Which rules of composition do you use the most?

[Brev00]

I am usually aware of the edges of my photo and keeping them clear of extraneous contact. When I crop a cityscape, I am aware of the buildings and I try to keep even the small ones on the edge whole or split in a way that works for me. When I shot a butterfly in a garden recently, I paused before pressing the shutter knowing that the surrounding flowers were going to be severed in a haphazard way. I shot anyway and am quite happy with the way it turned out.

[Colin Southern]

One of the most important rules I like is leaving space to the front of the subject's face.

Susan gets it - Yay

Our own little club - Susan - Colin - and Peter Hurley

[nimitzbenedicto]

rules/techniques of composition most used?

If I can , I'd start with "simplifying": Maybe use bokeh(in-focus subject, blurred background)/vignette to isolate the subject. filling the frame like Mike's suggestion = headshots instead of half-body/whole body. Use of one background , like Colin's mention of Peter Hurley who almost exclusively uses a white background for his headshots. Light: Brighten the subject in relation to dark background, again to focus attention on subject.

Then, rule of 3rds. Use of space - like Susan's space in front of the subject's face. Texture, geometric shapes, etc.

Just me................

[LocalHero1953]

In any subject rules are useful, and often vital, for beginners, to help them do things well. As you take more and more photos, and there is no substitute for intensive photography for learning, you develop your own eye for what works and what doesn't, what rules to break etc. I'd be surprised if there was any experienced photographer out there who didn't have their own rules, by which I mean little compositional habits they follow subconsciously if not deliberately.
I also have slightly different practices for single images vs a project. Content rather than perfect composition may be more important in the latter vs the former. But YMMV.

[arith]

I've got some registration marks in my viewfinder and often set focus on one of those near a third. Just don't like to crop, however I don't always do it, but just aim and crop to the Golden Ration.

[dabhand]

I guess the thing that concerns me most is the concept that suggested practices become 'rules'.

I find this is reflected in two ways - the first is that images can become stylised and often bland and secondly the 'rules' seem to be more important in image 'critiques' in some of the magazines / forums than the content of the image itself.

I find images attract me on different levels, some may be related to my other hobby - fishing, in which case I'll forgive pretty much anything (except trophy shots) for a clear shot of the fish itself - others because they are fantastic examples of b/w imagery (my favourite style), others because of their content and the story they convey and I can enjoy some which really challenge my understanding of the subject or technique.

Now some of these may 'appeal' me because they follow accepted practice, but, I guess the ones I enjoy most are those I can really get immersed in as they demand and keep my attention.

[nimitzbenedicto]

.....but just aim and crop to the Golden Ration.

Hi Steve,

Can you please say how we can apply "Golden Ration" to our images.

Still studying how to make good compositions.
I guess this may help newbies like me.

Thanks

[Henk33]

Composition rules are useful for starting photographers to help them. Getting more experience you don't apply rules direct.
I look through my viewfinder; when I think this is good, I press the button. Afterwards I see I applied often the rule of thirds, but sometimes certainly not. So follow your own feelings and learn by looking at other photographs, thinking "Why does this work?".

[drjuice]

Just an observation: I was struck by the exact symmetry of a particular scene (left vs right) and wanted to capture that symmetry. It even had a line exactly through the center vertically as I captured the picture. I even called the picture "Live Mirrors".

The three photographers who were judges in a local photo contest only returned one comment and that was they didn't like that I'd broken the rule of thirds (it was on all three of the judging sheets I received). So, I've decided that a picture that doesn't match up with "The Rules" doesn't get submitted to any photo contest any more. ;~(

I'm jes' sayin'....

virginia

[GrahamS]

The three photographers who were judges in a local photo contest only returned one comment and that was they didn't like that I'd broken the rule of thirds

virginia

There are those who can, and those who judge.......

[gregj1763]

I'd have to say that being part of this forum has helped me immensely with the composition of my images.
Foremost I try to think about what is the main focal point of my photograph and where I should position it in the image and I tend to lean towards using the rule of thirds most of the time.
I try not to have horizons dead centre of an image, giving either foreground or background prominence depending on what I am photographing, and space, for a subject to run, fly or look into.
It mightn't always work but at least I'm thinking about it

[drjuice]

Hi, Graham -

In general I agree with you, but two of the three judges are columnists for OP and PP. So, I hesitate to say they can't!

;~(

virginia

[Clactonian]

I'm another that believes that it is important to have an understanding of composition and I cannot recommend Michael Freeman's book 'The Photographer's Eye' too highly. His analysis of the many and various aspects of good composition including those basic rules (thirds etc.) are very ably illustrated and extremely helpful.
I have also found it very useful to browse those photographic fora (1x, 500px, etc.) exhibiting good quality images, to choose an image I like or that catches my eye, and then to try to reason why. It's surprising how many will obey one rule or another to some degree.