Rules of Composition

There are a few rules you will want to consider as you start thinking about photography and filmmaking as art. These rules apply not just to photos and movies but all types and genres of art. 

The Rule of Thirds

This rule is probably one of the most widely followed and important rules of good composition. 

This tic-tac-toe-like grid represents dividing an image into thirds both horizontally and vertically. As you compose your art, you should imagine each image with the above 3x3 grid on top of the image. Line your subject up so that the focus of your image (a person's eyes, an important detail, etc) is located on a spot where the lines intersect, which is where the green dots are located on this particular example. 

The following is an example of a photo that does not follow the rule of thirds:

Notice how unbalanced the image feels. There is so much empty space on one side, and so much filled in space on the other. You eyes might be drawn more to the empty space than to the adorable baby. If you wanted the focus to shift more towards the baby, you might line the shot up like this:

Now the baby is aligned with the left third, and the bear is aligned with the right third, giving the picture a more well-balanced feel to it. You aren't distracted by the open space, and the image feels more even and visually pleasing. 

Leading Lines

You must be conscious of every line and shape in your images. Each shape directs the eye of the viewer towards a particular part of the scene, and as an artist you should consider what you are telling the viewer to look at. Leading lines usually start at the bottom of the picture, and work upwards and inwards from there. For example, in the photo above, the baby's arm forms a curved line that leads up to the baby's face. The bear's nose also points towards the baby's face, directing the viewer's eyes towards the baby. The easiest and most obvious example of leading lines is a road or pathway, as seen below:

Notice how the path guides your eye into the image and to the trees, which in turn guide your eyes around the other parts of the image. Rivers, roads, logs, fences, lampposts in a row, and many other natural and man-made objects can be used as leading lines in your images. Compose your images so that the lines within them guide the viewer's eye around the image, rather than away from or outside of the image. 

Breathing Room

Breathing room in regards to visual images refers to the amount of space you give your subject to "breathe". If you place the subject of your image too close to an edge of the frame or cut off part of it, the subject will feel incomplete and claustrophobic. A properly spaced image, however, gives the subject room to exist and gives the viewer a more comfortable feeling.

There are three types of breathing room for you to consider within your images - head room, nose room, and lead room. They are, fortunately, exactly what they sound like. 

Head room refers to the amount of space between the top of the head of a person or object and the top of the frame. Too much headroom leaves the subject unbalanced and incomplete. Too little head room cuts off the top of the object or person.

The right amount of headroom creates proper balance within the image and allows the subject to "breathe".

Following the rule of thirds will help you find the right amount of head room - just line a person's eyes up with the top third line and you'll be good to go. 

Nose room is similar in idea to head room, but this time you are concerned with how much space the subject's nose has within the frame. In the following photo, the subject is lined up along one of the thirds, which is good, but he also looks like he is looking into a wall because he is so close to the side of the frame.

What happens if the picture is realigned to give his nose more room?

Now, the subject has room to look into. He doesn't appear to be cut off or looking into a wall. He has room to look into, which is more visually appealing to the viewer.

The final type of breathing room to consider is lead room. Lead room is almost exactly the same idea as nose room, but it has more to do with movement within the image. For example, consider trying to capture a picture of a person running:

The runner appears to be running into the "wall" of the side of the image. She has no where to run. If the shot is reframed so that the runner has space to run into, it becomes a more balanced image.

The runner now has a place to run into within the image. She doesn't seem cut off or like she is about to crash into a wall, and she has the proper amount of breathing room around her. 

These rules are, of course, not always followed. Skilled artists know when and where to break the rules of composition. However, they must know and be able to use the rules before they can experiment with breaking them. Following the rule of thirds, using leading lines, and giving the subject proper breathing room allows the viewer to fully experience the image and allows the artist to have control over where the focus of his or her image is found.