Elements of Composition

I participated in an in-depth composition class last night. It is easy to identify a good photograph, and yet another thing to define why it is a good photograph. What are the consistent elements that make up the composition of good images?

One mark of a good photo is that it holds the viewer's attention for longer than a quick glimpse. The eye actually moves around the photograph, taking it all in, noticing detail after detail.

Each photograph has a message to communicate, and that image can be composed to best represent that message. The trick is to train yourself as a photographer to compose the shot in the viewfinder instinctively.

Here are a few photos that might qualify for interesting composition.

Rule of Thirds, Framing

Texture, Lines

Perspective, Depth of Field, Color

Framing