Easy tricks for better composition.

Discover how to capture eye-catching shots in any genre.

Composition is one of the most basic skills of photography, and yet it is often the secret to turning a good shot into a great one. It refers to what you choose to include in your photo and how you position it within the frame. A visually pleasing composition should typically be simple and engaging, showing off your subject in the best way possible. There are a few tried-and-tested rules that you can use to help you decide what to include and where to place it.

Although we call them rules, they are actually more like guidelines, as the way you frame your shots is ultimately a matter of personal opinion. However, these rules come in useful as a great starting point for when you get stuck and can also help to inspire you when you’re looking for something to shoot. Then if you decide to bend or break them, you can follow your own artistic instinct to decide what you think is best for the shot.

Unlike modes and settings, composition is a technique that can be applied no matter what camera you are using, whether it’s a DSLR or even a cameraphone. It can also be used with any photography genre, as many of the rules we will show you over the next few pages can be applied when shooting anything from landscapes to action. If you don’t get it quite right in-camera, we’ll also show you how to recompose your image using editing software.