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The Art of Composition: Six Rules for Podcasters
Want to dramatically improve your podcast videos without spending a dime on new equipment? The secret might be hiding in plain sight: composition.
For anyone struggling to make their podcast videos look more professional, this episode breaks down six essential composition rules that can transform your visual approach. Dan Craft and Brooke Galligan dive into practical applications specifically designed for podcast studios, where cameras are typically stationary and setups remain consistent.
The rule of thirds emerges as the foundation of good framing, with Brooke emphasizing that subjects should always look into the frame rather than away from it—a simple adjustment that immediately elevates visual storytelling. Leading lines, simplicity through depth of field, effective framing, and strategic use of negative space round out the fundamental principles that anyone can apply, regardless of their equipment limitations.
What makes this episode particularly valuable is the practical perspective. As Brooke notes from her background in documentary filmmaking, these aren't just abstract concepts but tools for manipulating what viewers see and feel. The hosts share their own studio challenges (including an hour spent deciding where to mount cameras and their ongoing battle with rolling chairs) while demonstrating how even fixed-camera setups can implement these principles effectively.
Whether you're just starting your podcast journey or looking to refresh an established show, these composition techniques offer a way to immediately enhance your visual presentation without technical complexity. Remember the final rule they share: understand the guidelines thoroughly so when you break them, you do so with purpose and creative intent. Your viewers will notice the difference.
If you've been wondering why your podcast videos feel "off" despite decent equipment, give these composition techniques a try and watch how quickly your visual storytelling transforms.
welcome back everybody. I'm dan craft brooke galligan over here and you're with autofocus from podcast videos. One more time, yeah, here we go. We're not talking about cows today nope, not gonna. Yeah, we're not gonna talk about cows that's gonna make a lot more sense if we release these episodes in the right order yeah we are talking, though, about composition and the how many rules that well, this is the top six.
Speaker 2:There's a lot of rules of composition, but I think this is these are the top six that apply to podcast studios. What we do here, um yeah, so really we just want to talk about just uh, you know, this is like photography basics, like if you've done like a photography class or like a video class, like these are like the basics that you learn when you're setting up a shot. But you know, it's always good to have a refresher, and especially when you're going into stuff like what we do with, like an interview, like how do you set up the shot, how do you make it engaging and how do you, you know, make it not awkward?
Speaker 1:How do you choose where to mount the cameras on the wall in the studio? Yeah, we might have spent about an hour on that earlier today we did.
Speaker 2:Yes, well, there was also a thermostat in the way, so we had to come up with an alternative plan, but we made it but right.
Speaker 1:So this is good for a refresher for anybody who's been doing it, good for anybody who's changing their look, good for beginners.
Speaker 2:And these rules basically will apply to photo, still photography or video yeah, okay, yeah, because all the examples are photos, because we don't have time to watch random videos in uh in a presentation. So you're welcome, all right.
Speaker 2:So here we are keep it simple, keep it yeah here's one of the main rules, so this is the one that we use in the studio all the time, um, and this one is rule of thirds. So the rule of thirds is really great because you want to have, you know, you don't want everybody right in the center all the time, you know especially you know it's like it's just, it's a little more engaging and you also get to see what else is going on in the scene, and so it's not just so like everybody in the center all the time. And so the rule of thirds is really you just divide the frame into nine equal parts, using two horizontal lines and two vertical lines, and then you place the main subject along the lines at their intersections for the more dynamic balance. Look, and one of the tricks that's not-.
Speaker 1:Tick tock toe for shooting yeah. So you want to, you know, and like yeah, this girl, like you know, you see the you can see the lines and the girl is, you know, on the right side and she, uh, she, she wins, she's up and down that line.
Speaker 2:Yeah, her eyes are right across that line now, if we take, and then she won tic-tac-toe, what they're looking at with us.
Speaker 1:the tv is going to be kind of along that upper line horizontally, where we're going to be down near that lower third right, and then, generally speaking, I'm going to be at this intersection, you're going to be at that intersection. Yes In the frame you're looking at out here.
Speaker 2:So one of the things that's really important to remember when you're putting in together like a rule of thirds is that your subject has to be looking into the frame. And that is the most important part, because if they're looking out of the frame, the viewer is like wondering what they're looking at. They're like what am I missing? The. The viewer is like wondering what they're looking at. They're like what am I missing? Like what's over there? You know, because if you're, if you have them looking out of the frame and they're, and then there's all this negative space that's not being used, um, they're gonna be like what? Like what am I looking at? Like what's going on over there, and so, like it's, it's, that's, that's like. That's the main trick that's not on this slide is just make sure, when you set it up, if the person is looking into the frame and not out of the frame.
Speaker 1:Now you can be on or contrary and cheat a little bit. If she was looking toward the outside edge of that frame, you might do that on purpose to set it up. If you were going to move that whole frame to show what was going on that way, if you're going to pan in that direction and all of a sudden she'd be looking this way from this side of the frame as the frame moves, that might be a trick, but that's a far more advanced version of yeah, we don't do cinematic stuff here, podcast video.
