Digital_Camera_World_Issue_192_July_2017

Cover Story
ismel leal pichs / Shutterstock
F
When you’re struck by an
amazing view, pause before
pressing the shutter and
remember that a great view doesn’t
necessarily make a great photograph.
Scan the scene for a key point of
interest, and consider the best way to
position it. There are a number of tried
and trusted composition theories
designed to give well-balanced shots:
applying one of these will add impact.
The rule of thirds is the best-known
guide: it dates back 2,500 years, so you
can trust it! To use it, draw an imaginary
is for Focal point
noughts-and-crosses grid over your
scene, and you’ll have four points where
the lines intersect. These are the
power-points of composition, and
placing your focal point on one of
these will give a balanced frame.
There are other composition tricks
on hand too. Look for foreground
interest such as a rock; try a framing
device such as the branch of a tree or a
doorway; or use leading lines to draw
the viewer’s eye through the image. You
can see the use of leading lines in this
striking desert composition.