Needing guidance on the fundamentals of photograph composition? Aching to upgrade your landscape photography skills but need help figuring out how to begin?
Don't despair—composing the perfect shot can be daunting, and mastering this art may take years. But you can rely on some basic techniques to enhance your landscape photography quickly. By following these simple composition guidelines, you will see a rapid improvement in your photos!
Ready to take your photography skills to the next level? Then let's jump in! Here are 12 simple rules of composition that you can easily apply. While these guidelines should be kept in mind, remember - sometimes it pays off to play around with them and even break them when necessary.
Remember that while most of these rules apply to the entirety of photography, a few are specific to landscape shooting alone. So, if you enjoy capturing photographs in other genres, bear this in mind!
Are you ready to level up your landscape photography with a few simple composition techniques? If so, let's begin this adventure!

The Rules of Composition in Photography

Whether you're a beginner or an expert, here are 12 composition rules every landscape photographer should keep in mind:

• The Rule of Thirds
• The Golden Ratio
• Leading Lines
• Aspect Ratio
• Foreground, middle ground, and Background
• Depth of Field: Depth vs. Isolation
• Perspective
• Simplification
• Visual Balance
• Framing
• Left to Right
• Break the Rules

1) The rule of thirds

The rule of thirds is a classic composition guideline that all photographers should understand and remember for their images.

Strategically place the focal points of your photos roughly one-third of the way into the picture frame for a powerful impact.

By doing this, you'll be left with captivating and stunning photography.

The rule of thirds is widely popular, as it can produce stunning photographs. If you place your primary focus and other significant aspects within the frame a third, it should reward you with an aesthetically appealing image.

Get familiar with the rule of thirds, which includes a straightforward set of gridlines to help guide you when shooting in the wild.

Believe it or not, most cameras offer a rule of thirds overlay in your viewfinder, which means you can apply the composition technique any time without remembering the rules! How convenient is that?

Regarding landscape photography, the rule of thirds is a fantastic starting point for composition. Identify critical elements in your environment, like mountains, trees, rivers, or horizon lines, and place them along an imaginary grid that divides your scene into three parts, vertically and horizontally.

To make the most of your composition, strive to position elements by the rule of thirds. The horizon could be placed along the third bottom gridline while a tree is featured on either side.

The outcome will be nothing short of incredible.

2) The Golden Ratio

The Golden Ratio, found in nature frequently, relates to a specific ratio. The famous 'Golden Ratio' or Phi, the Greek letter represented by 1.618.

It is so curious that the Golden Ratio appears in nature often; it's almost eerie!

How can this be applied to photography?

By following these two easy steps.

The Golden Ratio can create a visually beautiful spiral known as the Golden Spiral.

By placing your principal element in the center of a spiral and allowing lines to fan outward, you can create an extraordinary, eye-catching, and impactful composition.

The Golden Ratio can be used to create an attractive phi grid.

You might be thinking:

Is that not the rule of third grid?

Not quite.

The rule of thirds grid divides the frame into nine equal sections, while the Phi Grid focuses on clustering the gridlines in and around a central focal point for an intriguing result.

Photographers often argue that the Phi Grid is superior to the rule of thirds, so it's up to your which perspective resonates. Alternatively, you can also perceive both as versatile composition tools in your toolbox; each provides excellent flexibility depending on your situation.

Read also: https://thecompellingimage.com/blog/how-to-become-a-travel-photographer

3) Leading Lines

Classic landscape photography often incorporates leading lines for a remarkable effect.

Diagonals are an uncomplicated composition instrument that can be seen in numerous award-winning landscape shots, emphasizing the great potential they possess.

To be precise, leading lines are visual cues that draw the eye throughout the frame. Typically, they encourage viewers to journey through your photo, guiding their focus toward its center of interest.

Take, for example, a river in the foreground that guides your gaze through the frame and ultimately to a mountain far behind. In this case, it serves as a compelling leading line.

But you can use more than the traditional leading lines look. You can also use side-starting or corner-starting horizontal and diagonal lines for a more creative take on this photo composition technique!

To employ leading lines in your landscape pictures, seek out any items that could pique the viewer's interest and direct them forward. The objects should be arranged to form a line!

Subsequently, arrange them in your composition to draw attention toward the main subject!

4) Aspect Ratio

When it comes to images, the aspect ratio determines the width and height of your visual content about each other.

Initially, your camera's sensor will determine the aspect ratio of an image–though you can always modify it afterward during post-processing.

You may be wondering:

What makes aspect ratio so critical to composition?

The aspect ratio is an essential element to consider when creating landscape compositions. Through a wider aspect ratio (e.g., 16:9), you can emphasize the vastness of a scene, while square proportions will keep your image tightly packed and balanced in appearance.

In other words:

Your aspect ratio is critical in how your visual composition creates an entire image.

Therefore, select your aspect ratio cautiously! A boxy-shaped aspect ratio may appear too confined, while an overly stretched aspect ratio could be overwhelming.

5) Layering: Foreground, middle ground, and Background

Layering is a frequently utilized style of landscape photography that entails strategically placing essential elements in the photograph at various points throughout it.