Speaker 2:So I was focusing on like stuff here. Like we're not no, we don't, because we want to make it easy. So the cameras are mounted to the wall and they don't move. So our persons come in, they set it and then they, then they walk out the door. So if you have like a videographer that's behind the camera, that's moving and and and keeping up with what what's- a dynamic shot yeah, yeah, it's all been framed and measured out and everybody knows what they're supposed to be doing.
Speaker 1:So what's fun is she? She will mention that the cameras are mounted the wall and they don't move. Nothing bugs her more than the fact that these chairs.
Speaker 2:I do hate the chairs. The chairs Are on wheels.
Speaker 1:Yes, she doesn't want me or anyone else moving like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we don't, we don't, we like this yes, stay close to the mic, because we have a whole other episode about why you should stay close to the mic.
Speaker 1:Is this close enough? Yes, okay.
Speaker 2:Enough of our Banter.
Speaker 1:I mean sniping.
Speaker 2:Yeah, rule number two Leading lines. And so use the lines, use the environment around you to create a really good composition. Use the lines to lead into what's going on. Same rule applies If you're going to have leading lines, have the person walking into the lines, not away from the lines. Rule applies if you're going to have leading lines, have the person walking into the lines, not away from the lines.
Speaker 2:But, yeah, it's a you just you know there's always like whatever is is around you, especially if you're out in like a, like an urban setting, or even in a in a natural setting, like out outside, like you can just just take a second look at what the environment is doing and then use that to your advantage. You know you can find the lines, see like what's going on, and so you can really you can really just like make or break a photo by using, use, just by taking these lines and just really like using it. Um, what we do kind of here for our leading lines is definitely, you know, using the lines of like the lights and the and the tvs and things like that. Uh, we don't use it a lot in this studio, but you know we don't.
Speaker 1:They're fairly static.
Speaker 2:But this is just a really, really great way, especially if you're out and about and you're filming in, like in an environmental setting where you're kind of like in like a coffee shop, or if you're in like a field, even like you can really start using like there's like always fences that are tree lines tree lines, all of that.
Speaker 1:You can use that all as leading lines okay now, before we get off this one, though, we that is not a straight up and down line like the tic-tac-toe we were looking at, but you can take the rule of thirds in this and almost tweak or skew that same tic-tac-toe line, but you're looking at it like this and like this now, instead of an up and down side to side, correct?
Speaker 2:kind of, but it's. You want to make sure that it doesn't look like she's falling down either, like you don't want to like. So I think that's why diagonal lines are, like you, really good leading lines, because they're leading into the person, but you want to have make sure that the subject isn't like tilted in a weird way so it doesn't look like they should be like falling off or something. Yeah, so they're not Humpty Dumpty.
Speaker 1:These, these looks she's given me. Occasionally, when I say things like that, one of us has a degree in documentary film and I'll give you a hint.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm trying to visualize what you're saying. I'm trying to like this is me trying to visualize like I'm like you just said stuff and I'm trying to put it together in my mind what you said and I'm like, yeah, yeah, you can.
Speaker 1:This is a common occurrence. For me it does.
Speaker 2:It happens, it's okay, it's okay.
Speaker 1:Let's just move on to rule number three.
Speaker 2:Simplicity. So another thing you want to keep the frame simple If there's a lot of stuff going on in the background and like, and you can even have a busy back background, but that's why you use a telephoto lens and that's when it when. When that's when you're going to start looking at that depth of field and that's probably what this was called is like, that depth of field is where, when you can have, like, a person in focus but the background is blurry, that's a really great way to kind of simplify the subject and make sure that the camera and the viewer's eyes stays on the subject, and then you just want to make sure that they don't get distracted by what's going on behind them, unless that's part of the purpose.
Speaker 1:But if you've got a super busy background, that's an easy way to soften it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's depth of field, it's just like, basically, it's like you just have your, when you, when you have a lens and you zoom it in, it's going to only focus on, like what you focus on and then make everything else really out of focus in the background. And that's a really good way to basically simplify and like focus the viewer's eye on what you want them to see.
Speaker 1:And so that's I mean, if you were shooting, say, a huge pan across a mountain range.
Speaker 2:You would want much deeper depth fields to see up close and the peaks. Yeah, yeah, you want to. Yeah, it's like, if it's a wide angle shot, you want it, but if it's one of those where you're like it's all about manipulating the scene to make the viewer see what you want them to see and feel what you want them to feel, and so this is a really good rule and it's just a, it's a standard that makes you it just. This is what you do to really like make people focus on what you want them to focus on.
Speaker 1:Okay, we're halfway there, guys.
Speaker 2:Yeah, look at that framing. I love this one. Like our wide shot is a is a good frame kind of thing, cause we have the TV and the lights and we try to keep everything symmetrical. But it's also, you know again, when you're out and about, if you're in an urban setting or even in a in like a nature setting, you're using the environment around you to frame a photo and just kind of make it really interesting. It's really just an element to like, add, you want to just basically add, you know, just some sort of like it's symmetry and just making the view like pleasurable to other people.
