What this Class is all About

Compose on purpose. A simple frame + flow system to decide what belongs in your shot and where the eye goes next.

Across two tightly connected lessons, we’ll demystify framing (what you include, exclude, and how the frame itself changes emotion) and direction (how lines, light, shapes, and movement guide the eye). You’ll learn tested ways to create depth, place subjects with intention, align forms to your frame, leverage negative space, and edit with purpose so your images read the way you want them to be read.

This class is led by Richard Goodwin-Wilcox, a commercial food and product photographer working across advertising and branding, with a parallel practice in travel and landscape photography for editorial and print. His teaching blends a clear artistic philosophy with hands-on technique always anchored to what actually happens on a real job.

As Richard puts it, “Composition is the artistic arrangement of visual elements,” and it only matters if it changes how your viewer feels and reads the image.

312
Students Enrolled
4.9/5
Star Rating
100%
Recommends

By the end of this class, you'll leave with a repeatable workflow for framing and directing attention: how to choose aspect ratios, place subjects, use space and lines, create depth, and finish the story in edit so your images feel intentional, read clearly, and carry emotion on purpose.

This Class is Perfect for...

Beginners with camera basics

You understand exposure, focus, and how to use your camera, but composition still feels like guesswork.

Early-stage shooters

You’re shooting often and starting to see your own style forming, but you want your photos to read more clearly and connect visually.

Intermediate creators

You’ve nailed the technical side and are now pursuing refinement, such as greater control, stronger visual flow, and a deeper sense of what makes an image yours.

What You'll Learn in this Class

Course Overview

Framing Techniques to Strengthen Your Composition

Introduction

Watch demo

Photography Composition

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

The Frame

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Aspect Ratios

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Space

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Placing Your Subject

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Grounding: Foreground, Middleground and Background

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Frame Within a Frame

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Frame Alignment

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Using What We Learned

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Direction: How to Lead the Viewer's Eye

Introduction

Watch demo

Composition

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Implied Direction

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Lines

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Shape

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Eyeline

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Light for Direction

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Pattern

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Movement

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Motion Blur

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Space in Direction

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Tension

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Editing for Direction

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Application

SIGN UP TO GET ACCESS

Join Us Today!

Price
$99/year
(this course comes together with our main membership)

Frequently Asked Questions

Still not sure? Find answers to your questions here...

No. Use the camera you already have, DSLR, mirrorless, or compact. Keep it simple: one camera and a standard lens (a 50 mm is perfect). We recommend using Adobe Lightroom, but you can edit in any software you already use.

Richard is a working pro across two worlds: commercial food & product for ads and branding, and landscape & travel for editorial and print. That mix gives him studio precision and on‑location instincts. He also sells his travel/landscape work as prints and is known for a clean, graphic style with strong negative space.

The class is an exclusive offering for the Great Big Photography World community. Once you're a member, simply log in to your account and navigate to the Prime Classes tab on the left-side menu. From there, you can access the class and watch online at your own pace on any device. If you need assistance, our support team is always here to help.

Joining is simple! Visit our join page at https://greatbigphotographyworld.com/join/ and follow the on-screen instructions to sign up. Once you are a member, you will gain access to exclusive content and classes, including all community features that connect you with fellow photography enthusiasts.

Prime Classes are standalone lessons, usually up to one hour long, designed to give you focused insight into a specific topic or technique. In contrast, our challenges and full courses are curriculum-based and made up of multiple lessons that guide you through a broader subject step by step.