The ONLY 4 RULES of COMPOSITION that you need to know

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  • Опубликовано: 21 дек 2024

Комментарии • 238

  • @stevehunt4660
    @stevehunt4660 Год назад +74

    Only 1 rule i care about, its the rule of get off the couch watching youtube and get out and press the shutter button more.....

  • @earth9258
    @earth9258 10 месяцев назад +5

    I’ve never considered “energy” in composition but it makes a lot of sense. The uniqueness of a moment gives the images more of a story. I appreciate your video!

  • @TheC0mmentSection
    @TheC0mmentSection 2 года назад +2

    That water scene at 8:00 if you upped and slightly contrasted the bright highlights of the lake those highlights would serve as leading lines back to the mountains

  • @CassidyHansen
    @CassidyHansen 3 года назад +60

    These intangibles are so tough to grasp as a beginner, and I'm sure they're quite difficult to verbalise. You've done a great job and have given me much to think about. Thank you, again.

  • @Millie-um2bi
    @Millie-um2bi 2 года назад +4

    The tree between the clouds was a BRILLIANT example of capturing energy in a relatively still scene. So goooood

  • @barryaltman6703
    @barryaltman6703 3 года назад +3

    Very well done, Nigel. With all the fluff and self proclaimed experts on RUclips it's refreshing to find someone who actually knows what they're talking about.

  • @scarcesense6449
    @scarcesense6449 3 года назад +50

    Thanks for the tips!
    I wish I could see things like this. I often think I've found a good composition only to discover my photo just looks rubbish. Often my best pictures are the ones on instinct - I just see something and snap it. The more I think, the more I manage to ruin it.
    The ones that really do work always seem to involve these rules, but I almost never see that at the time. It's just a fluke (or intuition) that I arranged all the minor details in the right spot without even being consciously aware of them.

    • @raf2681
      @raf2681 3 года назад +11

      I think the problem is more with our civilization in general, the way we are raised and that attitude that everything needs to be now, instantly. That is why you cannot see/notice all these things. That one single Nigel's video presents just view ideas you should practice perhaps for the next whole year. So assuming that every weekend (52 times/year) you go for a walk you need to focus just on one element ie movement. You are shooting only movement for 2 months. That should be your project. Excel this one thing and then move to another one.
      From my experience it is extremely difficult thing to do. Recently I am torturing myself eating tones of apples on my walks and slowing down. ;-) So far I have learned that some compositions I would find interesting before and were boring after I looked at them on the screen so I am omiting them and shootinig less at the end but I am enjoying just being and watching. And some times I can even notice things he is talking about and then gives me that hope that one day... ;-)

  • @petercollins7848
    @petercollins7848 3 года назад +10

    This video explains why some photos just ‘look right’. Excellent advice from Nigel, that shows the difference between a ‘snap’ and a real landscape photograph. ‘Thinking’ before ‘taking’ can make all the difference. Thanks Nigel.

  • @jamesscharnitz7640
    @jamesscharnitz7640 3 года назад +6

    As somebody who is new to photography as a hobby I really do appreciate videos like this. You are definitely my favorite channel to watch for photography videos

  • @erikhy
    @erikhy 3 года назад +4

    Hi Nigel, that was another great video. Thank you! Living near Seattle, I was wondering if you would be willing at some point to do a video about shooting in damp forests under dark, cloudy skies when the light is flat and uninspiring, and the temptation to drink coffee and watch videos overpowers the urge to get out the door. I figure if I live in rain 9 months of the year, it's time to embrace it rather than fight it. But, boy, what a challenge to make drippy, flat gloom where green and grey predominate truly interesting. I'd love to hear your thoughts. We have dense forests around here, and not a lot of meadow or vista action. - Soggy in Seattle, Erik

