There are no actual rules of photography but there are some guidelines which may help enhance your photos. These methods can make your photos more interesting and attractive to the viewer. The way you take your photos can completely transform the subject of the photo making them more exciting.

1. Photograph
y Examples
By Imogen Millard

2. Leading Lines

3. • Leading lines give you direction to look along other wise sometimes
there is too much going on in the picture and your eyes are looking
all over. Your eyes are automatically drawn to following the lines
and then these can lead to points of interest or can go off into the
distance.
• In a photo, lines different types of lines such as zig-zag, curved,
straight, wavy, etc can create ways on how you look at the subject.
Lines that are curved can create a journey around the photo making
it more interesting to look at.
• The lines usually start at the bottom of the frame then you eye
follows the line up and inwards usually where the main point of
interest is focused.
• When taking a photo of leading lines a goo way of looking for them
is finding prominent lines which your eyes are automatically drawn
too
• The way you use the lines in the composition can enhance the
photo depending on how you use them they can help tell a story as
they lead you through the photo.

4. Depth

5. • Depth is an interesting way to make the picture draw you
in.
• Different levels of depth can be used to make the photos
look less two-dimensional and more real. Levels of depth
cam be created by having objects in the background,
foreground, middle ground and right up at the camera.
• Depth can be created by the lines connecting to the
foreground. Depth can help draw you into the photo more
making it more powerful.
• Roads are a good way of leading the focus of into the
distance where infinity can be the subject of the photo.

6. Rule of Thirds

7. • Rule of thirds is where if a photo was divided into nine boxes with
two horizontal lines and two vertical lines the points of interest
would be focused on the points where the lines cross.
• Using rule of thirds it can create balance in your photos which can
making it more impressive.
• This 'rule' can make the photo draw you in more as the looker is
more naturally drawn to the points of interest rather than having
the main focus in the middle. Taking a photo where the subject is
on one of the lines creates a more interesting photo as its off centre
it can also stop making a photo look staged or awkward.
• For landscape photos they can often work best when the edge lies
on one of the horizontal lines.
• The grids can often be found in camera settings which can help you
when you are trying to apply the rule of thirds. If you have taken a
photo already but want to apply the rule of thirds cropping or
reframing can be used to make it fit.

8. View Point

9. • Different view points can automatically make a photo more
interesting to look at.
• By taking a photo from an unusual angle than the subject is
normally viewed can be more striking. The view point can
completely change the message of the subject making it
appear more or less important.
• A view point that is not at eye-level can be more interesting
as you see things in a way you are not used too. Unusual
view points can distort the subject making it more
intriguing.
• The more dramatic the angle the more distorted the
subject can appear; extreme angles can create extreme
distortion.
• Often plants can look better when they have been taken at
the same level as them as opposed to taking them from
above. These sorts of shots can be taken by using a tripod
or even just kneeling/lying on the ground.

10. Balancing Elements

11. • Balancing elements in a photo creates harmony and making
it more interesting if you have two or more points of
interest.
• There are many different ways of balancing elements
creating different effects such as: formal balance, informal
balance and radial balance.
• If a photo is unbalanced it can create an uninteresting
photo.
• Balance can be achieved in different ways like a balance of
colours or a balance or highlights and darkness.

12. Symmetry and Patterns

13. • Symmetry and patterns are surrounding us and can make good
subjects for photographs.
• They are particularly interesting if its unexpected or if the symmetry
or pattern has been broken creating tension at a specific point.
• A pattern can stand out if its been isolated from its surrounding and
this can make the pattern the main feature of the photo.
• Patterns can bring harmony and to a photo making it pleasant to
look at and as patterns are found everywhere there is a wide
variety to experiment with.
• Symmetry in photos can create a sense of balance.
• Different camera angles can change the symmetry making it either
weaker or stronger depending on how high or low its taken.
• Points of interest within the symmetry or patterns can make a
photo more striking. T
• he emphasis on highlights of a subject can also help make the much
more interesting to look at.
• When trying to take a symmetrical photo its best to stand in the
middle of the structure to get the balance.

14. Happy photographing