people have a "good eye" because they know all the rules and in's and out's of good composition or they have prior training in some kind of artistic endeavor.
Photography artistic training usually starts with the rule of thirds and lines, especially a leading line or an S curve or C curve, these are the basic components of a good photograph. However, there are many, many other aspects in composition to consider in creating the best photograph that you can. Composition can be and is a learned skill, notwithstanding that special person who simply has a "good eye." But oftentimes, these people have a "good eye" because they know all the rules and in's and out's of good composition or they have prior training in some kind of artistic endeavor.
Place the main object 1/3 into the photo.
Composition includes—in addition to that already noted above— vertical and horizontal lines, perspective, shape and form, pattern and texture, perspective, non-mergers, balance and space, repeat patterns, the "rule of odds," triangles and thirds, color or lack thereof, and many other "rules," all to be noted, remembered and, once learned, broken as you see fit. The photo above is an example of a leading line, the line of the board walkway leads to an open door; a leading line always leads to something. The photo is almost, but not quite centered, there is a little more space on the right and a nice S-shape line in the mountains leading back into the photo, creating perspective but still drawing your eye into the photo: the photo also tells a story of sorts and leaves you wondering where it was taken. How do you learn these rules? Again, books, magazines, studying successful photographs, through video instructions, and at your local adult education school or college.
Don't place your image in the center.
If you can afford to attend photography tours with experienced leaders I highly recommend this. I've done many of these and have always left having had a great time with new photography friends and having learned much from those who are more experienced than me. Every tour leader and instructor I've had, except for one instructor at my local college where I obtained an A.A. in Fine Art/Photography, has turned out to be supportive and encouraging and each has brought his or her own unique brand of teaching to the tour group or class.
New photographers often tend to walk up to a subject and, centered with the subject, take a shot. They also tend to actually center the subject in the photograph. Our eyes, when viewing a photography, find this placement stagnant and generally uninteresting. Our brains actually rule how we "see" a photograph and our brains like uneven numbers, thus; thirds, triangles that link subjects into a group, lines that portray action— curved, vertical or horizontal, leading lines, and "weighted" subjects, not actually by weight but by how much "space" they take up as we view the photograph: hot colors take up more space while cold colors take up less space, black space and white space are viewed very differently—all of these concepts affect the balance of the photograph and how it affects us. The basic Rule of Thirds is all about balance, which is central to a good photograph. This does not mean that every photograph must have balance since you might actually want to create confusion and uneasiness in the viewer with an unbalanced photograph, but you do need to know what your intent is as you take the photograph and how composition affects the viewer.
Also, a really good photograph conveys emotion or tells a story, depending on your intent. So, when you view a subject always ask yourself, what is my intent? What do I want this photograph to say and how, then, do I take the shot? It takes a long time to get all of these concepts going in the right direction in your photographs but don't get discouraged, keep practicing, keep learning and it will all come together for you at some point in time.
New photographers often tend to walk up to a subject and, centered with the subject, take a shot. They also tend to actually center the subject in the photograph. Our eyes, when viewing a photography, find this placement stagnant and generally uninteresting. Our brains actually rule how we "see" a photograph and our brains like uneven numbers, thus; thirds, triangles that link subjects into a group, lines that portray action— curved, vertical or horizontal, leading lines, and "weighted" subjects, not actually by weight but by how much "space" they take up as we view the photograph: hot colors take up more space while cold colors take up less space, black space and white space are viewed very differently—all of these concepts affect the balance of the photograph and how it affects us. The basic Rule of Thirds is all about balance, which is central to a good photograph. This does not mean that every photograph must have balance since you might actually want to create confusion and uneasiness in the viewer with an unbalanced photograph, but you do need to know what your intent is as you take the photograph and how composition affects the viewer.
Also, a really good photograph conveys emotion or tells a story, depending on your intent. So, when you view a subject always ask yourself, what is my intent? What do I want this photograph to say and how, then, do I take the shot? It takes a long time to get all of these concepts going in the right direction in your photographs but don't get discouraged, keep practicing, keep learning and it will all come together for you at some point in time.