  • @donna.downey
    @donna.downey 3 года назад +1

    Oh Nigel... how you make me want to grab my camera and bolt from work and then at the same time I feel I should just grab it and dump it in the trash! LOL You give such great explanations and advice. I love your insights into composition. For some reason it gives me great comfort to see that even with your vast experience and the multitudes of jaw-dropping landscape images you have shared... well you still are able to produce "rubbish" at times (your words now Nigel not mine!).
    But seriously it does help to realize we will never get to a point where we are able to 100% of the time get a great composition. There are so many variables that come into play. But in the end it gives me hope to pick up more good information on why composition is so important and then try to remember your advice when I'm confronted with the viewfinder of my camera! The struggle is real!
    You are a wonderful photographer and teacher! Keep shooting and keep teaching us Nigel! Peace, Donna

  • @Michael_Robinson
    @Michael_Robinson 3 года назад

    Great advice and some amazing photos!
    I really like the mountain and church photo @13:35. It does have energy, but I think your explanation didn’t do it justice. The lines running down the mountain suggest a long process of material sliding down, forming the pyramid shape. The horizontal lines on the mountain show a series of cliffs that probably hold loose rocks that have been caught, but could dislodge and tumble down the side. The dusting of snow hints that heavier snow cover could accumulate and eventually cause an avalanche. The fact that most of the mountain is in shade creates a foreboding feel. All of this threatens the church. And yet, the fact that the bucolic and pastoral scene below - the fields and the church - are bathed in sunlight, suggests a warmth and safety. It’s the tension between these that provide such a sense of energy. What an incredible photo!

  • @RaukFPV
    @RaukFPV 3 года назад +73

    "they're more like guidelines than actual rules" - pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the black pearl :D

  • @newhorizons8607
    @newhorizons8607 3 года назад +6

    “Guidelines…..” …….. aside from the element of angular lines etc.. its like The Pirate Code in Pirates of the Caribbean…. As they say, its “more like guidelines….” Interesting and helpful guidelines to composition. Thank you 😊

  • @rom1tbotw
    @rom1tbotw 3 года назад +7

    When I watch your videos, I always feel like a beginner... Thanks Nigel !

    • @Giles29
      @Giles29 3 года назад

      Those of us who really *are* beginners are also really grateful for Nigel

  • @DirtDigglerDetecting
    @DirtDigglerDetecting 3 года назад +1

    I love when you talk about Composition.....Anyone can click a camera. Your Eye is the Art. :) Much Love God Bless YOU

  • @samsargdong1135
    @samsargdong1135 3 года назад +3

    Hi,thanks for the interesting video.
    I think that imbalance sometimes creates great dynamism in a photo.
    It's a technique frequently used in decoration nowadays:f.e placing a mirror on the floor instead of on the wall,placing a picture on a chest of drawers instead of on a wall,not placing the chairs to the table,etc.
    The key is to give the impression that things aren' t on so that there seems to be certain movement in the different elements of a room,etc.
    What I mean is that sometimes symmetry ( balance) frequently used in composing a photo reduces the amount of dynamism and energy in a photo.

  • @collincourtois8587
    @collincourtois8587 2 года назад +5

    This has to be THE best tutorial on composition I've ever seen! It appeals to feelings not rules. No wonder your photos are so amazing... If one can get a listener to feel a concept imagine what he can do with a camera! Thank you for this.

  • @edc641
    @edc641 3 года назад +1

    Nigel Danson - King of composition

  • @cmichaelhaugh8517
    @cmichaelhaugh8517 3 года назад

    Good points. I’m going through the photos stored on my phone to see if they utilize these techniques.

  • @gabeatv
    @gabeatv 3 года назад

    I watch these videos on my Smart TV, but I always make sure to come here later or while watching to like the video. Best way to kick off your Sunday. Nigel’s videos and a cup of coffee. It doesn’t get any better than this :).

  • @klaustomasini
    @klaustomasini 3 года назад +6

    If you do a shot the flow, energy is most of time influenced by your emotions, thinking at the time of doing the shot. therefore a pictures works for yourself mostly. but to influence a viewer and take him to a journey or story through your picture, you should do it like you, Nigel, explained it perfectly! thank you for sharing your experience.

