Mastering Composition: Advice From Five Renowned Photographers

How much weight do you give to composition in your work and if so, why?

I think composition is everything. It frames the story you want to tell. It differentiates a literal image from a visual point of view or a statement.

When and why is it important for you to omit or include an element?

I think composition can allow you to add magic to reality; it forces you to reimagine what is in front of you. For example, in one of my photo series featuring people living with albinism in Tanzania, a lot of people asked me where this idyllic landscape I’d photographed by subjects in was.The truth is that the idyllic looking body of water was in fact a very small pond (probably less than 2 metres wide and very shallow). It was one of the few bodies of water I could find in the region due to droughts. Composition allowed me to reimagine the landscape as an ethereal and abundant place. I wanted to show beauty, not scarcity or poverty, in my images. And the way I framed and composed allowed me to do that, not editing in post-production. In fact, I don't really like to do a lot of editing to my images so I try to compose exactly how I envision the image from the get-go, especially to avoid cropping.

What’s your advice for photographers discovering their style?

The way you compose can set you apart. It can give you an edge so don't be afraid to experiment with framing…not in post-production, but dare to do it as you photograph! For example I like to get very close to my subjects, and this composition choice allows me to build more intimacy in my photographic process.

How do you use composition to draw your viewer’s eye?

I often use terms like minimal or subtraction to describe my work. An ethos of mine when I’m shooting is picking a point and then actually remove things rather than add them. I really like to step into a scene and be able to gain a focus on smaller things that are often overlooked. Drawing your viewer’s eye is often about shape and form. I’m often drawn to really clean lines and shapes without anything added on top, so that they sit very calmly. I try to stay very mindful. It’s about reducing static and reducing noise, and being able to find that calmness and mindfulness through subtraction.

Is there a piece of composition advice you'd give to any aspiring photographer?

Narrow your focus, and be willing to subtract rather than add. I used to be a screenwriter and back in the day my film teacher had this analogy about asking students to write a scene about a forest. It’s so broad that it’s hard to understand. But if you ask them to write a story about a single tree, then suddenly the frame becomes much tighter. So it’s about stepping closer to things and paying attention to them. For composition I think the best advice is to look for that single tree in a forest, versus the entire forest. So (in the words of another of my teachers!) if your frame looks wrong, take two steps closer - and something you’re missing may suddenly appear.

How do you balance natural and human life in your composition choices?

My photographs are a homage to the thing I love most: people and nature. It all starts with a place that captivates me. It might be a body of water, the texture of a rock or a particular corner of a forest. Then I’ll try and bring a person into that space. The idea is to blend human life and nature to create a moment of intimacy. I try to treat both the landscape and the subject as characters so I can depict a sense of connection.

What’s one piece of advice around composition that you’d like to pass on?

Think about what you want to focus on, and approach everything within that as a subject. I like it when you can feel the personality of a place. I often scout a location before a shoot so that I can get a sense of the space and dream about what I want the photograph to look like. Saying that, once I get to a shoot I try to let the environment and moment dictate the photograph. Leaving room for experimenting and improvising makes the process an act of intuition.

How do you communicate your own feelings through composition?

I am of the opinion that everything is interconnected, as exemplified by the adage "art imitates life." My subjects are mostly people very close to me who are aware of, or share, similar experiences with me. This connection is a fundamental element of my composition, as we synchronise and unify throughout the creative process to produce the final work. Perfection is also out of the picture to me as I crave authenticity and aspire for all individuals encountering my work to be able to mirror a part of themselves in what I've created.

How do you go about arranging your thoughts visually?

I find it effortless to effectively convey my thoughts and experiences through the medium of my work. My thoughts are manifested into tangible form through the use of my lens and subject, facilitating a platform for discourse and potential therapeutic benefits akin to those of journaling. The fundamental aspects of my internal discourse are centred around the themes of blackness, mental health, and body positivity, which is why they are prominently featured in most of my photographic works and I have personal struggles with aforementioned issues too. Ultimately, the subject matter that lies at the essence of my artistic process functions as a visual compass, directing me towards the ultimate outcome.

How would you encourage aspiring photographers to convey their own thoughts?

Wholeheartedly embrace authenticity, conduct extensive research, and fearlessly engage in experimentation, as these qualities are essential for their growth and overall success.

How do you approach composition in candid photography?

I compose in a way that feels natural to me; there’s always consideration of what’s going to be in the edge of each frame and how this compliments the subject. Often it’s a split second decision, which might even just be deciding between vertical or horizontal orientation. My process is to generally only shoot one or two shots of each scene, as I mostly shoot on film and actually enjoy the limitations that this places on my practice. It forces me to think about each shot that I take, even if it’s on the fly. It’s all about instinct and thinking about how you can capture things from an interesting perspective.

Could you talk us through the composition process of one of your images?

I like to squint at an image or scene. It helps to break down the main image or shapes into an interesting image. I like the scale of this photograph and with a few moving parts like the car and people, it’s just about timing, spacing and breathing room. I would have only taken one shot of this (especially when shooting on medium format) and I just timed it for when I felt the taxi and people were in the best place. It certainly doesn’t always work but the depth of an image like this helps to create a dynamic scene.

What’s your advice to photographers discovering their style?

Experiment, shoot lots and review! Look back at your own images and try to work out what’s working and what isn’t necessarily working. Like any artistic medium, it’s all about you expressing yourself through what you choose to photograph and the mood that you create. Try to photograph a variety of subjects and locations, experimenting with form, colour, light, shadow, negative space, movement, angles and things. And of course, enjoy it.