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Forget the “rules” of composition and learn to use your intuition

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The “rules” of composition are always a hot and divisive topic. Some stick to them adamantly while others act like they don’t exist (or they don’t know any exist). The former can be difficult to break away from and the latter can be very freeing, allowing you to explore all kinds of composition ideas in your work.

In this video, Sean Tucker talks about going beyond the rules and how his photography has been guided mostly by intuition. He breaks down some of his own images and why they work. He covers a lot of topics that aren’t really mentioned at all in the usually accepted rules and how they can make the viewer feel when looking at an image.

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Improve your composition with these tips from a photographer who worked with Ansel Adams

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When it comes to composition, there are generally two schools of thought. The first is to strictly obey the “rules” they’ve read or been taught. The other is to simply go with your gut and what feels right. This video from Advancing Your Photography featuring photographer Huntington Witherill leans more towards the right.

While Huntington talks us through some very specific thoughts and processes, he says there’s no formula or list of things to do that will guarantee a good composition. Good composition is a strategy and a skill that is largely intuitive. Learning more “rules” isn’t going to make your composition any better.

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Learn to understand the “rules” so you know when and how to break them

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Photography is packed so full of “rules”. Well, they’re more like guidelines, really. But the “rules” seem to tear photographers up into two camps. The first wants everybody to strictly adhere to them and the second wants to shoot whatever and however they like. There’s nothing wrong with either approach, really, but the two are not mutually exclusive.

Some of the best images out there break the “rules” of photography. But as this video from Craig Roberts at e6 Vlogs explains, whether you choose to follow them or not, understanding them and why they exist can make for much greater impact when you choose to break them.

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Should we forget about these most popular photography tips?

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The number of photography-related tips we’ve heard so far is difficult to count. However, there are some tips that all of us have heard dozens, if not hundreds, of times. But despite being so common – are these tips really worth listening to? In this video, Kai Wong brings you some of the most popular photography tips you’ve probably heard many times. Should we keep them, modify them, or kill them completely?

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Should you follow or break the rules in photography?

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I very often have this strong negative reaction when a newsletter arrives in my inbox or I see an online article where the heading, for instance, reads: “5 rules to follow when composing an image” — or something to that effect.

I would have been far more positive if the heading read: “10 approaches to consider when composing a landscape image”.

I have plenty of personal preferences when it comes to photography. However, I try to avoid making rules or laws based on what I prefer.

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How to train your eye to see photography and video compositions

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Regardless of whether you shoot photography or video, or what kind of gear you shoot with, the one thing we all have complete control over is our composition. There’s a lot written about composition, about the “rule of thirds”, golden ratios, and leading lines, but composition can be a difficult one to grasp.

Kevin, the Basic Filmmaker talks about composition and developing your eye in this video. But not in the way you might think. He talks specifically about something I used to struggle with all the time, and occasionally still do. And that’s ignoring things in the background and edges of the shot that I should be paying attention to!

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Five composition rules of filmmaking, and how to break them

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There are plenty of composition rules in filmmaking and photography and with them come many reasons to follow them. But there are often reasons to break them, too. Nerris Nassiri from Aputure talks about five composition rules you should follow but also teaches you when and how you should break them.

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Four composition mistake every photographer should avoid

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There are lots of “rules” when it comes to composition. Guidelines that are great starting points for those just starting out. Adhering to these rules does not mean you will create a masterpiece every time, though. Nor does breaking them mean your photos will suck. But there are some aesthetic things that these “rules” often tend to not mention.

In this video, photographer Evan Ranft talks us through 4 common composition mistakes that every photographer makes. He’s made them, I’ve certainly made them. You, too, either have or will make them at some point in your photography journey. But they can be avoided, if you can spot when you’re doing them.

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Mastering composition with a little help from Will Smith (sort of)

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Perhaps “with help from a little Will Smith” would’ve been a little more accurate, but still. The “rules” of composition are widely known and hotly debated. On the one side, you’ve got those who swear by them, live by them, and can’t break free from them. On the other side you’ve got those who claim they “don’t live by rules” and ignore them, while suggesting others do the same.

The simple fact of the matter, though, is that a lot of the time, the “rules” work. Sure, there’s times when you want to break free. But, if you don’t understand how and why they work, how can you know when to effectively break them? In this video, filmmaker Darious Britt talks us through some of the rules of composition. He also explains exactly why they often work so well. Basically, it all boils down to familiarity and comfort.

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9 Photo Composition Tips In 189 Seconds

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If you are just starting out on photography, you’ve probably heard about the RULES OF COMPOSITION. When you hear about those rules, it can be kinda intimidating, especially if they are referred to in all CAPS. The truth is that those rules are actually guidelines that formulate what is visually pleasing to the eye.

The team at COOPH who are really good at cutting down to the chase, made a short movie explaining 9 of these rules. You may have heard them already or you read them in a book, but it is always a great refresher to see all those rules condensed into such a short time frame.

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