  • @NDakota79
    @NDakota79 6 месяцев назад

    This is honestly one of the best videos about composition I've ever watched. This was really useful advice to me.

  • @CarlosRoyalTiger
    @CarlosRoyalTiger 2 месяца назад

    This video is very informative. It helped me see things in a completely new way when it comes to landscape images. Thank you.

  • @gabewebyt
    @gabewebyt 3 года назад +1

    Great reminders on balance/flow/depth -- but the one I hadn't really thought about was dynamism/energy. Really interesting stuff. I've definitely waited for the clouds to be in just the right place, but I hadn't realized that sometimes the viewer can perceive that as something like movement.

  • @jpdj2715
    @jpdj2715 3 года назад

    All valid and relevant. Excellent. You could do a follow up to illustrate a point. E.g. 7:40, you didn't mention where it is, but if you could go back, you could recreate the composition, and next demonstrate a lower viewpoint with the same focal length & distance, or closer/farther with same or different focal lengths. Then move viewpoint left and right. Photography people being visual can have a hard time understanding our verbal (auditive) explanations.

  • @rob9386
    @rob9386 3 года назад +1

    Wow, this is the best video I've watched on composition. Should have named it the only rules you need to know about composition.

  • @רוניפינקל
    @רוניפינקל 9 месяцев назад

    Great video and tips on how to create astonishing photos.
    I'll take those tips to my next session of photography, and I'll try to take those tips.
    Thanks

  • @RoseKerin
    @RoseKerin 3 года назад

    Thanks for the Lesson. Hope your family is ok.

  • @tjsinva
    @tjsinva 3 года назад +2

    Breakfast with Nigel, always a great way to start the week. Looking forward to some Iceland content from your recent trip. Hopefully, you've escaped by now. 👍 🥂

  • @alanhumbard8298
    @alanhumbard8298 3 года назад

    I watch a lot of good RUclips landscape photographers but you are far and away the best. Thank you Nigel.

  • @scottcaldwell7480
    @scottcaldwell7480 2 года назад

    I liked your heather/rock image very much. One of the things I noticed about it was the use of contrast, how your eye is drawn to areas like the dark clouds and lighter sky. Thanks for the videos, I like the practical advice and lack of pretension.

  • @dfinlay587
    @dfinlay587 3 года назад

    Your shot of the church and the mountain... every time I see a shot like this I develop a sense of anticipation... I really want to see the top of that peak!

  • @PaulAmicucci
    @PaulAmicucci 2 года назад

    Thanks!

  • @lucaserikadams
    @lucaserikadams 5 месяцев назад

    Love it all. Thanks for all these photos. it's really helping me become a better...photographer.

  • @carolinezaramati9193
    @carolinezaramati9193 3 года назад +2

    A different and interesting approach to composition! Your examples helped me to understand what works and what doesn't .Thank you Nigel!

  • @brucefay5126
    @brucefay5126 3 года назад

    One of the tips (guidelines) I was introduced to years ago (by a very accomplished pro) was “watch the edges (of the frame)” which goes along with “pay attention to ‘negative space’ (the part of the image that is not the main subject or focal point). I think you do this (perhaps instinctively) in all of your images, but the boat house at 15:44 is an excellent example.

  • @davidhuth5659
    @davidhuth5659 3 года назад

    I'm watching this from the perspective of a landscape painter, not a photographer and found this extremely useful. Thanks for the great videos! This one was exceptionally good!

  • @dacrokmistakilla
    @dacrokmistakilla Год назад

    The photo with the church and the Mountain is incredibly powerful ! Love it !

  • @stephenbrasure4331
    @stephenbrasure4331 Год назад +1

    Great video! I think this is a very concise but comprehensive tutorial on creative landscape photography. At the same time, these "four rules" can be applied to other types of photography with comparable results. I've enjoyed many of your videos and thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise.

  • @sebidoo
    @sebidoo 3 года назад +1

    Thank you for your videos Nigel. I like how thorough you are at making sense of stuff that otherwise could be considered mainly subjective.

