Common Beginner Composition Mistakes in Photography and How to Fix Them: A Guide to Improve Your Shots
You’ve started with photography, know the camera fundamentals, but sometimes your photos just don’t turn out as expected, and reality looks always more exciting than what your photo captures? There are tons of reasons, as there are tons of different things that can go wrong’ when it comes to photography. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. In this guide, we’ll focus on common composition issues and how to fix them!
I would like to make an important note though before we get started: Everything is allowed in photography! If you find a picture visually appealing, it does not matter if it followed a specific ‘rule’! These are just guidelines to get started. In my view, no rule is fixed in photography, and oftentimes, photography lives from breaking with rules and the ordinary. So, this article is more about how to make photos look less ordinary and appear more interesting (that wouldn’t have made a good title though).
Having said that, let’s finally dive in — shall we?
Contents
Symmetry
Patterns & Uniformity
Macro & Close-Up Photography
Leading Lines
1..Centered Subject
What is your subject? This is the primary question you need to ask yourself first, as it guides your decision on where to position it within the frame. One of the most common mistakes beginners make is always placing their subject in the center. But is the center truly where the subject shines the brightest? The answer is: No — At least not in many cases (Please find exceptions in Section 4). Many times, nothing appears more boring than a centered subject.
If you have a main subject that you want to draw the attention to, then adhering to the rule of thirds or the golden ratio could enhance your composition.
Let’s delve into what these guidelines entail!
Golden Ratio
Ever since the era of ancient Greece, the Golden Ratio has been studied — first by mathematicians for its frequent appearance in geometry. The Golden Ratio, denoted as the Greek letter Phi (φ), is a mathematical concept that is found by dividing a line into two parts so that the longer part divided by the smaller part is equal to the whole length divided by the longer part. In arts, such as paintings or photography, it has widely been believed to be aesthetically pleasing if works are composed based on the ratio. Well-known painters of the 20th century such as Le Corbusier and Salvador Dalí intentionally used the ratio for their creations.
Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds divides your picture into nine equally large zones by imagining a grid of horizontal and vertical lines above your picture (think of an Excel sheet or a table with nine boxes, three rows, and three columns). It is commonly perceived as more compelling if the subject is placed at one of the intersection points in the left or right corner, instead of the center. This results in a similar composition to the golden ratio and is sometimes more easily incorporated, as most cameras have a function to display this grid on the camera screen. This way, you can see the intersecting lines and you don’t need to estimate.
Example
Sunrise in Joshua Tree National Park
Both pictures depict the same sunrise, captured in the same photo but cropped differently to illustrate the impact of composition. In the first picture, the key elements—the sky and the rock formation in the background—are centered. Despite the stunning sunrise, I find that this version is lacking something.
In contrast, the second photo positions the sky and rock formation towards the intersecting lines of the rule of thirds and golden ratio, creating a much more dynamic composition. Additionally, there is a prominent boulder in the foreground, serving as another design element to enhance the overall visual appeal read more about this in the next section).
What if you didn’t get it perfect when capturing the photo?
>> Edit the Photo Later
If you haven't zoomed in too closely, you can adjust the ratios later, as most popular editing programs allow you to overlay various grids on your photo, such as the golden ratio or the rule of thirds.
>> Don’t take it too seriously!
I will reiterate this point throughout this article, but it's important not to take any of these so-called 'rules' too seriously. As you can see when comparing the composition with the rule of thirds or golden ratio of the same picture above, the differences are not extremely large. What you find aesthetically pleasing may be highly dependent on your personal preferences. So, there is no need to perfectly align your subject with these intersecting lines. Approximation is usually good enough! They are all just guidelines, and there are many exceptions that make ignoring these guidelines totally fine or even beneficial.
2. No Foreground
When encountering an awe-inspiring view or stunning landscape, it's tempting to believe that simply capturing the scene is enough to create an exciting photo. And don't get me wrong—it might be! There's nothing inherently wrong with snapshots that freeze a moment in time. However, you might find yourself disappointed with a 'boring' photo that fails to convey the true beauty and inspiration of reality.
The challenge lies in the fact that while humans perceive our environment in 360 degrees and can shift our focus between the grand scene and the smaller details, a camera must capture only a slice of that, focusing on a specific part of the scene. If you fail to highlight anything specific because you consider the entire scene to be the highlight, you may quickly question why you took the picture in the first place.
