Composition – Balance, framing and avoiding mergers

Reminder – what is composition?

Composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements in a work of art, or in this case, a photograph.

What are the “rules” of composition?

Simplicity
Rule of thirds
Lines
Balance
Framing
Avoiding mergers

Balance

Balance is a technique used to ensure the objects within a photograph are of equal visual weight. Unbalanced photographs are less appealing. When using the rule of thirds, part of your photograph may appear empty, so you may wish to include other elements to fill this empty space.

Framing

Framing is a technique used to draw the viewers attention to the subject of the photograph, blocking other elements. This is useful for giving the image context, a sense of depth and layers, as well as leading the eye towards the main focal point and intriguing your viewer.

Avoiding mergers

Mergers are created when key parts of the main subjects overlap each other, tough another element or touch the sides of the frame. For example, a tree appearing to be growing out of someones head. If you notice a merger in your photography, simply more right or left, or take your image from a higher or lower angle.

Here are some examples of these rules in effect.