  • @bobtaylor364
    @bobtaylor364 3 года назад +5

    There are a number of similarities between golf and photography, golf looks really easy when you're on the tee, but when it's your turn your mind is in turmoil trying to remember all those 'rules' before you swing at the ball. Similar with photography, it's not as simple as just looking through the viewfinder, as Nigel has explained in this video! Thanks as always, some great tips!

  • @leiferikson5454
    @leiferikson5454 3 года назад

    The best way to know if I'm learning from your videos, every time, is trying to anticipate what you're going to say about the pictures. Looks like I'm slowly nailing it :D Great tips on this one!

  • @TheMekana100
    @TheMekana100 Год назад

    I like the picture on 16:46. At first glance I looked at it and though: "but there is nothing in it". And only then I started to look at the textures & listened to what Nigel sad, i I was like "yeah, that makes sense":D

  • @SaltLake180
    @SaltLake180 Год назад

    great video. once you Start following these rules, after a while you eye gets trained and you get your comps improved a lot.

  • @andrewmckinney7729
    @andrewmckinney7729 3 года назад +1

    Super intuitive and helpful, Nigel .... in a very non-complex way. Thanks!!!

  • @ericneeds8444
    @ericneeds8444 3 года назад

    Four excellent 'rules' or inspiring ways to view the world and our images. Thanks Nigel

  • @Zecteiro
    @Zecteiro 10 месяцев назад

    Really a great video, man. I am starting to study composition beyond the rule of thirds and your video really helped me. Thanks!

  • @ThePurpleHarpoon
    @ThePurpleHarpoon 2 года назад

    If you crop out the green stuff below the wall in the image at 11:47 , you get a much cleaner and simpler image.
    This gives more prominence to the tree, the star of the show.

  • @gdc4736
    @gdc4736 3 года назад

    2:13 wow! That picture looks like a concept art! Beautiful!

  • @markgerow9932
    @markgerow9932 3 года назад +1

    Thank you - these videos that touch on the aesthetic skills are so helpful. So easy to get stuck on the technical skills and forget to practice the artistic ones.

  • @banksofnoon7867
    @banksofnoon7867 2 года назад

    This is the best educational channel ever. And it is free.

  • @milighosh9489
    @milighosh9489 3 года назад

    Love the way you make your videos without any hyperbole! Thanks Nigel for this wonderful one!

  • @malundy
    @malundy Год назад

    Thank you, This is one of the most helpful videos about composition and it has changed how I look at scenes. I'm also looking at older images to see if I've inadvertently applied these "rules".
    I'm also interest what device you are using in your presentation.

  • @SteveZodiac777
    @SteveZodiac777 3 года назад

    Great video, thanks. I fall into the category of people that know what they like, but you have articulated why!

  • @andy_crane
    @andy_crane 3 года назад +1

    Great video Nigel. Always like when you show composition examples and when you demonstrate why they work or don't. I find this super helpful especially the way you walk us as viewers through them.

    • @NigelDanson
      @NigelDanson  3 года назад

      Glad it was helpful!

    • @Anon54387
      @Anon54387 2 года назад

      @@NigelDanson You should look up something called the steelyard principle. It has to do with balancing different "weights" of elements in the image. Picture a see-saw/teeter totter with a heavier weight near the fulcrum and a lighter weight on the other side farther away from the fulcrum. The point is if one has a more "massive" object near a dividing line in the image one should have a lighter one on the other side farther away from the dividing line. I picked this up in an oil painting instructional book. We don't have the freedom to "move" things around like oil painters do, but sometimes things in the real world align this way.

  • @truman4956
    @truman4956 2 года назад

    Thank you for your detailed and thorough explanation.

  • @valrion.photography
    @valrion.photography 3 года назад +3

    Thank you for the tips, Nigel. It's great to see a video with composition rules different than the common and well-known rule of thirds, golden number, etc. Your tips help to think better about the interactions of all the elements in one scene!

