The relationship photographers have with composition is a complicated one. There’s much more to it than many people imagine, and it isn’t entirely subjective.
Some time ago, someone told me that they don’t like the rule of thirds. That somewhat took me aback. I never discovered the basis for his aversion, but there are more rational things to dislike than the 2:1 ratio.
If you don’t know the rule of thirds, at its simplest, it’s imagining the photo split into a simple nine-square grid with a horizon sitting on one of the horizontal lines, and a point or points of interest located where the verticals cross the horizontals.
However, like all rules in photography, they should not be adhered to with zeal. Extreme dogmatic adherence to a set of strict rules is never a good thing, although in photography, it probably brings less suffering than in other areas of life. But I call it the “as a rule of thirds” because “as a rule” implies that there are exceptions.
It's not the only layout available to use, but the rule of thirds works because it ticks a box in our brain that we (or most of us) like. That's because we have a natural tendency to process information in patterns; the number three is the minimum number of items needed to create a pattern.
Moreover, the 2:1 ratio approximates the Golden Section, a mathematical concept favored by nature and, consequently, by artists. If you open the crop tool in many editing tools and hit the letter "O" on your keyboard, it will bring up various overlays, including the rule of thirds. One of the other overlays is a spiral. Ctrl (or Command on a Mac) + O will rotate this around the screen, and you can use it to help crop your image to what might be an appealing composition.
The human eye also likes symmetry. This could be vertical, horizontal, or rotational. We can also be captivated by compositions that take us by surprise.
12 Principles of Design
Composition is closely related to design. The same things that architects, product developers, graphic designers, and artists use make a photo's layout work. Back in the mid-1970s, a cognitive scientist named Herbert A. Simon started to apply science to the concept of design, and he came up with twelve principles of design that are seen to hold today.
I'll emphasize this again because it's important. These “as-a-rules” have leeway. They are not intended as a painting-by-numbers means of achieving a perfectly composed photo. However, awareness of them, and studying how they have been applied in photos, can help us to consciously or subconsciously create better photos. We can also deliberately shun them to create disharmony.
1. Balance
Balance ensures visual stability through the distribution of elements. Balance comes in many forms. For example, we usually expect images to be bottom-heavy. We expect the sky in a landscape to be brighter than the foreground, and it feels odd if it is the other way around. Similarly, a heavy object to the left of the center needs balancing with elements of equal weight on the other side.
2. Emphasis
This is about visual weight. We highlight the most important parts of the image to draw the viewer's attention. There is a hierarchy of visual weight, from heaviest to lightest, and we arrange elements to show their order of importance.
- Size: Larger elements have more visual weight.
- Color: Bright, saturated colors carry more weight than muted tones.
- Contrast: High-contrast areas attract more attention than low-contrast areas.
- Position: Elements placed near the center or top of a composition are perceived as heavier because we see them as working against gravity.
- Texture: Detailed elements appear heavier than smooth ones.
- Shape: Irregular or complex shapes have more visual weight than simple, geometric shapes.
- Isolation: An isolated element stands out more, thus carrying more visual weight.
- Depth: Foreground elements have more visual weight than background elements.
- Direction: Elements that guide the viewer's eye (lead-in and leading lines) carry more weight.
However, I believe that in photography, something surpasses all these: the face.
3. Movement
Movement isn’t about showing moving subjects in a picture but creating the illusion of motion by guiding the viewer's eye around the image.
4. Variety
Including different elements to create visual interest and avoid monotony.
5. Unity
Making sure all parts of the picture work together harmoniously.
6. Contrast
Contrast is using differences in elements like color, shape, and texture to create visual interest. Johannes Itten ran the Basic course for Bauhaus in the 1930s. He identified seven key contrasts in his color theory, which are foundational for understanding color dynamics in art.
- Contrast of Saturation: The difference between vivid and muted colors.
- Light-Dark Contrast: The juxtaposition of light and dark hues to create visual interest.
- Complementary Contrast: The use of colors opposite each other on the color wheel, like orange and blue, but also using analogous colors that produce a more calming effect.
- Contrast of Hue: The contrast between different hues.
- Warm-Cold Contrast: The impact of warm colors (reds, oranges) against cool colors (blues, greens).
- Simultaneous Contrast: The effect that colors have on each other when placed side by side, such as a red square appearing more intense on a green background.
- Contrast of Proportion: The visual impact of different amounts of color within a composition.
7. Hierarchy
Arranging elements to show their order of importance.
8. Proportion
The relationship in size between different parts of an image.
9. White Space (or Negative Space)
The use of space around elements gives the subject room to breathe.
The final three are closely related but subtly different.
10. Repetition
Using repeating elements to create consistency and unity.
11. Rhythm 
Creating a visual tempo or beat through repeated elements.
12. Pattern
Repeated designs or sequences of elements.
Bringing It All Together
There is a lot to take in, and it is only just scraping the surface of what there is to learn about what I call the “as-a-rules” of composition.
Of course, when we head out with our cameras, we rarely consider these factors. Instead, we press a viewfinder to our eyes and think, "That looks good." However, awareness of what goes into a composition helps us analyze the photos and discover why a photo did or didn’t work. Moreover, by deliberately practicing each of the principles, we can build a portfolio of skills, bolstering our ability to compose better photos.
Composition is both objective and subjective. Those principles are guidelines. They can help make our images more compelling, but there are no absolute rights or wrongs. What fires your oven might not be the same heat that bakes someone else’s cookie.
Are there aspects of composition that you are drawn to? Are there reasons why others turn you off? It would be great to hear your thoughts in the comments.
