Nature Photography How To

One of the most important concepts for all forms of photography is how to effectively compose an image. When it comes to nature and landscape photography, a firm grasp of composition techniques is absolutely essential. In the video below, a top pro demonstrates his favorite tips for framing outdoor photos.

Toma Bonciu is an accomplished adventure/travel photographer, and a very popular instructor. In this tutorial he explains how his approach to landscape composition has evolved throughout the years. Bonciu presents what he says are “nine composition rules every photographer should know,” so you may want to take a few notes as you watch the 30-minute lesson.

While most photographers are familiar with the Rule of Thirds, Bonciu begins the tutorial by illustrating why this rule is meant to be broken. He then explains how to use “S shapes” to guide a viewer’s eyes through an image, the power of leading lines, and the proper ways to use diagonals for more dramatic composition.

Bonciu’s other tips include placing your key subject at the intersection of powerful lines, and how to make images “pop” by using light and color to separate the point of interest from the rest of a scene. You can find more helpful advice on Bonciu’s YouTube channel, and in another video we posted illustrating dramatic “extreme cropping” techniques.