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RULE OF THIRDS

Imagine that your image is divided into 9 equal segments by 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines. The rule of thirds says that you should position the most important elements in your scene along these lines, or at the points where they intersect.

Doing so will add balance and interest to your photo. Some cameras even offer an option to superimpose a rule of thirds grid over the LCD screen, making it even easier to use.

BALANCING ELEMENTS

Placing your main subject off-centre, as with the rule of thirds, creates a more interesting photo, but it can leave a void in the scene which can make it feel empty. You should balance the “weight” of your subject by including another object of lesser importance to fill the space.

LEADING LINES

When we look at a photo our eye is naturally drawn along lines. By thinking about how you place lines in your composition, you can affect the way we view the image, pulling us into the picture, towards the subject, or on a journey “through” the scene. There are many different types of line – straight, diagonal, curvy, zigzag, radial etc – and each can be used to enhance our photo’s composition.

SYMMETRY AND PATTERNS

We are surrounded by symmetry and patterns, both natural and man-made., They can make for very eye-catching compositions, particularly in situations where they are not expected. Another great way to use them is to break the symmetry or pattern in some way, introducing tension and a focal point to the scene.

VIEWPOINT

Before photographing your subject, take time to think about where you will shoot it from. Our viewpoint has a massive impact on the composition of our photo, and as a result it can greatly affect the message that the shot conveys. Rather than just shooting from eye level, consider photographing from high above, down at ground level, from the side, from the back, from a long way away, from very close up, and so on.

BACKGROUND

How many times have you taken what you thought would be a great shot, only to find that the final image lacks impact because the subject blends into a busy background? The human eye is excellent at distinguishing between different elements in a scene, whereas a camera has a tendency to flatten the foreground and background, and this can often ruin an otherwise great photo. Thankfully this problem is usually easy to overcome at the time of shooting – look around for a plain and unobtrusive background and compose your shot so that it doesn’t distract or detract from the subject.

DEPTH

Because photography is a two-dimensional medium, we have to choose our composition carefully to conveys the sense of depth that was present in the actual scene. You can create depth in a photo by including objects in the foreground, middle ground and background. Another useful composition technique is overlapping, where you deliberately partially obscure one object with another. The human eye naturally recognises these layers and mentally separates them out, creating an image with more depth.

FRAMING

The world is full of objects which make perfect natural frames, such as trees, archways and holes. By placing these around the edge of the composition you help to isolate the main subject from the outside world. The result is a more focused image which draws your eye naturally to the main point of interest.

CROPPING

Often a photo will lack impact because the main subject is so small it becomes lost among the clutter of its surroundings. By cropping tight around the subject you eliminate the background “noise”, ensuring the subject gets the viewer’s undivided attention.

EXPERIMENTATION

With the dawn of the digital age in photography we no longer have to worry about film processing costs or running out of shots. As a result, experimenting with our photos’ composition has become a real possibility; we can fire off tons of shots and delete the unwanted ones later at absolutely no extra cost. Take advantage of this fact and experiment with your composition – you never know whether an idea will work until you try it.

Composition in photography is far from a science, and as a result all of the “rules” above should be taken with a pinch of salt. If they don’t work in your scene, ignore them; if you find a great composition that contradicts them, then go ahead and shoot it anyway. But they can often prove to be spot on, and are worth at least considering whenever you are out and about with your camera.

Best DSLRs 2016 – which one will you choose!

Looking to bag yourself a new digital SLR – or DSLR as they’re more commonly referred to – but confused by the multitude of options? Let us guide you through the market with our selection of the best DSLRs in 2016.

From budget entry-level DSLRs to mid-priced enthusiast models and advanced semi-pro cameras, our definitive list of the best DSLRs in 2016 will help you to narrow down your search, and make sure you get the best value at your budget.

1. Pentax K-S1

Price: £280

Introduced back in 2014, the K-S1 still stands out from the crowd with its distinctive design features alone, but it’s backed up by a pretty solid spec.

Featuring a fast-performing autofocus, useful AA filter simulator and excellent viewfinder, the K-S1 is a great choice for beginners taking their first steps into DSLR photography.

2. Pentax K-S2

Price: £399

The K-S2 continues Pentax’s tradition of offering affordable yet well-specified cameras. Intuitively designed, featuring a generous viewfinder and impressive control setup, it’s a very pleasing DSLR to use – on top of a 20.1MP APS-C CMOS sensor and impressive ISO range.

Coupling this range of features with the extensive range of compatible Pentax K mount lenses available results in a great camera that represents excellent value.

3. Nikon D7200

Price: £636

Replacing its popular predecessor, the D7100, the Nikon D7200 hosts a plethora of great features. These include a fantastic build quality and a wide range of controls, alongside Wi-Fi/NFC connectivity and 24.2MP APS-C sensor – but the real standout features are the 51-point focus points coupled with a Multi Cam 3500 II autofocusing system.

It’s this speed and versatility that make the series so popular with wildlife and sports photographers and, as a very solid performer all round, the D7200 certainly doesn’t disappoint.

4. Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Price: £1,200

Targeted squarely at the enthusiast – especially those with an interest in wildlife or action – the EOS 7D Mark II is a DSLR five years in the making. It features a solid 20.2MP sensor that gives a good performance at relatively high ISO levels.

Where it excels, though, is in its build, handling and autofocusing system. The body is robust and a pleasure to use, while the control layout is intuitive and the new 65-point autofocus system renders it perfect for wildlife and sports photographers looking to invest in a serious piece of kit.

5. Nikon D750

Price: £1396

With a host of neat features, including a 24.3-million-pixel sensor, Wi-Fi connectivity and an impressive array of video enhancements carried over from its stablemates, the D610 and D810, the D750 is an enthusiast DSLR smattered with some eyebrow-raising professional standard specifications.

It covers off all the features that are likely to appear on an enthusiast’s wish-list and has a similar design to Nikon’s entry-level DSLRS, ensuring that upgrading photographers should feel right at home.

6. Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Price: £2178

Following in the footsteps of the Mk II (personally my favourite), the Mk III continues the EOS 5D tradition, addressing some of the signs of age that its older sibling might be starting to show. Canon has fitted the Mark III model with a 22.3-million-pixel CMOS sensor, as well as 61-point AF and 63-zone metering systems, and a host of other refinements.

Appealing to a wide variety of photographers with its versatility and competitive price-point, the 5D Mk III is really quite hard to fault.

7. Nikon D810

Price: £2349

When the D810 was first announced, Nikon touted it as having the best image quality of any DSLR of its class – which, while a lofty claim, may well have been true. Its 36.3-million-pixel full-frame sensor and lack of optical low-pass filter resolves a stunning level of detail.

Coupled with a fast 51-point AF system and an array of video features, there aren’t many photographers who won’t be well-serviced by the D810.

8. Canon EOS 5DS

Price: £3200

Based physically on the tried-and-tested Canon EOS 5D Mk III design, the 5DS R is among the highest resolution full-frame DSLRs on the market. It features a 50.6-million-pixel full-frame sensor, 61-point autofocus and metering systems that both work exceptionally well, so creating sharp, well-exposed images is a breeze, particularly when in the studio.

Using such a sensor effectively does require investing in quality lenses and large, fast memory cards but the result is absolutely stunning image quality, particularly in good light.

9. Pentax 645Z

Price: £5999

While the hefty price of the 645Z is undoubtedly out of the reach of most photographers, it is probably the most affordable medium-format camera on the market.

For your investment you get a 51.4MP, 44 x 33mm sensor, which is capable of resolving an astonishing amount of detail and with an impressive dynamic range – perfect if you’re looking to take the step in to high-end studio work.