Photography Tips: Composition
Lighting and composition are the fundamentals of a great photo, and in Maine, there are plenty of opportunities to practice. Overcast to sunny days, plenty of coastlines, lighthouses, trees, and tall boats provide opportunities for practicing framing, leading lines, and the rule of thirds. Photography is subjective, and my favorite photo might not be another’s, but here’s my favorite photo, and what I considered while shooting it.
The Portland Head Lighthouse
Camera & Lens: Sony A7IV | Tamron 18-300mm lens
Settings: ISO 500 | SS 1/400 sec | f 7.1
The Portland Head with a grid and framing outline.
Composition:
I primary focused on the rule of thirds and placing my subject, the lighthouse in the center of the frame. Photography is about eliciting a feeling and telling a story. I wanted the lighthouse (a Maine icon) to be the focal point and stand out in this image. By placing it in the center, it brings the viewers eye to it.
I also utilizing framing to draw attention to the subject as well. This allow the viewers eyes to be guided towards the subject. The bushes here lined lined up in a way to draw the attention to the lighthouse. I also adjusted my aperture to ensure the foreground was blurred to enhance this.
I’m also one for utilizing negative space in my images. Since the foreground is a little busy, I liked having the simple white sky to allow for the top half of the image to only emphasize the lighthouse.
Editing: I also want to share the before and afters of these images I shoot. Many non-photographers don’t realize the time it takes to edit a photo or what goes into it. We can also make mistakes and try to salvage photos as well. I originally shot this photo and it was way overexposed. But with some editing I was able to make it to what it is now and I’m happy with that. Sometimes learning photography is just trial and error, and sometimes you forget to pay attention to settings. I’m sure every beginner photographer has a story of an event or time when they accidentally shot in jpeg instead of raw because they simply forgot to check. It can be one of the worst feelings!
Portland Head Light unedited
Portland Head Light after basic editing