Guidelines for Advanced Composition and Image Design
Compositional Balance
Text and images copyright Arthur Morris, all rights reserved

Always strive for compositional balance, the manner in which the elements of an image relate to one another. A bird in the lower right corner might balance a blossom in the upper right. A flock of birds on one side of the frame may balance a stand of reeds on the other. Similarly, blocks of light or dark background colors may balance each other. The empty or negative space in an image also affects the balance of an image.

When changing the juxtaposition of the subject and another element of composition, compositional balance should be the primary concern. If a gull is placed on the horizontal centerline 1/4 of the way in from the left frame-edge, strive to place the rock or the shell, for example, on the horizontal centerline 1/4 of the way in from the right frame-edge. If a goldfinch is placed in the upper right third of a vertical composition, try to place the large, colorful flower or leaf in the lower left third. Etcetera!

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