•1 min read•from Photography
Is good composition something you can actually train, or is it mostly instinct?
Our take
Composition in photography often sparks a debate: is it a skill that can be honed through practice, or is it primarily driven by instinct? Many, like myself, find themselves grappling with this question after experimenting with cropping techniques to enhance their images. Despite feeling confident in the moment, comparing various edits reveals a lack of consistent understanding of what constitutes "good framing.
i’ve been trying to get better at composition lately and thought i had a decent feel for it.
then i took one photo and tried cropping it multiple times to “perfect composition”
every version felt right while i was doing it… but when i compared them, some were clearly better than others. it made me realize i don’t actually have a consistent sense of what “good framing” is
i ended up putting together a simple version where you try to match a “pro” crop, just to sanity check myself
it’s surprisingly hard to get a high score consistently
curious how people here think about this — is composition something you can actually train like this, or is it mostly instinct?
[link] [comments]
Read on the original site
Open the publisher's page for the full experience
Related Articles
- How does it FEEL to understand composition/story telling?Hello! I have a been photographing for roughly 6 months now and I would say my most obvious area of improvement is in composition and storytelling. Whats annoying to me is that some weeks I feel like I kinda understand it and some weeks i feel completly lost, like it just dosen’t click for me. In a weird way I can almost get stressed about that I don’t find the compositions that I am convinced are everyehere around me. Its like i have this preconception that if I was a great photographer I would be able to create something interesting out of anything/situation. This may be a harsh take but I also truly belive this about anything art related, from the right perspective (not physical perspective necessarily) anything can be interesting. For those of you that feel like this part of photography has clicked for you, I have a weird question maybe, but how this FEELS for you. Also if you have a ”method” for finding those captivating moments. Did you eventually learn to visualize the story/composition before hand and work towards/chase that specific photo? Or did you get good (and quick enough) that you are ”just there” and realize the story/stories as they unfold in the world around you? Do you remember when it finally clicked? As I am writing this I also realize that my way of thinking about this might be flawed. I dont mean that once it clicks there is nothing more to learn, but more like a baseline level of confidence regarding composition. I shoot mostly nature related stuff but I am interested in photography in general. submitted by /u/EstablishmentFew9149 [link] [comments]
- [Instinct vs Intention in Photography. Where Does Real Art Happen?]I’ve been thinking about something and would love to hear your perspective: Do we create more meaningful or “true” photographic art in those moments when we stop thinking about rules, competitions, and exhibitions, when we just shoot instinctively? Or does stronger work actually come from being deliberate, carefully considering composition, light, timing, and all the small details? On one hand, spontaneity feels honest. When you’re not overthinking, you react to the moment, and sometimes that raw connection translates into something powerful. On the other hand, photography is also a craft. Understanding framing, balance, and technical choices can elevate an image and turn an ordinary moment into something intentional and refined. So where do you personally find your best work happens in instinct or in control? Or is it somewhere in between? submitted by /u/No_Surround_9694 [link] [comments]
Tagged with
#health and wellness#luxury photography#fashion photography#high-end travel#wellness photography