Finding Your Best Angle: Simple Tips for Better Composition
What's the difference between a simple snapshot 📸 and a truly impactful photograph? 💥 Often, it comes down to how you arrange elements within your frame. 🖼️ Today, we're diving into the art of composition, showing you how to find that perfect angle 📐 and create photos that truly stand out. 🌟
Here is the answery bit 👇
Composition in photography is simply how you arrange everything within your photo frame. 🧩 It’s about guiding the viewer's eye, 👀 creating balance, ⚖️ and telling a clear story. 📖 Think of it like arranging furniture in a room – you place things purposefully to make the space inviting and functional. 🛋️ In photography, we arrange subjects, lines, shapes, and colours to make our images strong and engaging. 💪 It’s a powerful creative tool that helps you move beyond just "taking" a picture to actually "making" a picture. 🎨
Hello and welcome to episode 214 of the Photography Explained Podcast, "Finding Your Best Angle: Simple Tips for Better Composition." 🌟
A very good morning, good afternoon, or good evening to you, wherever you are in the world. 🌍 I'm your host, Rick, and in each episode, I try to explain one photographic thing to you in plain English in less than 27 minutes (ish), ⏱️ without the irrelevant details. Yes, really. 😉
I'm a professionally qualified photographer based in England 🇬🇧 with a lifetime of photographic experience, which I share with you in my splendid podcast. 🎙️
Today, we're mastering composition – one of the most impactful ways to instantly improve your photos. ✨ We'll explore simple, practical tips for finding your best angle and arranging elements effectively. 📐 This isn't complex art theory; 🎨 it's about practical ways to make your photos more dynamic, clear, and visually appealing. 🤩 If you're looking for broader guidance on how your camera's modes work, check out Episode 211: Understanding Your Camera's Settings: A Simple Guide to Your Modes. ⚙️
How utterly splendid. 🤩 Let’s get into this. 👇
Here are 5 top tips for Better Composition! 🚀
Okay. Time for some practical photography tips to help you consistently compose stronger, more engaging photos. 💪 These tips will simplify how you think about arranging the elements within your frame and help you achieve professional results. 🎯
1: The Rule of Thirds: Your Composition Starting Point 📏✨
The Rule of Thirds is your fundamental composition guide. 🗺️ Imagine your frame divided into nine equal boxes by two horizontal and two vertical lines. 🖼️ Instead of placing your main subject dead-centre, try placing it where these lines intersect, or along one of the lines. intersection ➕ This creates more visual interest and balance. ⚖️ For landscapes, placing the horizon on the top or bottom third, not the middle, makes a more dynamic image. 🏞️ It's a great starting point, easy to use, and instantly improves your photos. 🚀
2: Leading Lines: Guiding the Viewer's Eye ➡️👀
Leading lines are lines in your scene that draw the viewer's eye, 👀 typically towards your main subject. 🎯 These can be roads, 🛣️ paths, 🚶♀️ fences, 🚧 rivers, 🌊 walls, 🧱 or even patterns. 〰️ They add depth and direct attention. Look for lines that start in the foreground and lead to something interesting in the background. 🌳 They create a journey for the eye, making your composition feel more dynamic and purposeful. ✨
3: Natural Framing: Using Your Environment to Compose 🖼️🌳
Using natural elements in your scene to "frame" your subject is a powerful way to add depth and context. 🌟 Think of arches, 🏛️ doorways, 🚪 windows, 🪟 or tree branches. 🌿 By shooting through or around these elements, you create a natural border that draws attention to what's inside. 🎯 It adds a sense of looking into a scene rather than just at it, giving your photo more immersion. For more on creating depth, particularly with blurry backgrounds, check out Episode 212: Creative Use of Depth of Field: Blurry Backgrounds, Sharp Subjects. 🔍
4: Change Your Angle: Find Your Unique Viewpoint 🤸♀️📸
Don't just shoot from eye-level! 🚶♀️ One of the quickest ways to make photos more interesting is to change your physical position. ⬆️⬇️➡️⬅️ Get low to the ground and shoot upwards for a powerful, larger-than-life feel. 🐜 Climb something (safely!) and shoot from above for an expansive view. 🦅 Get very close to your subject to fill the frame, or step far back for context. 🔎 Changing your perspective breaks predictability and helps you find unique compositions. 🤩 This is finding your "best angle." When you're constantly moving for that perfect viewpoint, you're also often thinking about how to keep your subject crisp. For tips on achieving consistently sharp images, listen to Episode 210: How to Get Sharp Photos Every Time: Beyond Just Focusing. 🎯
5: Simplicity & Negative Space: Less Is Often More 🧘♀️🔳
Sometimes, the strongest compositions are the simplest. 🌬️ Don't feel you need to fill every corner of your frame. 🚫 Simplicity means focusing on your main subject and removing distractions. 🎯 Negative space is the empty area around your subject. When used effectively, it helps your central subject stand out, preventing the image from looking cluttered. ✨ A clear sky, ☁️ a plain wall, 🧱 or calm water 💧 can be powerful negative space, allowing your viewer's eye to rest and truly appreciate your subject. It's about knowing what to leave out of the photo. 🗑️
