Outstanding Composition: How to blow away your audience

Name: Outstanding Composition: How to blow away your audience
Rating: 4.4 (1586 reviews)

Learn how to impress your followers with perfectly composed photographs which stand out in the crowd on every platform.

Created byThomas Leuthard

Last updated 3/2015

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

know what makes a good photograph
know why a photograph doesn't work
know how to simplify a photograph
start seeing in a different way
differentiate between different composition rules and techniques
be more creative through different composition techniques
improve your portfolio by making more creative photographs

Course content

5 sections • 32 lectures • 4h 54m total length

At the beginning there is a blank frame2:33
Like in painting, you start with a blank frame and you have to create something outstanding. If you master composition, you will have better chances to get the attention of the observer.
What makes a good photo?9:16
I guess you have ask this question to yourself also many times. I will answer it within this lecture based on some of my best photographs. I'm sure that you will be able to follow me and to understand what you have to change on your photos to make them better.
Why some photos don't work13:32
Based on some bad photos I took and not published, I show you what makes a bad shot. I describe the different things you have to prevent in order to make a good photo.
Basic Mathematical Rules4:11
Everybody knows the rule of third, but do you also know the golden triangle or the Fibonnaci spirale? There are many basic rules, but they all make the same thing. You can focus on just one of them in order to master composition. Of course there are other elements in composition than the rule of third.
Practical use basic rules14:53
Knowing the basic rule is easy, applying them much more difficult. Learn in this lecture that the AF point plays an important role when composing a shot and that you can make a big difference here.
The Basics of Composition

Simplify a photograph11:25
One of the biggest challenges in photography is to leave irrelevant things out of the frame. I show you how you can perform a clean up of your photograph by simplifying them.
Triangles10:33
Discover how triangles anchor composition and guide the viewer's eye in frames. Learn to balance elements, crop thoughtfully, and emphasize bright spots to create dynamic, harmonious scenes.
Rule of Space12:46
The rule of space is a kind of implementation of the rule of third. So you place the subject on a third and leave much more space in the direction the person walks or looks. This is just the first thing you have to learn and apply to your photos.
Off the middle9:56
Using the middle of the frame for your subjects is not a good idea. The eye doesn't like too much symmetry especially when the scene is not suitable for it. Most of the motives require an assymmetrical layout.
Perfect Symmetry17:31
Of course there are scenes which perfectly work in symmetry. Therefore you have to differentiate between the good and the bad ones. As soon as you see a scene, you will know what to do. At least after this elcture you will be able to see that.
Balanced6:37
A frame should be filled in a certain balance to create a certain harmony to the eye. This can be reached by placing another object to the other side of the frame.
Fill the Frame13:31
There is often a simple way of improving someones photograph. Most of the times, people are too far away. They want to show everything. This is not neccessary.
The right distance13:17
Master the right distance to frame your subject, balancing closeness and context to tell a clearer story. Learn to assess scene, subject, and storytelling goals to choose the optimal distance.
The right frame size11:21
Learn to choose the right frame size and aspect ratio by letting the subject dictate composition, crop strategically, and consider sensor formats from 4 by 3 to 16 by 9.
The decisive Moment5:43
Catch the decisive moment by shooting in burst mode to capture precise poses and expressions. Select the best frame with strong composition, leading lines, and proper background placement.
Point of View10:43
Discover how point of view shapes composition by shooting from low, ground, or high angles and seeking unique perspectives to make the subject stand out.
The first steps to a better photograph

Leading Lines8:57
Use leading lines to structure the frame and guide the eye to the main subject. Draw lines from corners toward the subject, balancing light and background.
Diagonals8:05
Explore how diagonals in photography create depth, optimism, and visual harmony by leading lines from corner to corner, with examples using stairs, geometric patterns.
Background10:43
Figure to Ground9:18
Master the figure to ground concept to make the main subject stand out against a quiet background. Use brightness contrast to keep the subject highly visible.
Depth of Field3:57
Use depth of field to guide the eye, blur foreground and background with an open aperture and long lens, and frame the subject amid a crowd.
Objects in the Foreground7:11
Learn to enhance street photography by using foreground objects as framing devices, including peep hole effects, holes, pipes, ashtrays, and windows, to create unique perspectives and deliberate composition.
Motion Blur10:27
Explore motion blur to animate photos by using shutter speeds like 1/20 s for walking and 1/50 s for fast motion, and compose with leading lines for balance.

Color as a composition element8:19
Use color as a composition element by limiting to two to three colors per frame and ensuring they match or complement, since the color interaction matters more than hue alone.
Frame in the Frame9:46
Learn to frame within a frame by using windows, doors, or natural frames to create balance, depth, and focus, and build multiple frames through composition and perspective.
Negative Space11:21
A lot of nothing can be still interesting and is called negativ space. It's the space around a subject which is called like that. You shoot such photos from a bigger distance as the person is normally much smaller in the frame.
Geometry13:36
When you want to show geometry in your photos, you combine architecture photography with street. Meaning that you find a nice modern architectural scene completing it with one person. In the bigger cities this is more and more difficult.
The Rule of Odds5:40
Additional Layers6:40
Working the Scene7:13
Practice working the scene by taking many shots to understand what matters, adjust composition and horizon, and crop to isolate the subject for a calm, distraction-free final image.

Requirements

Know your camera
Know the basics of photography
Know the dependence between aperture, shutter and ISO

Description

This course shows in depth how composition should be done and why some photos work or others don't. Thomas shows several composition elements which helps you improve your photos from scratch. After this course you will look at the world with different eyes and will make your photos in a more creative way.

You will learn...

...what the golden ratio, the rule of third and the Fibonacci Spiral are
...why the background plays an important role like the main subject
...that you can reach a lot with less effort
...why less is more
...where there is most potential
...how do you find the right distance
...how do you find the right frame
...how you approach people in the right moment

I will show a lot of my photos and explain why I have composed them like that. So it's a course with a lot of examples.

When you have completed this course, you will...

...think more before you take the shot
...be more observing when it comes to composition
...better compose your photos
...have more fun doing photography

Who this course is for:

Everybody who is new to photography
Everybody who is new to street photography
Everybody who wants to improve his photographs from a composition perspective
Everybody who wants to learn about composition elements next to the golden ratio
Everybody who enjoys looking at creative and well composed photos
This is not a basic camera course

Outstanding Composition: How to blow away your audience

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

The Basics of Composition5 lectures • 44min

The first steps to a better photograph11 lectures • 2hr 3min

Grafical Elements7 lectures • 59min

Advanced Techniques7 lectures • 1hr 3min

Conclusion2 lectures • 5min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: