18 Remarkable Photos That Make Flawless Use of Advanced Composition
New / Noteworthy
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you’re looking for a quick way to learn the basics of photography take a peek at our popular cheat sheets: The Snap Cards. If you missed out on your set last time, they’re available again and on-sale right now.
Choosing what subject to photograph is an important step in the photographic process. However, the way you compose it inside your frame is considerably more important. It’s through careful composition that you can truly elevate the story you’re trying to convey.
There are many composition tools you can utilize when photographing a subject to achieve different outcomes. The tools range from the basic ones like rule of thirds and symmetry to advanced techniques like juxtaposition and negative space. The composition techniques you choose affect the viewer’s eye movement within the frame and also the mood and emotion conveyed.
In this post, you’ll see some brilliant examples of 6 advanced photographic composition techniques put to perfect use. We hope that they are able to inspire you to give these techniques a try and create some photos of your own.
If you’d like to learn these composition techniques (and much more) using a unique, project-based learning tool, check out our best-selling Action Cards consisting of 65 printable project sheets covering everything you can imagine. Take a look at them here.
1. Spot Color
Spot color technique works by placing an isolated color within a broader scene to catch the viewer’s attention. Certain colors like red and yellow are more powerful in their visual weight when using this technique.
Photo by jack ma
Photo by Alasdair Elmes
Photo by Ray Hennessy
2. Juxtaposition
In photography, juxtaposition is created by placing two contrasting elements side by side and demonstrating a visual contradiction. Big & small, old & new, nature & man-made are some of the many ideas you can try in juxtaposition.
Photo by frank mckenna
Photo by Marek Okon
Photo by Arlindo Camacho
Get Better at Photographic Composition
If you are interested in improving your photographic composition through step-by-step, actionable assignments, take a look at our best-selling Action Cards – 65 print-at-home photography project sheets with over 200 photography assignments covering everything you can imagine. Click here now to check them out.
3. Leading Lines
Leading lines are easy to spot and compose but if they lead nowhere, that’s a poor composition. A strong composition is when the leading lines lead to a well-thought subject.
Photo by Luke Stackpoole
Photo by Atharva Tulsi
Photo by Joel & Jasmin Førestbird
4. Negative Space
Negative space is the area that surrounds the main subject of the photograph and can be used to creatively convey shapes and sizes for strong visual impact. It establishes and emphasizes the main subject, also called positive space in this context.
Photo by cottonbro
Photo by Ben Neale
Photo by Sunisa Misa
Want to get better at composition and also explore different photography genres?
Learn 34 different composition techniques and 31 unique photography genres with our best-selling Action Cards – 65 print-at-home photography project sheets with over 200 photography assignments covering everything you can imagine. Click here now to check them out.
5. Diagonal Lines
Diagonal lines suggest a feeling of movement or direction. Objects presented in a diagonal line (visually) suggest instability in relationship to gravity. This creates tension and drama for the viewer of a photograph.
Photo by Ivan Bandura
Photo by Zac Ong
Photo by Yuriy Chemerys
6. Layering
Layering is used to add depth to an image by employing at least three distinct layers – foreground, subject (also called mid-ground), and background layer.
Photo by Atharva Whaval
Photo by Jeremy Bishop
Photo by Maxine Yang
BONUS: I've got something special for you on the next page...
If you’d like to learn photography and expand your shooting skills by way of a unique, project-based learning tool, you should take a look at our Action Cards – printable project sheets that will give you over 200 photography assignments, covering everything you can imagine.
There are 34 cards on different composition techniques and 31 cards covering the various photography genres.
Thousands of photographers worldwide have benefited from these printable project sheets and have taken their photography to wholly new level.
If you missed out on your copy last time, it’s available again, and on sale right now.
Click below now, to read about it on the next page…
About Ritesh Saini
Ritesh has been photographing for about nine years now and his photographic interests have varied from nature and landscapes to street photography. He recommends the project-based photography learning tool Action Cards to anyone who wants to learn all the composition techniques and the various photography genres through practical assignments.
