Outdoor Photography How To

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, "There are too many rules of grammar up with which to put." And the same holds true for photography rules, especially with regard to composition. Instructor Ian Worth admits that a few of these familiar notions can help frame an image, as long as you understand when they're advisable and when they should be ignored.

Worth is a notable landscape photographer based in Wales who posts weekly "laid-back" behind-the scenes adventures that share practical tips to help others emulate his work and capture stunning in the field. The topic of today's discussion is the validity of a concept known as "Clean Edges" or "Edge Awareness."

According to this familiar slice of conventional wisdom you should carefully analyze the  perimeter of the frame and always remove any elements that could pull attention away from the primary subject. It's true that in certain situations this approach will improve an image by eliminating distracting clutter. But there are also times when more introspection is warranted.

Worth demonstrates why consistently adhering to this rule will challenge the originality of your work. The episode begins by illustrating why clean edges can be very effective. Then he flips the script by pulling up a few dynamic images that demonstrate five reasons when this technique may be counterproductive, and why you "may want ignore this rule altogether."

The point is that a strict adherence to the Edge Awareness rule "can make our images feel predictable and lack a sense of creativity." That’s why ignoring this rule, depending upon the specific scene at hand, will actually enhance the composition and impact of an image by following Worth's advice.

Worth's thoughtful commentary and striking imagery reveal the power of his techniques far more effectively than we can summarize them here, so pay close attention and see if you agree. Then head out in the field over the weekend and shoot several images with and without applying the composition rules discussed above. You just may be surprised by the results you're able to achieve.

Then take a look at Worth's instructional YouTube channel where you'll find a wide variety of helpful tips and techniques, along with an occasional discussion about controversial issues.

And be sure to watch a tutorial we featured recently with another accomplished pro who discusses the concept of Time Blending and demonstrates when, why, and how to use it for creating outdoor photographs with perfect exposure and pleasingly balanced tones.