What better way to shine in the world of creative travel photography than by learning about photography composition? Keep reading, and soon, you will master this art to perfection!
As in any kind of artistic discipline, in photography, some rules are here to guide you through your creative process and finally capture the photo you have been dreaming of.
I wish I had heard of photography composition earlier in my journey… It would definitely have sped up the process and helped me to get where I am much quicker. But mistakes make you learn, right? And now that I’ve learned everything there is to know about this art, I am more than excited to share my knowledge with you!
Be reassured, nothing complicated here. Just a few rules you need to remind yourself of to excel in the world of creative travel photography, or any kind of photography, really!
This post is all about creative travel photography and how to capture your dream photos thanks to photography composition.
The art of photography composition
Photography composition is where the magic happens! It’s all about arranging the pieces in your photo, like a puzzle, to create something eye-catching. Think of it as your artistic playground, where you can blend the 7 elements of photography.
When you nail it, your photos become storytellers.
So, in a few words, it’s about making your photos not only visually stunning but also emotionally engaging for anyone who looks at them.
You don’t take a photograph, you make it. – Ansel Adams
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 7 TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY IDEAS TO ELEVATE YOUR GAME!
LIGHTING
The most important aspect of photo composition: lighting. Lighting has a direct impact on how your photo turns out. It affects exposure, mood, and the overall quality of your shot.
When it comes to lighting for your creative travel photography, you have various options.
You can choose to work with natural light, like the sun, or get creative with artificial sources. And the best part about lighting? You’ve got the power to tweak it to match your vision perfectly. But how does it all work?
Here’s what you need to focus on:
- Quality of Light: This is all about whether the light is soft and gentle, like on an overcast day, creating those smooth shadows that are perfect for portraits, or if it is harsh, like the bright sun, which can give you bold shadows and contrast.
- Direction of Light: Where the light’s coming from can totally switch up the game. It impacts how your subject’s details and textures show up. You have options like front lighting, side lighting, and backlighting to experiment with.
- Color of Light: The color temperature of the light sets the mood for your photo, and you must remember that natural light, especially sunlight, can change its color throughout the day.
- Intensity of Light: How bright or soft your light source is will decide the exposure of your photo. The right intensity is key for a picture-perfect shot.
- Light Modifiers: Photographers have their bag of tricks, like reflectors, diffusers, and flash modifiers, to fine-tune and shape the light just how they want it. However, you don’t need these to start practicing. Especially if you are into travel photography, you don’t want to be traveling around with a heavy bag full of gadgets.
Why is it so important to know about the different aspects of lighting? Well, it will help you make informed decisions and capture stunning images in any situation.
BEST NATURAL LIGHT FOR CREATIVE TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY
So now, the most asked question about light… At what time of the day is natural light best for shooting?
The Golden and Blue Hours ! Pure gold for us photographers.
- Golden Hour: This is the dreamy period right after sunrise and just before sunset. The light turns all warm and honey-colored, creating a soft, enchanting glow. It is the perfect time for taking unique and creative travel photography.
- Blue Hour: It’s the cool time just before sunrise and right after sunset when the sky goes all deep blue and twilight-y. The vibe is unique, peaceful, and cool, with even light all around. This is the moment when cityscapes, snazzy architecture, and scenes with funky artificial lighting look their absolute best. So if you are traveling in a city, it is the perfect time to shoot creative travel photography!
RULE OF THIRD
The Rule of Thirds is the easiest “guide” while taking a photo. It helps you balance your photograph by dividing the frame into a tic-tac-toe grid, with two horizontal lines and two vertical lines.
Here’s how it works:
- Find the Right Spots: Instead of placing your main subject in the center, you can put it along one of the lines or at those intersection points. This can add liveliness to your photos. For example, if you’re taking a portrait, try putting your subject’s eyes along one of the horizontal lines.
- Balancing Act: This tool helps you balance things out in your photos. If you have something interesting on one side of the frame, you can add another interesting element on the opposite side. This keeps things harmonious.
- Follow the Lines: Those lines created by the Rule of Thirds are the trails for your viewer’s eyes. They can guide the gaze through your image, especially the diagonal lines connecting the corners of the grid.
- The Power of Space: The spaces between those grid lines are your resting spots. They create a sense of calm and draw attention to your main subject. These spaces are really handy to get creative with your travel photography.
Picture Framing
Picture framing is a creative technique used by travel photographers, but also photographers in general. It’s about using elements within your scene to create a natural frame around your main subject, attracting the viewer’s eye.
It’s a creative way to add interest and context to your photos.
Here are some common framing elements to help you get started:
- Architectural Features: Windows, doorways, and arches can act as natural frames for a subject. Placing your subject within or near these structures can create an intriguing effect.
- Vegetation: Overhanging branches, leaves, and foliage can be used to frame a subject. This can give a sense of being hidden within nature and add a layer of depth to your photo.
- Man-Made Objects: Elements like fences, bridges, or even other people can be used as frames. They can create a sense of context or add a layer of storytelling to your image.
- Foreground Elements: You can also use objects in the foreground to frame your subject. This adds depth and visual interest to the composition.
BALANCE
Balance in photography refers to how you arrange elements in your photograph to make it look good.
There are two main types:
- Symmetrical Balance: This is when your photo is like a mirror. If you split it down the middle, both sides look pretty much the same.