So, there you have it – five simple yet incredibly effective tips for finding your best angle and improving your photographic compositions. 🌟 Practice these, and you'll see a dramatic improvement in your photos. 📈
Here is something for you to do. 🚀
Grab your camera or phone and head out! 📱🚶♂️ Choose a subject – anything from a streetlamp 💡 to a tree. 🌲 Now, apply these five tips. Try composing with the Rule of Thirds (Tip 1). 📐 Look for leading lines (Tip 2). ➡️ Find something to naturally frame your subject (Tip 3). 🖼️ Experiment by getting low, high, or super close (Tip 4). 🤸♀️ And finally, simplify your scene, focusing on your subject with clear negative space (Tip 5). 🧘♀️ Take a photo for each tip. You'll be amazed! 🤩 For more ideas on finding subjects, especially outdoors, check out Episode 213: Your First Five Steps into Landscape Photography. 🏞️
What if I use a phone to take my photos? 📱
Your phone is excellent for practising composition! ✨ Most phone cameras have a grid overlay you can enable in settings (Settings > Camera > Grid) which displays the Rule of Thirds lines – perfect for Tip 1. 📏 You can easily get low or high for Tip 4, and your phone's wide-angle lens often helps capture leading lines (Tip 2) and natural frames (Tip 3). 📸 For simplicity and negative space (Tip 5), move around to find an uncluttered background. 🤫 Phone photography is ideal for honing your compositional eye. 👀
What do I do? 👷♂️
As a professional architectural and real estate photographer, composition is the absolute cornerstone of my work. 🏛️ Every single photo I take is carefully composed to guide the viewer's eye, highlight key features, and create visual appeal. ✨
My approach to composition boils down to:
Deliberate Framing: I constantly look for leading lines, ➡️ natural frames (doorways, windows), 🖼️ and strong geometric shapes to guide the viewer. 📐
Precise Positioning: I meticulously choose my camera angle and height (getting low or high with my tripod) for the most impactful view. 🔭
Clarity and Simplicity: I ensure there are no distracting elements 🚫 and use negative space 🧘♀️ to make features stand out. 🌟
Balance: Even with complex buildings, I strive for visual balance, ⚖️ often leveraging the Rule of Thirds or creating symmetry. 📏
This isn't just theory; it's the practical application of principles I've refined through countless professional shoots, 💼 ensuring every image I deliver is not just technically sound, but visually compelling and perfectly composed. 🤩
Final Takeaways and Summary for Better Composition 🏆
Mastering composition is key to transforming your photographs from simple snapshots into compelling images. ✨ Remember:
Rule of Thirds: Place subjects off-centre for better balance. ⚖️
Leading Lines: Use lines to guide the viewer's eye. ➡️
Natural Framing: Frame your subject with environmental elements. 🖼️
Change Your Angle: Don't just shoot eye-level; get low, high, or close. 🤸♀️
Simplicity & Negative Space: Focus on your subject by removing distractions. 🤫
Practice these simple tips consistently, and you'll dramatically improve how you make photographs that truly stand out. 🤩
SEO Keywords for this Episode's Blog Post & YouTube: 🔍
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Some thoughts from the last episode 🤔
Episode 213 was all about your first steps into landscape photography. 🏞️ It covered looking differently, using the light, composing thoughtfully, and knowing a few key camera settings. I hope you're already out exploring your local park with new eyes! 🌳 For a deeper dive into controlling light, which greatly impacts how your composition is perceived, check out Episode 209: Taking Great Photos in Direct Sunlight: Beating the Harsh Light. ☀️ Let me know how you are getting on. 👇
Next Episode 🚀
Next week: Episode 215: Understanding ISO: When to Crank It Up (and When to Keep It Low). 💡
Right – I have redone this bit as it was getting far too long. 😅
If you have enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any future ones. 🔔 For anything else, check out my website, RickMcEvoyPhotography.com, 🌐 where you can find out how to ask a question, ❓ get a weekly email from me, 📧 get in touch, 👋 or find out more about my splendid podcast. 🎙️
And you can text me directly from the podcast feed. 💬
I have a YouTube channel too - type Rick McEvoy into YouTube and you'll find me. ▶️
And finally, check out my courses page, 🎓 where you will find my splendid "How to Become a Real Estate Photographer" course. 🏠
This episode was brought to you by a cheese and pickle sandwich 🥪 and a Coke Zero, 🥤 which I consumed before settling into my homemade, acoustically cushioned recording emporium. 🎙️🏡
I've been Rick McEvoy. Thanks again for listening to my small but perfectly formed podcast and for giving me 27 minutes of your valuable time. 🙏 I reckon this episode will be about 18-20 minutes long after editing out the mistakes and bad stuff. ✂️
Thanks for listening 👋
Take care and stay safe. 🛡️
Cheers from me, Rick! 🍻