Top techniques for cracking compositions

A trinity of methods for you to employ on your next outdoor shoot

6 Try one of the classic rules of composition

If you’re not familiar with them, make sure you mug up on the rule of thirds and the golden ratio. Learning how to deploy these successfully when you compose landscape scenes will certainly pay dividends in the resulting captures.

7 Don’t let a good foreground go to waste

While it’s never a good idea to spoil the foreground of an image with clutter that doesn’t add anything to the composition, a well-placed complementary – and relevant – object or two can act as a useful point for your viewer to enter the image.

8 Use leading lines to guide your viewer’s eye

Whether they’re naturally occurring – like a stream or a river – or manmade, leading lines are a great way of pulling your viewer’s eyes into your composition. For best effect, position your leading lines at the bottom of the frame and work upwards.