  • @hopoutside
    @hopoutside 2 года назад

    The image at 15:15...nice!

  • @lpark8
    @lpark8 Год назад +1

    Excellent video. Composition is so much more difficult, and rewarding, than technical mastery. Your conceptual approach is very helpful🙏😎

    • @Selrisitai
      @Selrisitai Год назад

      Composition _is_ technique, and requires technical mastery thereof.

    • @lpark8
      @lpark8 Год назад

      @@Selrisitai understood! No point talking about composition then 🙏

  • @alexgimagery
    @alexgimagery 3 года назад

    I really enjoyed this, it was very thorough and helpful. And surely rules aren't required, but having what you call flow does make for more appealing images that make one pause a bit longer.

  • @AndrewMacdonaldPhotography
    @AndrewMacdonaldPhotography 3 года назад

    Nice tip Nigel. Off to Iceland for the first time in February. Very excited for the shot and vlog possibilities there.

  • @JosephTrinh
    @JosephTrinh 3 года назад

    Not only a thumbs up for energy but yo also drop some words of Thank you for sharing tips!👍👍👍

  • @daviddye7743
    @daviddye7743 3 года назад

    Nigel another inspirational journey into your world. My frustration is none of the compositional skills work if the exposure is wrong. ETTR exposure compensation yes/no how much and so on. pefect composition in a foggy woodlands setting doesn't matter uf it's a grey scene if so.eone could find the time to show the decision process of exposure ETTR how much to add exposure compensation or not by how much. exposure stacking or not. we hear these recommendations but not in a systematic flow allowing understanding of the process
    looking forward to your next journey

  • @bobketteringham4779
    @bobketteringham4779 3 года назад

    Thank you. You have given me some things to think about to improve my photography.

  • @Surya-ev2dh
    @Surya-ev2dh 3 года назад

    Bro. You're one of the most underrated youtubers. And the songs u put are awesome.

  • @hylkeheidstra2274
    @hylkeheidstra2274 3 года назад +2

    Great video. It all seems so easy when you explain it. However when Im out there it is still hard to find those compositions that work. I mean there are many things in nature that are worth looking at but as such not a good composition. So how do you "detect" good compositions when you are out there? Woodland for example can be overwelming but you manage to create great looking photos from all the chaos.

  • @grahamegannon9708
    @grahamegannon9708 3 года назад

    These are great tips Nigel and I only wish I would put them into practice as when I get to a location as I just forget to apply them. Keep giving these tips to reinforce the importance of them and perhaps they will become second nature to us who watch your videos.

  • @alexx4450
    @alexx4450 7 месяцев назад

    Best tips ever, all this things I can adapt in environment art in my future games!

  • @VlogPhotography
    @VlogPhotography 3 года назад +1

    Great video Nigel. So many interesting and valid points raised in this video. I think depth is so important whie having a balance of elements to tell an interesting story through the image. Would love to see you cover black and white woodland photography as that is a challenge and would love to see your take on it. Thanks fort sharing Nigel.

  • @adventurecoalition3690
    @adventurecoalition3690 Год назад

    Great explanation with amazing examples 🙌Thx for sharing your expertise and knowledge, much appreciated 🙏

  • @kathleenlovack8228
    @kathleenlovack8228 2 года назад

    thank you for revitalising me to return to the photography i once loved. Age is only a number even a large one.

  • @rlfisher
    @rlfisher 3 года назад

    I like this practical, non-rulesy approach to composiiton.

  • @gunnarlade4689
    @gunnarlade4689 3 года назад

    It was very interesting for me, follow you through your explanation of the 4 rules...it seems you're showing us the heard and soul of the pictures you made. I learned a lot. Thank you.

  • @KookooruzArt
    @KookooruzArt Год назад

    Brilliant analysis! I really enjoyed listening to it. 💙

  • @annmacphetridge4895
    @annmacphetridge4895 2 года назад

    Brilliant advice and great examples of what works vs not. Thank you.

  • @mawavoy
    @mawavoy 3 года назад

    Thanks for another set of tips. May you have a joyous week.

