Composition | Leave Room for Movement

Whenever we move, whether that’s walking, riding a bike, or driving- we try to progress in a direction where there’s space. Otherwise, boom! We crash. A photo is no different. If we don’t leave room for the subject in the direction they’re moving they’ll appear to crash into the edge of the photo, creating an awkward tension when viewing.

The same is true for subjects who are looking in a certain direction. To avoid compositional awkwardness or over-weighting of one side, be sure to place more open space ahead of the subject than behind. In other words, you’ll want to place the subject on the opposite side from the direction their moving (or looking).

In the image below, the subject is walking down the beach to the right so Troy placed him on the left of the frame, providing ample space for the subject to continue moving and the viewer to not feel restricted.

Photo Credit: @troybradfordphotos