Before even considering how to compose an image, first think: WHAT AM I TRYING TO SAY?

Often we find ourselves lost in the idea stage because we don’t have a clear message in our heads. It doesn’t have to be a deep and profound idea. It can be anything at all. If its a portrait, it can be about the eyes or the way the light is falling on the hair. If it’s a landscape, it can be about the house in the distance or the beautiful flowers right next to us.

The point is…you have to choose what the image is about, only then can you compose your image. Because the whole point of composition is to tell a story.

Composition is how you place elements in the image and how you choose to guide the viewer’s eye around the image. And how can you guide the viewer if you don’t know what you are guiding them to?

A well composed image is defined by message clarity and this stems from a strong focal point. GIVE YOUR VIEWERS SOMETHING TO LOOK AT! If you make everything in the image equally important then your audience has no idea what to look at and they lose interest. Keep it simple and keep your audience engaged by telling them a story.

After you decide what your image is about, now you can figure out how to say it. And this is where composition is at its most powerful.