ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

7 Beginner Photography Tips To Make Your Photos Look Great

Updated on June 20, 2012

When we take our pictures, we are interested in the narrative (the topic, the figures, their relations) without giving due importance to the composition of the image.

Take the perfect picture, it's not as easy as it seems. What matters in a good picture is the composition.

These beginner photography composition tips can be expressed as a set of tools. The key is to keep in mind that it's not necessary to use all the tools at the same time to obtain an excellent picture.

Composition can be thought of as the organization of the elements, and when it's well made will add great value to the picture.

Keeping in mind some key composition techniques will help us to improve the quality of our photographs.

Beginning Photography Tips
Beginning Photography Tips

Beginning Photography Tips

These techniques are a set of rules which will help us to distribute the objects in the space of the image.

A good distrubucion is the difference between a dynamic image or a static image.

Of course, these rules can be broken to create attractive effects.

Once you know them, you can "break them" into your favor.


The Rule Of Thirds

When taking pictures, we have the tendency to center the subject in the frame and to look for a total symmetry in the image.

This is usually a serious photographic error. Centering the subject in the image, we only get a static and boring composition.

The Rule Of Thirds
The Rule Of Thirds

The rule states that an image can be divided by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines.

The four points formed by the intersections of these lines can be used to align the the main subjects.

These four intersection points are called Power Points.

The Rule Of Thirds - Composition
The Rule Of Thirds - Composition

The main subject of the composition is located in one of the four Power Points (or near) or along a line, which gives a pleasant and balanced image.

The main subject (what we want to emphasize) is in this case the bird's head.

The Rule Of Thirds - One main subject
The Rule Of Thirds - One main subject
The Rule Of Thirds - One main subject
The Rule Of Thirds - One main subject

If exists a second main subject, this is located diagonally in the opposed side.

The Rule Of Thirds - Two main subjects
The Rule Of Thirds - Two main subjects

Rule Of Horizon

In the landscapes it's not recommended to place the horizon in the center of the image, to avoid the sensation that the image is divided in two equal parts.

When we want to give protagonism to the sky, because we have attractive clouds, we locate the horizon in the inferior third. If the sky lacks interest we locate the horizon in the superior third.

This rule is also applied when a line more or less horizontal divides the composition in two differentiated spaces.

Rule Of Horizon - The horizon forms a symmetry
Rule Of Horizon - The horizon forms a symmetry
Rule Of Horizon - The horizon enhances the protagonism of the sky
Rule Of Horizon - The horizon enhances the protagonism of the sky

Rule Of Sight

The main character of the picture should have free more space toward where he looks.

This gives the sensation that there is something to see beyond the picture.

Rule Of Sight
Rule Of Sight

Rule Of Movement

When we photograph mobile objects, it is very important that capture them entering the image, not leaving, with more space in the direction of the movement.

Rule Of Movement - Leaving the image
Rule Of Movement - Leaving the image
Rule Of Movement - Entering the image
Rule Of Movement - Entering the image

Vanishing Point

To obtain three-dimensional effect in our pictures we use Vanishing Points.

A Vanishing Point is the point at which parallel lines appear to converge in the distance when viewed obliquely.

The Vanishing Point can be located inside or outside of the composition.

Vanishing Point
Vanishing Point

Cropping People

If you are not going to include their entire body do not crop at a joint (elbow, knee, wrist), neither on the hands or feet.

The cut is made between joints, and the whole foot or hands should appear or not.

People Crop
People Crop

The cut is made above or under the breasts of a women, not in half.

Breasts Crop
Breasts Crop

Close-up crop in the forehead or between the chin and the forehead.

Close-Up Crop
Close-Up Crop

The Negative Space

In photograph the empty spaces are important, because they enhance the topic of the image.

This resource is used to transmit a sensation of isolation.

  • A leaf floating on the water of a pool

  • A flower on the sand

Negative Space
Negative Space

In essence the composition is the selection and placement of objects in the photographed area.

The force of a good image resides in the combination of a reason and a composition:

  • what is left outside of the image is as important as what is included.

 
 
 
 
 
 
         Make money 
writing about your passions. 
 
        Join HubPages 
 
 
 
 
. 

 ________________________________________________________________
 
 Acknowledgement

          
    Table Of Contents by
        Darkside

    Images by
        Roger Barker
        Dylan Walters
        Pedro Simões 
        Salvez Dodd
        Javier Volcán
        Mikhail Esteves
        Jes
 ________________________________________________________________

working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)