Symmetry in Composition

Symmetry in art is an extremely powerful tool. If used with intention, it can greatly enhance a photo's composition.

In the photo below, I used a basic form of symmetry to draw the eye to the subject. Obviously, the cow's head is fairly symmetrical, but the placement of the wire fence across the face creates different subsections that pull the viewer's eye to different regions of the subject.

The eyes, one of the most important and apparent features of the face are framed by the barbed wire, which gives the cow more of a presence in the photo. The cow is looking at the viewer. And then as we travel down the face, the nose is split almost down the middle by another part of the fence, further emphasizing the symmetrical aspects of the nose.

Unless perfect symmetry is used for a very good reason, imperfect symmetry is a great way to focus the viewer's eye without making the image feel unnatural or inorganic. In some cases perfect symmetry can be used and then intentionally broken to draw the eye to the imperfections in the compositional rule. Here, the symmetry is not the theme of the photo but rather a tool to focus attention on the subject.