Understanding the Land

Composing your shot is arguably the most important aspect of photography. It is also the most difficult part and relies on a subjective mix of artistic decisions and set rules. Of course, everyone has their own unique vision so this article will cover the other half of composing a shot, the rules. And truth be told, they are not really rules. They’re more just guidelines to assist you in further expressing your artistic vision.

Feel it Out

When you first arrive at your desired location, take some time to just absorb the scenery. Then ask yourself, how does this place make me feel? This is a great place to start, especially when showing up at a new location. I find the goal of landscape photography is to capture the feeling of being there and share it with others. If you can successfully do this, then you have a keeper photo on your hands.

Location Scouting

There is a lot more to location scouting than just walking around but I will cover that in the next blog. For this specific section, I really am just recommending you walk around. Climb on some rocks, follow the beaten path and maybe even get your feet wet. Whatever it is you do, look for different vantage points to shoot your subject from.

Composition

Have a subject

Before ever pulling your camera out of the bag, decide what your subject is. Is it a mountain, a lake, a lone tree? Whatever it is, make sure you’ve decided before composing your shot.

The subject is where you want your viewer’s eye to go

Leading Lines

I cannot stress how important leading lines are. They are not always easy to identify in a photo but your eye will naturally follow them. And if implemented properly, the lines will lead your eye right to the subject.

Leading lines guiding the viewer’s eye towards the cross.

Maintain Balance

A balanced image is just as important as leading lines. The way to think of balance in an image is to weigh the importance of certain elements in the scene.

The arch is a strong subject and holds the most importance(making it the heaviest). The golden bush and sun are other points of interest but do not hold as much importance. Together they keep the image from feeling left heavy from the arch.

Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds is perhaps the most well-known composition technique. This is when you divide your frame into thirds and place your subject on the intersection of two dividing lines.

The waterfall is placed on the upper left third of the image.

Don’t be afraid to break the rule of thirds!

Oftentimes your subject will feel too heavy to place off to one side or another. Centered subjects are extremely popular in landscape photography for this reason.

Conclusion

Hopefully these tips help the next time you are out shooting photos. The order of these steps is the order in which I compose my shots but this isn’t the only way to do it. Find what works for you but don’t forget that each step is equally as important as the next. If you found this article useful, I’ll be posting every Friday!