Composition styles
Written by: Nate Torres
Last updated: July 30, 2024
Transform your photography vision and master composition styles...
What are composition styles?
Composition styles in photography refer to the various techniques you can use to arrange the elements in your frame to make them more aesthetically pleasing and engaging.
These styles play a crucial role in both an aesthetic and creative sense while influencing the impact of your image on your viewers.
Here are some critical elements to know that relate to the different composition styles.
Aesthetic photography
Aesthetic photography is a style that focuses on creating visually pleasing images.
Composition and mood play a crucial role in aesthetic photography.
Creative photography
Creative photography is a style that leverages composition to innovate and express your ideas uniquely.
Creative photography often involves the use of unconventional angles, novel juxtaposition, and a creative use of light and shadow.
Using emphasis
Emphasis in photography involves drawing your viewer's attention to a particular point within your photography.
This is often achieved through certain techniques such as selective focus, contrasting colors, or certain composition techniques.
Using geometry
Geometry in photography invovles using geometric shapes and lines to organize the elements in your frame.
Using shapes such as triangles, circles, and repeating patterns helps create a sense of harmony and balance in your image.
Punctum
Punctum refers to an element in your photo that catches the viewer's eye, evoking a personal response or emotion.
Compositionally, punctum can be planned or can occur spontaneously.
Landscape vs. portrait
Landscape vs. portrait refers to the orientation of your image.
Each orientation lends itself to a different compositional style and can dramatically affect the impact and narrative of your photo.