Mastering composition, light, and perspective can elevate your photography in ways that gear alone can’t. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your skills, understanding these elements makes a difference.
Coming to you from Serge Ramelli Photography, this engaging video breaks down 15 practical tips to improve your photography. It starts with the Rule of Thirds—dividing your frame into a grid to place key subjects off-center for a more balanced composition. Next, leading lines help guide the viewer’s eye through an image, adding depth and a sense of movement. A great example is using an S-curve in a Paris street scene to create a natural flow. Foreground elements play a crucial role as well, making images more immersive. Rather than just capturing a famous landmark, framing it with nearby objects—like statues or arches—adds context and visual interest.
Shooting during the golden hour—just after sunrise or before sunset—produces warm, flattering tones. The blue hour, just before complete darkness, creates a dramatic contrast between artificial lights and the fading sky. Ramelli shows how the same location can look vastly different depending on the time of day. By comparing midday shots to golden hour images, it becomes clear why timing is everything. High vantage points also offer fresh perspectives, turning familiar cityscapes into dynamic compositions. Researching locations on Instagram or Google can help you find unique viewpoints that others might overlook.
Another major takeaway is learning to isolate subjects. Cluttered backgrounds distract from the main focus, so simplifying the frame makes a stronger impact. Ramelli demonstrates this with a shot of the Moulin Rouge, repositioning himself to remove unwanted elements like trash cans and fences. He also explores the power of long exposures, using ND filters to smooth out moving water and create soft, streaked clouds. Negative space is another underrated trick—leaving empty areas around a subject can emphasize it even more. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Ramelli.
