Composing Landscapes
Here are some well proven techniques often employed by experienced landscape photographers which helps to make photographs stand out and much more interesting to the eye. Many of these age old techniques were first used by artists to create strong and interesting compositions with balance and coherence. If you are a beginner then these simple techniques can improve your photography immensely and they are well worth learning
Focal Point
The Focal Point is the main subject of interest in a photograph.
Sometimes the focal point of an image is very obvious such as a hill, large tree or group of buildings.
Usually a strong focal point is placed on one of the intersections of the rule of thirds.
Sometimes the focal point is not obvious. It might be a spot of light or a block of colour for example.
Skyscapes
In skyscapes it is the sky which is the main area of interest and dramatic skies make great images. In the two skyscapes below most of the frame is devoted to the sky area but the land is also interesting in both cases because there are strong lead-in lines inviting the viewer into the scene
Landscapes
With landscapes it is the land which is the centre of attention and most of the frame is given to the land with the sky playing a supporting role.
Panoramas
Panoramic format is very popular with some landscape photographers because the format is ideal for capturing large expanses of land or water. With panoramic format the rule of thirds still applies (as it does to all formats) and the ratio of the length to the height is arbitrary and depends on the subject matter. In the seascape below the scene is divided into three horizontal bands where each is devoted to land, sea and sky respectively. You can easily create these types of images in your image editor by cropping out unwanted space from the top and bottom parts of the image
Lead in Lines
Lead-in lines are a technique commonly used to make images more interesting and they lead the viewer into and around the scene. The lines can be either straight or curved and they usually start near the bottom of the image. In the absence of suitable foreground objects a lead in line can be employed instead to add foreground interest
Open and Closed Compositions
In an open composition there is a sense of space and it is clear that the subject of interest is part of a greater whole. In the image of the pebble, there is the pebble, water and light which suggests something much larger outside out view but there is plenty in the image to keep the viewer interested. The image on the right has a closed composition which completely isolates the piece of seaweed. The seaweed makes interesting shapes and it's bright highly saturated green really stands out in contrast to the flat colour of the pattern of sand. With closed compositions you bring intimacy and a level of abstraction to your compositions
Frames
Sometimes there are opportunities to frame the subject you are photographing and frames can be natural, such as an overhanging tree, or they can be man made objects as in the cases below
Reflections
Reflections often throw up many opportunities to create striking images and they can be used to mirror a subject or if they are interesting enough they may form the main part of the composition. Reflections also lend themselves well to the impressionistic and abstract styles of photography for those who like to experiment with their creative and artistic talents. Learn to study reflections and notice how they are affected by the light and according to the weather. When there is no wind in the air places where there is water may hold some interesting photo opportunities and could be worth visiting
Symmetry
In the image below of the hill the hedgerow acts as a nice leadin line which takes the eye into and across the frame. The hill acts as a diagonal dividing line which splits the composition in two while the hole in the cloud mirrors the large tree in the foreground. In the image of the horses there is an obvious
symmetry between the two horses and even though the symmetry is right in the centre of the picture there are is a lot more going on in this composition. The gate acts as a stopper preventing the eye moving off the left edge of the frame and when the eye follow the horse on the right the eye is led down to the foal on the ground and back round again. The curves formed by the track in the background and the horse on the left form a pleasing s-shaped curve
Breaking the Rules
It is usually considered form to place a dividing line across the centre of an image but rules are made to be broken. In the bottom half of the image below the horizontal lines formed by the logs contrasts with the vertical lines of the tall trees in the background. The composition is balanced and there is an obvious link between the subject matter in both halves of the image
Concentration
Settle into your subject and relax while looking for interesting compositions.
Make the light work for you and make sure your shots correctly exposed.
Getting Adventurous
Do not keep taking the same shot over and over again.
Try out different angles and viewpoints.
If the photograph is well exposed and in focus then move on to the next idea.
Learn about how extreme exposure compensation can be used creatively:
Slow shutter speeds can make flowing water look like smoke.
Panning with fast shutter speeds can freeze a racing car while blurring the background.
Small apertures eg f/22 can make a whole landscape pin sharp from front to back.
Large apertures can blur out the background when photographing flowers and people.