- Asymmetrical Balance: With this one, your photo is a mix. It’s not a mirror image, but it still feels balanced. You might have a big thing on one side and a bunch of smaller things on the other. This is more dynamic and adds some movement and excitement.
LEADING LINES
Leading lines in photography are the little arrows that point the way through your picture. They’re lines or shapes that help guide people’s eyes to a specific spot in your photo, usually the main subject.
Here’s how they work:
- Leading Toward the Subject: They are typically positioned in a way that leads the viewer’s eye towards the main subject or a specific area of interest in the photograph. This helps draw attention.
- Creating Depth: Leading lines can create a sense of depth by giving the viewer a visual pathway to follow from the foreground to the background. This adds dimension to your photos.
- Conveying Movement: Depending on how the lines are used, they can suggest movement or direction. Think of a road that seems to go on forever – it can give a sense of adventure.
NEGATIVE SPACES
We often tend to focus on the subject of our photograph but forget to consider the empty areas. It’s the canvas around your main subject. Even though it’s not the star, it’s essential for a great photo.
Here’s why it matters:
- Finding Balance: Negative space helps create balance. It is a resting place for your eyes, so the main subject can shine and not feel crowded.
- Making Your Subject Pop: By giving your subject some space, you make it stand out and catch everyone’s attention.
- Setting the Mood: The amount and arrangement of negative space can set the vibe of your photo. A lot of empty space can feel serene, while a little can make things feel intense.
- Adding Context: It helps show where your subject is or what’s going on around it. This gives your viewers a better understanding of the whole scene.
- Getting Creative: Some photographers use negative space to create cool, minimalist, and artsy shots that make you look twice at them.
LAYERS
Layers in photography is the arrangement of different elements, objects, or subjects within a single photo. Layering is a composition technique that helps to make photos more visually interesting and dynamic by creating depth and dimension.
Here’s how they work:
- Depth and Dimension: Layers give your photo a sense of depth, like there’s more to it than what you see on the surface. Each layer adds a new level to your image.
- Foreground Interest: The front layer, which is the closest to the camera, is often the star of the show. It is what grabs your attention and leads you into the photo.
- In the Middle: The middle layer is, well, in the middle. It can contain additional subjects or elements that add context or narrative to the photo.
- Background: The back layer is like the background in a play. It sets the stage for everything else and tells you where the story is happening.
- Telling a Story: Layers can help you tell a story in your photo. You can show how different things are related or just create a cool, multidimensional look.
- Adding Complexity: Layers make your photo more fun to explore. As your eyes move from layer to layer, it’s like going on an adventure through your picture.
SCALES
Scale in photography is about showing the size of things in your pictures. It’s a way to compare one thing to another.
Here’s how it works:
- Relative Size: Scale is about how big or small things look compared to each other in your photo.
- Making a Point: By using big differences in scale, you can really make something stand out or create a certain mood in your photo.
- Telling a Story: Scale can help tell a story. Like if you show a tiny person next to a huge building, it can tell a story about how big the world is.
- Depth and 3D: It can also make your photo look 3D, like you could reach right in. By putting things of different sizes at different distances from your camera, you make the photo feel more real.
- Wow Factor: Changing the scale can make your photo look fascinating and cool.
FILLING THE FRAME
ln photography, filling the frame, is a technique where you get up close and personal with your subject, so it takes up most or all of the photo. This creates a strong and impactful image.
Here’s how it works:
- Getting Close: When you fill the frame, you move in close to your subject. It’s like giving them all the attention.
- Showing Details: This technique is great for showing off the fine details and textures of your subject.
- Creating Impact: By filling the frame, you make your subject the star of the show. It can create a powerful and striking image.
- Eliminating Distractions: This technique can also help you get rid of any background clutter or distractions.
- Telling a Story: It’s a way to tell a story or convey a strong message.
SIMPLIFICATION
Simplification in photography is about decluttering your photo, keeping things neat and straightforward.
Here’s how it works and why you should try it in your future compositions:
- Clear and Clean: Simplification makes your photo look clean and simple by getting rid of what’s not needed. This puts the spotlight on your main subject.
- Getting the Message Across: Simplified photos are usually very clear in what they’re trying to say. They’re like a direct and powerful message.
- Less Distractions: By removing visual clutter, you create a photo that’s more pleasant to look at.
- Breathing Space: Simplification can also make your photo feel more open and give your viewers room to explore.
CONTRAST
Contrast is the difference between different parts of your picture. But you might be surprised that, in photography, contrast is not always about colours.
Here are some info:
- Light and Dark: Contrast in brightness is when some parts are really bright and others are really dark. This can make your photo look dramatic or striking.
- Colors That Pop: If you have contrasting colors next to each other, like red and green, it makes them stand out and look vibrant – look at a color wheel to find contrasting colors.
- Different Textures: If you put smooth things next to rough or bumpy things, it creates texture contrast, which can be visually interesting.
- Opposites Attract: You can also create contrast by putting two things in your photo that are completely different from each other.
- Spacing Matters: How close or far apart things are can also create a sense of balance or imbalance, adding a cool touch to your picture.
triangle rule
The triangle rule, also called golden triangle, is a classic composition trick that’s been used in paintings and photography for ages. The secret is to arrange your main subject so that it forms a triangle shape.
This adds a sense of peace to your image, and the neat and balanced look brings clarity and harmony to your picture.