Elements and Principles of Design

Leading lines refers to a technique of composition where the viewer of your photos attention is drawn to lines that lead to the main subject of the image. A leading linepaves an easy path for the eye to follow through different elements of a photo.

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Vertical lines have the ability to convey a variety of different moods in a photograph ranging from power and strength (think of skyscrapers) to growth (think of trees).

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Horizontal lines tend to indicate a sense of homeostasis (lack of change). This use in an image often projects a feeling that an image, or part of one, is somehow frozen at a point in time. Horizontal lines should be used when a photographer wants to impart a sentiment of timelessness or lack of change to an image. In addition, they can serve to provide a contrast with more dynamic parts of an image.

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Most photographers’ primary use for diagonal lines is to lead the eye to a certain point in the photo. Diagonal lines are extremely effective at doing this.

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Curves make an image easy to look at by leading the viewer's eye through the frame. It is almost as if the photographer takes the viewer by the hand, draws them into the landscape, and points the way. The viewer's eyes are compelled to follow the line. Curves are graceful, rhythmic, dynamic and add energy to an image.

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Formal balance, also called symmetrical balance, is a concept of aesthetic composition involving equal weight and importance on both sides of a composition.

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Informal balance means they are not strictly symmetrical, but appear to be so because of the composition of slightly asymmetrical elements.

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Unity is taking the parts of a piece of art and unifying them in to something better as a whole. Composition is a great way to do this.

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Variety is about varying elements and objects in your image, to avoid making them boring. Variety can also be varying your angles, exposure, composition, etc., to get a few different looks to the same image.

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Visual rhythm or tempo is two-dimensional, geometric perception of repeated beat. It is created by repeating positive shapes separated by negative spaces.

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Emphasis is defined as an area or object within the artwork that draws attention and becomes a focal point.

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Proportion is used in photography to give the illusion that something is different in size, but still makes the photo fit together. 2 proportions that are used in composition would be the Golden Ration, and The Rule of Thirds.

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Repetition photography is a way to grab the attention of your audience and draw them into the image.Repeating a shape throughout your photo gives you instant composition and can say a lot about your subject.

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A bird's-eye view is an elevated view of an object from above, with a perspective as though the observer were a bird, often used in the making of blueprints, floor plans, and maps. 

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A worm's-eye view is a view of an object from below, as though the observer were a worm; the opposite of a bird's-eye view.

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The rule of thirds is applied by aligning a subject with the guide lines and their intersection points, placing the horizon on the top or bottom line, or allowing linear features in the image to flow from section to section.

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Framing refers to using elements of a scene to create a frame within your frame.

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The most obvious (and easiest) is to place the subject against a neutral background such as a backdrop or the sky.