I’m still learning photography. Seriously, I might have a business doing this for clients, but it’s always a learning experience. I’m always growing, reading, practicing, and asking other photographers if I can learn from them, and it’s slowly paying off. But again, I’m still learning.

I got a few requests on Instagram for some tips on how to set up a better picture, which was flattering because I’m seriously not an expert! But I didn’t want to leave you guys hanging, so I figured I’d share 5 principles that I use in my photography to help make my images more inviting and interesting to the viewer. You can’t fix everything in post, and composition is one of them!

Implied movement

Static scenes can be beautiful, but images with movement tell a bigger story with a bit of a cliffhanger. Wether it’s people swaying, a hand grabbing a French fry, or a kite in the wind, movement brings the scene to life. You can start small and just suspend a moment in time, or you can use implied movement to suggest what is about to happen next.

 

Lighting

The first thing to work on with photography is lighting. Get away from artificial light and learn how to control your lighting with bounce boards and other tools, and then move on to playing with shadows or sunlight in your images to add drama or give your scene a different mood. Shadow patterns can add a layer of professionalism to a photo and can even be the main subject of the scene themselves.

 

 

Get close (but try to avoid zoom)

Getting really close to a smile, a raindrop, a textile, or a dollop of whipped cream can create a striking photo. Try to use prime lenses that get you nice and close and avoid using zoom to achieve a sharper image, if possible. A good 100 mm is perfect for food photography!

Frame your Scene

Find ways to frame the main subject in your scene, wether its capturing the side of a building along an edge, using greenery and nature, or a doorway or window. This draws the eye to the main subject and can add more context to the story you’re telling

 

Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds is the most basic and useful layout principal for design and composition, whether it’s print design, website design, or photography composition. You basically divide your scene in to 9 sections and then place your subject in the intersections of the lines so that your subject isn’t right in the middle of the photo. This creates a more visually interesting and balanced scene, and actually helps our eyes to land in a place where they naturally want to go.