If you’ve just bought your first camera and want to get started taking decent looking photos quickly, the first thing you need to do is improve your composition.

Almost all modern cameras use very sophisticated metering techniques, so in 99% of situations you can rely on the camera to do the exposure correctly, so the part of photography you need to concentrate on first is composition. So, my advice is:

Keep it R.E.A.L.

Use the mnemonic R.E.A.L. to remember four of the more important composition techniques.

Rule of Thirds
Entire Frame
Angles
Leading Lines

1. Rule of Thirds

To use the Rule of Thirds for composition you have to imagine, superimposed over your frame, a noughts and crosses board:

Place the most important bits, the things you want people to see in your picture, where the lines of the grid meet or use the horizontal lines to place your horizons in landscape shots — never put your horizons in the center of the frame, always use the rule of thirds!:

For example:

2. Entire Frame

When taking pictures of people and animals, never put heads in the centre. This leaves a lot of empty, “negative” space and makes the picture look cluttered instead of showing an actual study of the subject:
Better:

Really Bad:

3. Angles

When you’re confident using the Rule-of-Thirds grid, try adding new angles. Strong diagonals lines, or bold geometrics create drama and tension.

4. Leading Lines

Strong lines that start at the foreground or from behind the photographer and keep going deep into the frame are known as Leading Lines. These lines quickly draw the viewer’s gaze straight to the heart of the photo or to interesting elements you want to emphasise.

Memorise and start to practice Keeping it R.E.A.L.– the basics of composition — and I guarantee you will quickly develop photography skills and take photos that will impress your viewers. It takes time, patience and practice, but that’s exactly why we love photography — to learn new skills and stretch our creativity.

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