Composition is the arrangement of visual elements within a design. It covers where things go, how big they are, and how they relate to each other. A photograph, a poster, a webpage, a painting: each has a composition, whether the maker thought about it or not. Good composition guides the eye, creates balance, and makes the message clear. Bad composition leaves the viewer uncertain where to look.

Composition draws on principles like balance, contrast, hierarchy, alignment, and proximity. It also involves the frame itself. What is included and what is left out? Where are the edges? A tightly cropped portrait feels intimate. A wide shot with the subject small in the frame feels lonely or expansive. Photographers and designers often use the rule of thirds, placing key elements along imaginary lines that divide the frame into a 3 by 3 grid. The rule is a starting point, not a law.

Elements of composition

• Balance and visual weight.
• Contrast and focal point.
• Scale and proportion.
• Line, shape, and negative space.

Composition is not decoration. It is the structure that holds a design together and determines how the viewer experiences it.