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The way you compose your photos will determine how much impact they will have on their viewers. The following techniques and tips can help you maximize the visual impact of your digital photographs.

Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds, or the Golden Grid, was used by ancient Greek painters. According to the rule, divide your viewfinder into thirds both horizontally and vertically. If your subject is static, place it on one of the intersecting points. If your subject is horizontal, then place it on a horizontal line. Place vertical subjects on a vertical line. If you incorporate just this rule into your digital photos, your photography will greatly improve.

Other factors creating impact on your images include: framing, depth, focus, viewpoint, and color.

Framing

A skilled photographer uses framing to draw the viewer’s eyes “into” the photo and straight to the subject. You’ll begin seeing items you can use for framing all around you, once you start looking. Items used as framing can be man-made or naturally-occurring. Windows, doorways and tree limbs are common choices. Positioning the subject too far away from the frame is a common mistake made by many photographers who are just learning how to use framing. If you make this mistake, your subject will look too small and get “lost” inside the frame.

Depth

Depth is an illusion created when a noticeable distance exists between the background and foreground of an image, with the subject located somewhere in between. Like framing, depth tends to pull viewers’ eyes “into” your digital images. The illusion of depth exists when two objects that are roughly the same size look like they’re different sizes. The smaller object is interpreted by the viewer’s eye as being more distant. The illusion is enhanced when atmospheric haze makes the smaller object’s color seem lighter.

Focus

Because objects in focus attract the eye, you can improve a photo by selectively using focus to direct the viewer’s eye to the photo’s subject. You’re using selective focus when everything in the image other than your subject is slightly out-of-focus. You can achieve this effect by using f/4 or another small f-stop setting and positioning your subject nearer to your camera than the background. You can make sure your subject is inside the small plane of focus by focusing on your subject. Objects will appear increasingly more out-of-focus as you move away from the plane of focus (and, accordingly, your subject). This explains why having some distance between the subject of your image and the background is so important.

Viewpoint

Your camera will be in one location and your subject in another. The relationship between those two positions is known as the “viewpoint.” Before you take any photos, look around you for some different potential viewpoints. You might be able to position your camera at a horizontal angle to your subject, or perhaps higher or lower than your subject. Different viewpoints will alter the way your subject looks in your camera’s viewfinder. Finding the right one frequently requires only a minor change in your camera’s position.

Experiment with these compositional factors the next time you shoot digital photos. If you are visually aware of compositional elements these factors, your digital photos will improve and have impact.

For photos that capture memories that last a life time visit Melanie Acker Photography at Senior Photography St Louis. or her blog at www.melanieackerphotography.com/blog. Melanie specializes in newborn, children, maternity, engaged couples & high school senior fine art portrait photography.