Speaker 2:The people seeing it are like, oh, that's cool. I see that, you know, and so that's why I really like framing. And whenever I worked at the newspaper, I would always try to like frame things around like you see something cool, I would see the frame and then I would just like wait for the action to come in to walk into the frame, instead of like trying to force it, and so that's a, that's. That's another trick. You know it's like if you, especially if you're doing street photography um, find something that's cool and then you just wait for the action to happen, um, and that, that that that always leads to really good photos.
Speaker 1:So okay, I like that one, and true, in video as well, obviously.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, yeah. I mean you just basically set the camera up and you're like this is a really cool scene, and then you just wait for people. And see what happens. Yeah, you know. Or if you're making a film, that's when you guide it. You cue your people into the frame. Yep.
Speaker 1:Okay, so Cool, okay so Cool, that's four.
Speaker 2:Five Negative space. I love this one. This is one that a lot of people don't use. She loves them all. I do love them all because they're wonderful rules, but I love negative space.
Speaker 2:I used to use this one all the time because sometimes, like, people get in real tight right and they want you to see, like exactly what they, what you like. You know, they're like like see this, but if you really simplify that back background and you zoom all the way out, it really gives a wider and a better story, you know. And so, like, if you were zoomed in on this guy with his swords, it's still pretty cool, but like you wouldn't know, like where he was right. You know, you're like, you're like I don't even know. You know. You're like he is in like an open field, like you know, like you know, during the day, like clouds covered, maybe it's about to rain on him, it like opens up this whole other story. And so, like, using the negative space and using, just like, the environment around you to like elevate the story and to just add different, like just basically add different elements to make it, you know, just easier.
Speaker 1:This can have to do with sizing your frame. Do you want this guy to be 90% of your frame, like the first picture we had very close in with the woman, or do you want him to be an aspect of a much broader yeah, and when you're filming and you're cutting things together, you're going to basically use all of it, but don't forget and they call it the establishing shot, so don't forget the establishing shots.
Speaker 2:And that's really where the negative space comes, comes in, and so, like you know, you're this one uses, like rule of thirds as well, as you know, negative space and so, uh, because you see he's on the tic-tac-toe line so negative cloud so it's not exactly rule of thirds.
Speaker 2:So you're using like you're. You can combine them all together basically, but you want to like it's good to have an establishing shot. So like it establishes, like where, like this is where this guy is. Like he's in a field, it's sunny, there's clouds rolling, you know, maybe it's going to rain later. Now you know where he is, it establishes the field and now you can zoom in and do the closer shots.
Speaker 1:And really worry about whether he's going to have rusty swords.
Speaker 2:I mean, yeah, it depends on where the story takes you.
Speaker 1:So you can use all five of these things. And then we have to incorporate rule number six, which of course is there are no rules, it's art.
Speaker 2:There is nothing. There's no rules. There's no rules. There's no rules when it comes to art.
Speaker 1:um, but it is important to note that these are guidelines, so throughout everything we just said I'm an art major.
Speaker 2:I was, you know. That was like the first thing they tell you these. They're like here's all the main rules and there aren't rules, it's art. Um. But you do need to have a very solid understanding of the guidelines and of the rules. So when you are taking them and you're and're and you're changing them and you're trying to break the rules, you're doing it with purpose and you're doing it for a reason and you're not just doing it and it is not and it will look cool but it's like it's not going to be, like you're not doing it because you don't want it to look like you're uneducated and you didn't. You were breaking the rules because you didn't know what you were doing. You want to break the rules with purpose and you want to make it look obvious that you broke the rules for a reason.
Speaker 1:I had a friend in college and he was an art side major photo video and he said that the biggest difference was whatever you frame it, however you do it, whichever rules you break or don't. If the story you put behind your image or your video has to be true, it's journalism. If the story you put behind it is whatever you say it is, then it's art.
Speaker 2:There you go.
Speaker 1:That's not the exact phrase he used, but we're not going to use that one.
Speaker 2:Exactly yeah.
Speaker 1:So pretty simple way to explain it is yeah, you know, it's just.
Speaker 2:I mean, at the end of the day, this is an art. Um, you know, photography and video is the art of light, and so you are. You know you can take light and subjects and framing and all of these things, and you're manipulating the scene around you to make people see what you want them to see. You know, because you know if we're in the room together and we see things very differently from each other, but, like these people, the people that are viewing this, this wonderful video, they can only see what we put on the screen. So you're welcome, so it is, so it's. It's a it's. You know you are. It's an art, it's a manipulation. You are just, you're in it, but it's in your, but you're doing it with purpose, as if you're going to break the rules.
Speaker 1:Do it with purpose so follow all the the rules, but anarchy.
Speaker 2:Understand the rules and the guidelines and when you want to break them, break them with purpose. I'm not saying, if you want to like when you want to, because you always do.
Speaker 1:Now, that's a great wrap up. This is Autofocus. I'm Dan Craft, that's Brooke Galligan. Break the rules.