7 Fundamentals of Composition All Photographers and Filmmakers Should Master

Understanding framing and composition is one of the crucial areas that photographers and filmmakers need to know about. Make sure you have these seven fundamentals mastered before your next shoot.

It doesn't matter what type of photography you do; how you frame and compose your shots will be the difference between success or failure in your work. Having a good grasp of what works in the frame is something you need to learn and get to grips with if you want to make strong images. There really is no shortcut to this, as it's something that can't be fixed in post-production easily. Thankfully for us, the fundamental concepts of composition and framing have been distilled down to seven key areas by the team over at B&H and are well worth a look.

The video covers the likes of leading lines, balancing objects, symmetry, depth of field, distracting elements, creative framing, and the rule of thirds. All these concepts are explained well and include visual examples of how to use them. I like the example of framing within a frame, as it's a great way to draw the viewer's eyes to where you want them to go. While this video is geared more towards filmmakers, the ideas in it are just as valuable for us photographers. By adding these composition fundamentals to your arsenal, you'll find that your images are stronger and more pleasing on the eye as a result.

Do you follow these composition rules already? Think any ideas were missed off the list? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.  

Paul Parker's picture

Paul Parker is a commercial and fine art photographer. On the rare occasion he's not doing photography he loves being outdoors, people watching, and writing awkward "About Me" statements on websites...

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