Composition and Visual Expression
Composition and Visual Expression tests how you arrange a picture so the eye moves purposefully and the mood matches the subject. Expect questions on focal point, balance, leading lines, viewpoint, cropping, negative space and expressive use of colour and line.
Rules
Place the main subject off-centre, often near a third intersection. Use leading lines, contrast or isolation to create one focal point. Balance visual weight rather than counting objects. Keep the horizon away from the exact middle unless deliberate. Crop to remove irrelevant edges and avoid tangents where lines just touch. Negative space should shape the subject, not look left over.
Worked example
Compose a market scene. Reasoning: put the main vendor at a third intersection; let the path lead from the lower corner toward the stall; group buyers so they overlap without merging faces; simplify the background with cooler, lower-contrast shapes; reserve the brightest accent for the vendor's produce. The path provides movement, the crowd provides rhythm, and the quiet background prevents clutter.
Traps
Centring every subject; creating several equal focal points; letting figures merge into poles or edges; splitting the format with a central horizon; filling every space; using strong colour everywhere so nothing stands out.