Study compositions from other great photographers you admire, break them down, and aspire to take your own compositions to the next level!
Some inspiration from Garry Winogrand:
1. Shoot head-on
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/829AE43A-7D5E-450D-BDE5-75865BC94A47-1500x2000.jpeg?resize=1500%2C2000&ssl=1)
When shooting, get directly in front of whoever you’re photographing. The effect is the photo feels far more dynamic — almost as if the subject will collide directly with you, the viewer!
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/9EC81A39-E910-4C61-9988-47E8417A3D58.gif?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/F7D8A58C-DD7C-4DBB-BE87-E2FC20086EC9.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/B05CD55B-3B8E-400C-BB31-AFA7F102AEEE.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/41FE6B44-8781-496A-9435-BB4257CE46C3.jpeg?ssl=1)
2. Get close, shoot vertically (28mm)
Walk directly around people, to shoot more head-on (cutoff technique).
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3A8EC4A0-00AA-4F21-BCF0-184878363B8D.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/6DC8D84E-562A-4EEF-995C-1CDD0DA5DC44.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/8C1DEBC6-4722-4B8E-B4EB-33A43C6553E2.gif?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/37009B10-959F-4E25-8633-31289A870F8E.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/29260315-EF28-4A02-BC91-657FDE13F590.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/07C68A35-0978-4B00-AD4D-FD7E41F820AA.jpeg?ssl=1)
3. Shoot from behind someone’s shoulder, get close
Note the sharp light, the faces of both subjects, and 4 subjects in frame.
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2D88E9E6-CA49-468C-A242-CF84D3947AD9.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/127ABC59-A885-4174-8A41-B5A080643E33.jpeg?ssl=1)
4. Hand gesture across the frame, and faces
When you see an interesting hand gesture, get close and get the hand gesture to move across the frame!
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/07B9F8CC-502E-4454-8A8E-EEF52E3CEEA3.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/F658FF8B-0B03-4398-88D8-A525D9921929.gif?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/5E803E31-7C69-4F47-BBBB-59C4FB25725F.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/88217357-EA1E-4B20-9992-6C625563B3AA.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/A59083F0-098F-4E43-AED0-EFEA9E67A8C4.jpeg?ssl=1)
5. Surreal urban landscape
One of my favorite Winogrand photos. Note how the child pops out from the background, and the intentionally far distance.
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/060A04EE-0158-461F-8E8C-3B2A8CA8DBE4.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ABA5C5F1-9D58-454F-9A08-A2E6E95FAC61.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/30B241D7-18B5-4736-A261-4A6A52F53594.gif?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/6A7F7276-4245-468D-9CE6-2EB6F36FD36A.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/25473882-2F3F-4E3C-802D-89D7854B916C.jpeg?ssl=1)
6. Lots of action, get close to the action, and capture hand gestures and the curve of human bodies (into the background).
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/B9CE768D-CD1C-43D9-8F51-7683D619015D.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/19080875-321D-453F-BD9C-6403EC7C24B4.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/C1CF9FAA-21D4-4E06-B98E-26A8F42F1C5D.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/6074D19A-7A4A-46E4-970C-299760FE9066.gif?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2DEFE3A8-EDB4-41B2-91D4-D7A1A4A3C8DD.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/7B3A0E4A-CECC-4225-8AFC-2B5B6559FC37.jpeg?ssl=1)
7. Flash scene, get close to the action
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/828AC901-CB64-42B1-86EB-D185843308D0.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/C1237364-2FD0-4237-8CE6-C00D0FF23518.gif?ssl=1)
Shoot at balls or any other fun indoor events. Note all the interesting faces of the people, the direction they’re looking.
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/1D179283-293E-478E-988B-D5BD2E8D0531.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/0E16B0A7-2C44-4831-B493-F5CBEC839141.jpeg?ssl=1)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/677712D9-EFCC-4784-86E9-213A8ACBB264.jpeg?ssl=1)