One solution to this is often to include an interesting object in the foreground, adding depth and visual interest to the entire scene.
Examples
Sunset at the Marshall’s Beach in San Francisco
The first picture shows a stunning sunset, yet it seems somewhat unexciting and lacking in impact. In the second picture, I opted for a slightly different perspective, but what truly sets it apart and makes it much more engaging is the addition of foreground elements, such as the large rocks and kelp.
Mori Point in Pacifica
While the Pacific Ocean is always beautiful, the upper picture still appears a tad uninteresting. The lower picture, with the flowers in the foreground, is much more appealing and eye-catching. By blurring the ocean and the headlands, yet still keeping them present in the picture, it creates a more engaging composition.
3. Background Clutter
Often, simplicity is key in photography. When you want to focus on a subject but there's a lot happening in the background, it can be very distracting from the main subject.
The solution depends on the situation:
If the distractions are farther away from the subject, an easy fix is to widen the aperture (i.e., using a small f-value), which blurs the background and puts more emphasis on the subject you want to capture (see the first picture pairs below).
If numerous objects surround the subject at close proximity, or if there's significant activity around it, consider altering your perspective or vantage point and further blurring the background (as illustrated in the second picture pairs below).
Example
Spring Flowers in Mount Diablo State Park
In the two pictures below, my aim was to capture the foreground flowers. In the second photo, I adjusted the aperture to its minimum, enhancing the background blur and placing greater emphasis on the flowers. This adjustment also produced a more pronounced Bokeh effect with white circles in the background. To delve deeper into such effects, click here.
4. Beyond The Rules
Wait, what? Did I elaborate on all these rules (read: guidelines), and now I tell you to just forget about them? Well, yes and no. As always in life: it depends. There are numerous situations where you may want to ignore the guidelines that I explained above. I’ll touch upon a few more commonly occurring ones below.
1..Symmetry
If the scene to be captured has an eye-catching symmetrical component, the symmetry of the subject already lets it shine. In the picture below, for example, it is totally fine to let the bird be in the center with no foreground. Often, simplicity is all you need!
A sandpiper catches a snack at the shoreline.
2. Patterns & Uniformity
What is the subject in the photo below? I would argue that the subject is the pattern of flowers—the uniformity of their arrangement. This uniformity or pattern can be the key to a stunning photo. You needn’t concern yourself with the rule of thirds, foregrounds, backgrounds, or distractions when the subject is truly a pattern that fills the entire frame.
Thousands of poppies bloom at Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve in Spring 2023 in California.
3. Macro & Close-up Photography
If you aim to highlight your subject, revealing intricate details and presenting it in a larger-than-life manner, then there’s no need to consider any compositional rules or foreground elements. You simply emphasize your subject through scale.
A cactus wren sits on top of a Joshua tree.
A kitten sits on a yellow picnic bench.
4. Leading Lines
Which composition do you prefer, the first or the second picture? Honestly, it's very hard for me to decide personally! I like both versions a lot. Both are simple and highlight the coyote effectively.
The second picture positions the coyote approximately according to the golden ratio, yet the centered version is comparably attractive IMHO! Why is that? The key in this photo is the leading line—the grassy hill that creates a diagonal across the photo and draws the observer to this element.
5. Summary
Take all these guidelines (even if called a rule) for what they are — guidelines. See them as tools rather than rigid constraints. They are extremely helpful to keep in mind, but most importantly: Experiment with them, break them when you feel it’s best, and learn by doing. A feel for what works and what doesn’t comes with trial and error — i.e., experience.
Here is some very general advice that is helpful for any subject. To determine which guideline is useful in a given situation, consider these three questions:
What is the subject of the photo?
This could be anything from an individual object to an entire landscape or even a pattern.
Are there any special elements in the scene, such as symmetry or obvious leading lines?
These elements may influence how you want to capture your subject.
How do I make the subject stand out and be visually appealing?
Remember, there’s always more than one way! However, it is important not to let the subject become too small.
If you are interested in diving deeper into creative photography effects, check out my article here.
I’d Love to Hear from You
Were these guidelines helpful for you? Do you have any composition advice you would like to add?
Share your thoughts and experience in the comments below!
