Compositional Elements in Photography

1. Line

1.1. Leading

1.2. Vertical

1.3. Horizontal

1.4. Jagged

1.5. Diagonal

1.6. Curved

2. Shape

2.1. Silhouettes

3. Form

3.1. Side lighting

3.2. Three dimensional

4. Contrast

4.1. Light

4.2. Dark

4.3. Shadows

4.4. Highlights

5. Symmetry

5.1. Horizontal

5.2. Vertical

5.3. Radial

5.4. Reflective

6. Rule of Thirds

6.1. Subjects are placed on points in a frame

6.1.1. Intersecting points draws interest

6.1.2. Point 1 helps to hold a viewers interest

6.1.3. Points 2 and 3 are thought provoking

6.1.4. Point 4 suggests strength and confidence

6.2. Frame is divided horizontally or vertically

7. Texture

7.1. Details of objects

7.1.1. Bark on a Tree

7.1.2. Brick detail

7.1.3. Moss

7.1.4. Raised edges of wood

8. Pattern

8.1. Geometric Shapes

8.1.1. Circle

8.1.2. Squares

8.1.3. Triangles

8.2. Breaking a Pattern

8.3. Repeating Patterns

9. Color

9.1. Supplmentary

9.1.1. Next to each other on color wheel

9.1.1.1. Red and Red Orange

9.1.1.2. Blue green and Green

9.2. Complentary

9.2.1. opposites on the color wheel

9.2.1.1. Red and green

9.2.1.2. Violet and Yellow

9.2.1.3. Blue and Orange

9.3. Warm colors

9.3.1. Yellows

9.3.2. Reds

9.3.3. Orange

9.4. Cool colors

9.4.1. Blue

9.4.2. Green

9.4.3. Violet