Skip to main content

Learn how to achieve great composition simply by shifting your perspective

learn achieve great composition shifting perspective educational video mike browne screenshot
Image used with permission by copyright holder
One of the most basic techniques that every photographer – amateur and (aspiring) professional alike – needs to learn is composition. Without proper composition, even the most elaborately arranged scene can look entirely uninspiring, while proper composition can turn even the most mundane objects into a great photograph.

As with all things photographic, there are dozens of rules and techniques that are impossible to always keep in mind, especially when you’re a beginner with little experience. But something that is pretty easy to remember is the fact that by sheer movement of the camera’s position, an entire scene can be completely rearranged and made to look totally different.

That is exactly what British photographer Mike Browne is talking about in this two-part educational video on composition. By explaining some simple tricks involving physical movement of the photographer and camera, he teaches you how to turn chaos into order and end up with a pleasingly composed photograph.

Working with static objects, Browne shows various movements that you can perform with your camera in order to shift around immobile objects inside your frame. While his advice of using vertical and horizontal shifts, as well as pitch and yaw movements, may seem self-evident, it doesn’t hurt to be reminded about these simple compositional tricks and the way they can alter the appearance of an entire scene.

At the end of the second video, Browne has another short line of advice that is even more elementary to all kinds of photography than the knowledge about composition or the ability to manually control your camera: “Get out there and play with it. And don’t worry if people laugh at you.”

If you’d like to learn more, Browne has a whole series of educational videos over in his YouTube channel.

(Via PetaPixel)

Editors' Recommendations

Felix Esser
Felix is a freelance tech journalist with a strong focus on photography. Based out of central Germany, he contributes to…
How to remove location data from your iPhone photos
How to transfer photos from an iPhone to an iPhone

We all love making memories, and a great way to collect those memories is to take a quick snap of a gorgeous landscape, a party in full swing, or a particularly incredible meal. The Apple iPhone now also adds a location to your pictures, meaning it can collate those images together into a location-themed album, or show you all the shots you've taken in a specific location. It's a fun little addition, and it's one that adds a lot of personality to the Photos app.

Read more
‘Photoshopped’ royal photo causes a stir
The Princess of Wales with her children.

[UPDATE: In a message posted on social media on Monday morning, Princess Kate said that she herself edited the image, and apologized for the fuss that the picture had caused. “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing," she wrote, adding, "I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused."]

Major press agencies have pulled a photo of the U.K.’s Princess of Wales and her children amid concerns that it has been digitally manipulated.

Read more
Nikon sale: Get up to $700 off select Nikon cameras and lenses
nikon d780 review product  1

Crutchfield has a huge sale on many different Nikon cameras with some of the best camera deals that we’ve seen in a while. With nearly 30 different items in the sale, the best thing that avid photographers can do is take a look for themselves. However, if you want a little insight before you dive in, take a look at what we have to suggest below.

What to shop for in the Nikon sale
Nikon makes some of the best DSLR cameras around with our overall favorite -- the -- available for $2,197 reduced from $2,297. The camera is perfect for both photographers and videographers with a 24.5-megapixel full-frame image sensor. Its rugged magnesium-alloy body is weather-sealed against dust, dirt, and moisture so it’s great for all occasions. The Nikon EXPEED 6 image processor is optimized for low-light performance while maintaining long battery life with an autofocus sensor module with support for 51 focus points. You just need to add a lens to reap the benefits with features like the 273-point phase-detection AF system detecting and tracking subjects throughout the entire frame.

Read more