Putting it all together - improving composition

Rotary Beach in Kelowna, British Columbia

What makes one shot better than another?  Assuming that the elements of any two shots are the same, what is it about one that makes it stand apart from the other?  The answer has to do with composition.

I took this photo two days ago while my family and I were visiting one of the many beaches found here in Kelowna.  I took many shots, but this one was the best of the lot.  What is it about the photo that makes it any better than the other ones I took?  The image below gives you an idea.

Same photo as above but with compositional awareness points.
If you search through my many blogs (over 600 now), you will find a number of them deal with composition.  One of the greatest tools for producing attractive photos is using the rule of thirds.  Other important ones include using lines as pointers and guides, putting people in your shot, and the placement of both foreground and background elements that lead to a simple storyline.  All of these components are present in the above image and help to build its allure.

In addition to everything is the good colour and contrast present in the shot as well as shooting with my back to the sun.  It was still early enough in the day that lighting was good and that people hadn't hidden themselves away from the heat of the sun.  The people are not identifiable as specific individuals while at the same time being large enough to allow you to determine what they are doing.  If you look closely, you can see a little boy climbing the tree.

Photography is about using light to capture a moment and show the relationship of components within the image.  It is always a good idea to take time to play with your position and camera settings in order to obtain good images.  Some will always be better than others.  Think about why you like one above another and you will start to understand the process of producing attractive compositions in a better way.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com


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