Analogous Colors — colors next to each other on the color wheel (i.e. blue and green)
Complimentary Colors — colors opposite each other on the color wheel (i.e. purple and yellow)
Asymmetry — sides of a composition do not reflect each other
Symmetry — mirroring; when an image is perfectly balanced
Background — what is furthest away
Middle-ground — typically the focal point of an image
Foreground — what is directly in front; typically commands the most attention
Camera Angle — the way/direction a camera held when photographing an object
Cool Colors — green, blue, purple
Warm Colors — red, orange, yellow
Depth of Field — how much of the image is in focus
Diagonal lines (and their impact) — often give a feeling of being unsettled, like it’s not grounded. adds a dynamic quality
Filling the Frame — leaving little to no negative space
Focal Point — where a viewer’s eye tends to go first
Framing Element — an object in a photograph that is meant to help give emphasis to another part of the image
Horizon Line (and where to place it) — typically placed at the bottom 1/3 of the image
Juxtaposition — how to objects next to each other communicate and give each other context
Leading Lines — help guide the viewer’s eyes around a composition
Line — help define edges of shapes and forms
Negative Space — “resting” area in a composition
Positive Space — “active” space in a composition; typically gets the most attention
Pattern — the repetition of a design
Texture — the way a surface feels or looks like it will feel
“Rule” of Thirds — placing objects in a image along 3x3 grid lines and points of intersection ; meant to make an image more dynamic
Scale — the size of objects in a image
Value — the lights and darks in an images
Value Contrast — the ratio between lights, darks, and middle tones