Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Sounds like a great topic for a PHD dissertation... Besides the differences in how people are wired in their brain, there are also differences in how people best learn. Some learn by being show and doing and some can read and learn, some both.

jgunkler

This may sound silly, but I found it useful: Take each bit of advice you've read one at a time and then take photos exaggerating that advice. For example, the Rule of Thirds and the Golden Spiral: Set your camera to show you the Rule of Thirds grid while you take the photo and strictly position a subject at each of the four points of intersection in the grid -- the same subject, taken from the same spot, at about the same time. Then go back to camera settings and have it show you the Golden Spiral, and repeat the operation -- same subject, same spot, about the same time. Have fun comparing them in post-production and seeing what you think. Leading Lines: Go out with your camera some day and refuse to shoot anything that doesn't have leading lines. Take photos of the same subject with the leading lines in different parts of the frame -- sometimes heading toward your subject and sometimes not. Try subjects with very prominent leading lines, then find other subjects where the leading lines are more subtle. See how much difference that makes. Sun and Shadow: Choose a subject you can walk completely around (either a person or some buildings or smaller objects will work.) Now do the obvious: take photos from at least four positions as you circle the subject, trying to get the exposure right each time. But when the subject is backlit, also try to do a silhouette (expose for the bright sky so that the object becomes just a shadow.)

I hope you get the idea. Keep it simple, one rule at a time -- then create your own "learnings" from your photos. For object positioning (Rule of Thirds, etc.), you can also manipulate the cropping in post-production to see what you like.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

Look at what the great Art masters did and mimic them. If you like landscapes look at Constables and other landscape artists. If you like doing Portraits look at portraits and still life and pay particular attention to the way they use the light.

I've never had bad advice from 'Linda from Maine' (see above) so if she's recommending a tome I'd take a punt on it.

DIRTY HARRY Loc: Hartland, Michigan

Look at LOTS of works by various photographers and artists.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

first, welcome to the hog.

To add to what others have already said, take a class/classes locally if there is any. Sometimes adult schools have photographers that teach. City colleges also.

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

Plenty of good suggestions here. But if you are still struggling with figuring out the basics, perhaps seeking out a source of learning is the way to go. There are plenty of those online. For instance, CreativeLive.com has what they call their "On Air" programs. They cover a variety of subjects, including photography. If you can tune in at the time it is being broadcast, it is free [most of them are a live broadcast]; they also sell videos of all the classes they present. For instance, there is a class on Wednesday March 14 - this week - called "The Art of Seeing", the instructor is Franz Lansing who is a National Geographic photographer. Class times are given in Pacific time, so 9am class begins at 12pm on the east coast. This particular broadcast begins with different aspects of a good image and exploring composition! Bonus: the course concludes with a critique of images submitted by viewers.

Look at the websites of photographers whose work you admire. They often have free information that will help, and, of course, many have for sale e-books or videos. Just have to browse around. A couple of other sites are Digital Photography School, Digital Photo Mentor. YouTube is also a place to look, although it can be time consuming if you don't know anything about the people posting the videos because it is necessary to watch a bit just to find out if a presentation is going to help. But just about any subject you want to explore can be found there, and a lot of them are excellent.

A couple of ideas to consider in addition to rule of thirds, leading lines, changing shooting location, etc.: Pay attention to the borders of your image. If you have too much unwanted clutter that adds nothing to the image, it will be a distraction from the primary subject. Pay attention the background behind the subject for distracting components. Pay attention to the foreground for distracting components. Don't cut off body parts unless you are specifically shooting a close-up portrait or something like a hand holding something or pointing at something. Frustrating to look at an image later and realize that the feet or an arm are not in the picture. And this is not just for people, but also for animals. Leave enough room around the subject for cropping, but without making the subject so small it will not have good resolution after cropping.

Hope this helps.
Susan

tbr48

Lots of good suggestions have been offered. Here are mine.

First of all there is no magic set of rules that help you with composition. For every rule, you'll find lots of great photos that violate that rule. What I am saying is don't over analyze it or constrain yourself because a particular guideline or rule says do something or another.

Second, composition, at least in my experience is more about what you want to convey. This can be hard to understand, but you'll see something, a scene, a person, an object, that conveys a feeling or message. It might be the elements of the scene, the color, a person's action or pose, but you can see that it would be an interesting picture that would convey the emotion you feel when you first viewed the scene.

Third, look at photo collections of well know photographers. Don't try to break the photos down by analysis, but rather just look at them and ask yourself whether any of them appeal to you. If so, just look at it and ask yourself what is it about the photo that makes it so appealing. Is it the light, the elements in the photo, the color, or the feeling you get from it. Also visit art museums and look at the painting collections, whatever genre appeals to you. Again don't try to analyze the mechanics of a composition, but rather try to understand what it is about a particular painting that appeals to you.

Fourth, if possible take a drawing course.The best would be one in figure drawing. I do not have much in the way of artistic ability and never will, but what I found was that one of the main purposes of these courses is that they help you see. I found it greatly enhanced my photography. Someone previously suggested the Betty Edwards book "Drawing on the Right Side of Your Brain" ( I think that's the title). If you cant take a drawing course, this book has a lot of good exercises that help you actually see what you are looking at.

Finally, and most important, take a lot of photos. Experiment with different angles, light, and compositions. Close ups, wide angles, black and white, etc. For example, I have a camera with a screen that can be flipped out. I find that by flipping out the LCD screen and holding the camera waist high often gives very pleasing angles. Other times I hold the camera up high over my head. Many things you try won't give you the result you are seeking, but unless you experiment you'll never find out what works for you.

In the end creating a well composed photograph is a very personal endeavor. What appeals to you may not to others. So unless you're a professional who has to make a living selling photos to others, take pictures to satisfy yourself and above all, don't get hung up on rules.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

I forgot to mention in my previous reply, and it's too late to edit, check for a camera/photography club locally also. They can be a good asset.

hassighedgehog Loc: Corona, CA

If your camera has one, turn on the grid that shows the rule of thirds in your viewfinder or monitor. (or in some cameras, the one with the golden rectangle) That will help to place the focus where it should be. A suggestion from "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" is to view the picture upside down. This shows where the negative and positive areas are without being fixated on what the picture is.

mackphotos Loc: Washington, DC

Also enable the grid lines in your camera to help you get in the habit of seeing the lower third or off-centered pose.

catsanddogs

Find photos you like in magazines and books. 'take them apart' but figuring out lighting, angles and things like shutter speed. Decide what exactly you like about the picture or don't like. I found this really help me learn.

RolandDieter

Bryan Peterson's book, Understanding Composition, is excellent. He has a way of also showing what most people do wrong so you can see the difference in how to do it better. Most books only show excellent stuff, which is not really all that helpful.