Strategically place at least one critical element in the foreground of your composition.

Strategically place an essential element in the middle ground to maximize impact.

Strategically place one primary element in the backdrop to create a powerful visual impact.

Employing this layering technique in your composition can create a rich and dynamic scene, making it an invaluable approach to producing effective visuals. Even if you cannot implement three distinct layers into the foreground, middle ground, and Background, simply using a two-part layer will also bring depth.

​​​​​​​6) Depth of Field: Depth vs. Isolation

Depth of field determines the area of a photograph that is in sharp focus.

Thus, pictures with a shallow depth of field have only an area that is in focus.

Photos with deep depth of field possess a greater degree of sharpness throughout the frame.

Consider both possibilities when selecting an approach that will create the best compositions. Questions you might ask yourself:

Yearning to give your scene a feeling of depth? If so, you'll likely want to experiment with a deep depth of field. This will ensure that everything stays focused and keep the viewer's eyes moving through the scenery.

If you're looking to put your main subject in the limelight, then a shallow depth of field is what you need. By blurring the Background and focusing on the primary part of your picture, this strategy will help ensure that everything is within what matters.

Read also: https://thecompellingimage.com/blog/Low-Light-Photography-Tip

​​​​​​​7) Perspective

When compared to each other, perspective reveals the size, shape, and position of objects in a scene.

Shifting the viewpoint can transform the entire scene, making it look deeply immersive or utterly two-dimensional.

How do you do this?

If you want to capture the unique relationships between objects and create captivating perspectives, getting down low and moving up high can provide that outcome.

For example, shots taken from on high often result in distinct and isolated objects which convey a feeling of flatness.

Capturing a scene while lying on the ground provides an incredible 3D effect, achieved by overlapping elements that create an illusion of depth.

​​​​​​​8) Simplification

Utilizing simplicity in landscape photography is a powerful way to create compelling compositions.

It is also remarkably effortless to put in place.

 Whenever you create your masterpiece, always ask yourself:

Does each element in this scene make a meaningful contribution? Is every detail necessary to create the desired effect?

If the answer is "No," it's time to pare down and eliminate all unnecessary elements. Achieving a composition that simplifies your photos may require you to eliminate distractions around its borders, reduce distracting colors, or more! The goal is to erase everything that doesn't need to be there, so only what matters remains.

To simplify your scene, choose one or two areas of interest that will draw the viewer's eye. Eliminating distractions and focusing on those elements can create a more captivating image.

​​​​​​​9) Visual Balance

A fundamental principle of composition is the notion of visual balance. Grasping this concept can guide your creative decisions and produce more visually successful artwork.

To create a balanced composition, ensure that each half of your photograph holds equal weight.

If you have a substantial rock on the right side of your photograph, consider adding several minuscule stones to the left portion of it for visual balance.

Despite the complexity of this concept, balance can be understood through instinctive intuition. Consider your composition elements as if they had a certain weight and adjust accordingly.

And see how they balance each other out!

That way, you can get consistently balanced compositions, which you want.

10) Framing

Thinking outside the box, framing is an excellent way to draw attention to your main subject and create a powerful composition–it may not be widely used, but it packs a punch!

Once you've identified the part of your picture that stands out, you have pinpointed your subject. From there, it's time to get creative and bring focus to this area with a unique angle or composition.

Now, look around you to discover something that can be used as a frame for your subject. This could include anything from tree branches, leaves, and even windows-- the possibilities are endless!

Lastly, strategically place the frame around your intended focus.

With the frame, your audience's attention will be naturally drawn to the center of it - where your subject lies. This ensures that all eyes are on what matters most!

Nice, right?

​​​​​​​11) Left to Right

Across the globe, most cultures possess the same shared tradition: reading from left to right.

Yet this continues further.

A lifetime of reading from left to right has been instilled in you, yet if you look closer.

Additionally, you can observe things from left to right.

When you initially observe a photograph, the natural inclination is to begin at the left and scan rightward.

What makes this so important?

By forming this habit, you can decipher your viewer's desires and guide them to their desired outcome.

Here's what you do:

Whenever there's an activity in your frame, aim to arrange it so that movement is directed from left to right.

Leverage the current of your river and let it guide you from left to right.

For the best impact, if you have a running animal in your work of art, be sure to depict it traveling from left to right.

With this technique, your photo will look and feel much more natural!

An essential approach to maintaining a balanced composition is providing space in your image for the subject to take up.

​​​​​​​12) Break the Rules

If you're a rookie in composition, here's what to do next:

Get started with the rule of thirds and make it a part of you. Commit to memory, practice actively - set yourself up for success!

Subsequently, try experimenting with the Golden Ratio and layering leading lines to increase your visuals' impact.

When you can trust your expertise in various compositional techniques. 

Begin to break the rules.

Indeed, although compositional rules serve as valuable assistance, they are ultimately just recommendations.

Flout the compositional rules and create images that stand out from the crowd!

 

Rules of Composition | Conclusion

Constructing gorgeous compositions might seem intimidating, but after you commit these practical rules of composition to memory, your artistic potential will be unleashed!

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and begin honing your skills. You never know; some spectacular melodies could be just around the corner.