Composition can make or break your landscape photography. Knowing how to direct attention, shape the viewer’s experience, and keep an image balanced transforms average photos into compelling ones.
Coming to you from William Patino, this practical video tackles common compositional mistakes by introducing a straightforward four-step approach called SLAB. Patino starts by emphasizing the importance of clearly defining your subject to prevent clutter and confusion. He moves on to discuss how guiding the viewer's eye with strategic use of darkness and light or diminishing perspective enhances depth. Importantly, Patino points out why relying too heavily on traditional "leading lines" isn't always effective. His advice encourages you to adopt techniques that create a more natural flow and keep attention locked onto the intended focal point.
The video then highlights avoiding distractions—a step many often overlook. Patino insists you should carefully scan the corners of your composition, spotting disruptive elements that might inadvertently divert attention. He illustrates why preemptively removing these distractions in the field yields better results than relying solely on post-processing edits. The discussion continues with the final component: balance. Rather than advocating rigid rules like the rule of thirds, Patino demonstrates how to balance compositions by strategically positioning visual elements opposite each other within the frame. Understanding these principles can drastically elevate your photography, helping you achieve more dynamic, three-dimensional images.
Beyond the SLAB framework, Patino shares personal insights gained from years of practice and teaching. Interestingly, he reveals observations from his workshops about how some photographers naturally see compositions, while others need specific techniques and guidance. This perspective reinforces the idea that composition skills are teachable—it's not solely intuitive talent. Patino's advice on effectively utilizing different lenses, particularly wide-angle lenses to emphasize perspective, provides practical tools you can immediately implement. He also offers valuable context by analyzing various images from his recent portfolio update, explaining how each demonstrates elements of the SLAB method. Hearing his honest reflections on early mistakes and specific strategies for improvement adds credibility and usefulness to his recommendations.
To further develop your eye for composition, Patino encourages regularly studying other photographers' work. His practical suggestion of deeply engaging with images repeatedly rather than casually scrolling can significantly impact your subconscious photographic intuition. This approach helps internalize compositional patterns and principles, enhancing your ability to instinctively identify strong compositions when out in the field. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Patino.
And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, "Photographing the World: Japan II - Discovering Hidden Gems with Elia Locardi!”
