One of the best ways to learn about photographic composition is to look at what other photographers do. By watching how they frame their motive, how they place their main subject in the frame, how they use colors, texture, lines, shapes and distance to compose their shots. By beginning to notice these details, you can quickly begin to develop a consciousness of what combinations and use of photographic elements that works for you. This consciousness will improve your ability to see motives in previously uninteresting objects and aid you in deciding how to approach difficult motives and over time help you develop your own distinct style.

Everywhere pictures are involved there is an opportunity to watch and learnOnce you start looking for it, you will experience that the opportunities to study picture composition are not only limited to traditional photographs. Everywhere pictures are involved there is an opportunity to learn. While watching TV try paying attention to how the pictures in the news, documentaries, sitcoms, commercials and even cartoons are composed. When you go to the movies, observe how the cinematographer compose the pictures. Some cinematographers are pure geniuses at what they are doing and the movies they shoot are, from a photographic perspective, small masterpieces. If you ever get the chance I suggest that you spend an evening watching the film "Maria Larssons Everlasting Moment" by the Swedish director and cinematographer Jan Troell. This is an example of one such masterpiece.

Another good source of inspiration is news photography. Often photojournalists are faced with the challenge of having to make photos of everyday situations interesting. This unfortunately leads to tons of boring and utterly uninteresting photos, but luckily there are also master photographers that go over the edge to make these everyday situations interesting and to add new life and detail to the situation. One place to view the works of these master photographers is on Magnum Photos website. Magnum Photos is a photographic cooperative founded in 1947. Over the years they have succeeded in attracting some of the best photographers in the world and on their website you can see a list of the photographers and see examples of their work.

One of the photographers that have inspired me the most is one of the co-founders of Magnum, Henri Cartier-Bresson. Henri Cartier-Bresson is by many regarded as one of the fathers of modern photo journalism and from 1930 up to his death in 2004 he shot numerous photos all over the world. If you ever get to Paris (in France) the museum run by the HCB foundation is well worth a visit. Until then you can enjoy some of his work on the "Photography-Now" website.

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