  • @alwynwilliams2661
    @alwynwilliams2661 3 года назад

    More great advice . Shows just how benefficial it is to take your time and think things through. Cheers Nigel.

  • @colinosullivan930
    @colinosullivan930 3 года назад

    Really enjoyed this Nigel. Thank you

  • @davidgambin2551
    @davidgambin2551 3 года назад

    I’ve said this before, I’m not at all into landscape photography but your videos add so much to photography in general and I love your pictures as well, great advice, well done video, as usual a pleasure. I love your channel!!

  • @Ginette688
    @Ginette688 3 года назад

    I love your compositions. Thank you I am really learning a lot. I really thought the first one worked bc of the diagonal line going from right bottom corner to left top corner between the lake and the grass. I think the complementary colors of the warm orange on the bottom/left and the blue cool color on the top/right made it symmetrical or balanced . 🤷‍♀️ but I see how there was more on the left then the right too.

  • @ericreuter1994
    @ericreuter1994 3 года назад

    Thank you very much! Love ur enthusiasm!

  • @Danny_Roman.
    @Danny_Roman. 3 года назад

    Hey Nigel.. sound advice mate! Thanks. Have a good weekend , look forward to next video.

  • @bayleigh.winzenburg
    @bayleigh.winzenburg 3 года назад

    Love these helpful guideline/tips for composition. Atmospheric might be a word that could apply, relates to energy and movement of the outdoor elements. A term I picked up in watercolor painting.

  • @minus1db
    @minus1db 3 года назад

    Thank you so much for sharing as always loved it

  • @carolinef.7118
    @carolinef.7118 3 года назад

    Thanks Nigel, I really like your videos!

  • @sharvo6
    @sharvo6 Год назад

    Good guidance. Thank you for not yammering on about Rule of thirds, etc.

  • @artsilva
    @artsilva 3 года назад

    Composition practice is a lost art these days. Great video and one that every photographer new and experienced should watch. I as a shooter of 40 years view this as a reminder, refresher of What makes an image stand out from the rest. Thank you, as I am about to review my recent photos from the last few months.

  • @vijaym2752
    @vijaym2752 3 года назад

    Hi Nigel. Definitely making sense to me.

  • @nilswesterveld655
    @nilswesterveld655 3 года назад

    Best video on composition I‘ve seen in a while. Thanks a lot Nigel!

  • @texasal
    @texasal 3 года назад

    Very insightful! You did a great job of going back and analyzing your photos to come up with the 4 points. Thanks for your videos each week!

  • @dreamship563
    @dreamship563 3 года назад

    Gteat video as always. We learn something new every day. May I ask what drawing tablet do you use in the video? I plan to buy one for myself but dont know which wacom. I like the all in one 🙂 thank you. All the best.

  • @witoldmaj6538
    @witoldmaj6538 2 года назад

    Really great video. Thanks for sharing with knowledge.

  • @ingabett
    @ingabett 3 года назад

    Thank you for a great lesson! I prefer to say tools instead of rules, because sometimes it’s a good thing to break the rules but I’m not sure it’s the same with tools.

  • @saxmangeoff
    @saxmangeoff 3 года назад

    6:41 - a nice baseball infield to go with the San Francisco Giants hat. :-)

  • @jankopolo3875
    @jankopolo3875 3 года назад

    I love your videos and your advices, it always gives me so much, to my photography

  • @Mr.Mines_World
    @Mr.Mines_World 2 года назад

    im so glad i found your videos your explanations are superb

  • @vivienandre2875
    @vivienandre2875 3 года назад

    I am enjoying your masterclass II and this video could clearly be part of it. One of your best.

  • @abuus0646
    @abuus0646 2 года назад

    Such a well thought out video. Thank you

  • @jordanwood5530
    @jordanwood5530 3 года назад

    I really enjoyed this video. It had e taking notes! I hope to Implement some of this knowledge this weekend when I visit the lakes. I will be on the lookout for these elements!