Visual tension is one of the advanced compositional techniques that can significantly elevate the level of your smartphone photography. Although the term might sound intimidating, it's actually quite achievable. Let's break down what visual tension is and cover 15 techniques to create it in your smartphone photography.

Definition: 
Visual tension is a compositional technique in photography where the elements within the frame are arranged in such a way as to create a sense of unease, anticipation, or emotional resonance. This challenges the viewer's expectations or perceptions and makes the photograph more engaging and impactful.

Importance in Smartphone Photography:
In the realm of smartphone photography, visual tension can set your photos apart. With the limited hardware capabilities of a smartphone, understanding elements like visual tension can give you a creative edge.

How It Differs From Standard Compositional Guidelines:
Traditional compositional techniques such as the rule of thirds, leading lines, and framing aim to create balance, harmony, and clarity in photos. Visual tension, on the other hand, is all about introducing elements that disrupt this balance and harmony to make your images more compelling.

1. Element Cropped Close to the Edge
Cutting Off Part of the photo

Example: A photo of an eye really close to the edge of the photo.

Key Points:
> Makes people wonder what else is in the photo and curious about what's outside the photo.
> Goes against and disrupts conventional framing methods that place subjects comfortably within the space.
> Creates anticipation, a feeling of rush, urgency or immediacy.
> Great for abstract photos where the usual rules don't matter.

2. Facing out of the frame

Example: A photo of a person looking intently outside the frame, as if watching something we can't see.

Key Points:
> Generates curiosity about what the subject is looking at or moving toward.
> Creates imbalance and tension through placement, especially when there's little to no active space in that direction.
> Useful in storytelling to suggest a narrative.
> Can evoke a sense of isolation or detachment, making the person look lonely or separate from others.

3. Upside Down

Example: Flip a reflection photo upside down.

Key Points:
> Challenges the viewer's innate understanding of gravity and balance. This disorienting technique engages the viewer by disturbing their sense of equilibrium.
> Adds complexity and confusion, making us look at it for longer.
> Forces a reevaluation of the scene.
> Forces us to see the scene in a new way.

4. Imbalance

Example: A photo with all subjects or objects placed in one corner, leaving the rest of the space empty.

Key Points:
> Purposefully off-balancing elements in the frame, whether through color, weight, or placement, creates a sense of instability.
> This challenges conventional techniques that seek balance, harmony and predictable layouts.
> Like all visual tension, it can make the viewer uneasy but engaged.
> Makes the photo feel unsteady and tilted. The viewer may even tilt their head to create the balance they innately desire.

5. Isolation

Example: A single tree in an otherwise empty field.

Explanation: Placing the subject in a vast, empty space can invoke feelings of loneliness, vulnerability, or insignificance, thereby adding tension to the photograph.

Key Points:
> Highlights the subject through emptiness.
> Works well with negative space to amplify the effect.
> Makes us feel lonely or small.
> Emphasizes the subject by surrounding it with nothing.

6. Triangular Composition

Example: A photograph of three people positioned to form a triangle.

Explanation: Using triangles as compositional elements can add dynamic structure and tension between points. A triangle formation that has a side positioned parallel to the bottom of the frame provides stability.

Key Points:
> Adds dynamic structure and balance.
> Makes our eyes move around the photo.
> Downward (inverted) or sideward-facing triangles induce geometric tension in the image
> Suits group shots or elements in nature.

7. Awkward Crop

Example: A portrait where the subject's head is partially cut off from the top.

This could be cutting off part of a face or for an abstract, it could be intersecting lines at odd angles.

Key Points:
> Challenges conventional composition rules of framing
> Adds tension by creating a sense of abruptness and discomfort by making the photo feel incomplete.
> Makes the viewer question the photographer's intent and wonder why the photo is taken this way

8. Broken Patterns

Example: A wall of bricks with one missing or colored differently.

Key Points:
> This plays on the viewer's natural expectations and desire for order and consistency.
> Introducing an element that disrupts a repetitive pattern creates an anomaly, generating tension.
> Can symbolize nonconformity, individuality, standing out or being different.
> Effective in architectural or nature photography.

9. Elevated Perspective

Example: An aerial shot of a crowd, making people look like ants.

Key Points:
> Shooting from a high angle and looking downwards reduces the subjects to create vulnerability and makes the subject, like people look small and less important and insignificant.
> Creates emotional complexity like a sense of detachment.
> Often achievable with drone photography.

10. Low Perspective

Example: A photo taken from ground level, looking up at a towering skyscraper.

Explanation: Conversely, shooting from a low angle makes the subject appear larger and more imposing. This is a shooting technique called keystoning.

Key Points:
> Makes the subject appear huge, important, imposing or monumental.
> Creaets awe or a feeling of threat.
> Distorts conventional perspectives and how we see things.
> Works well for subjects like tall buildings or statues.

11. Complex Geometry

Example: A shot of staircases crisscrossing from a unique angle.

Explanation: Using intersecting lines or complex shapes adds dynamic tension by creating multiple points of interest

Key Points:
> Challenges viewer's focus with multiple points of interest.
> No starting point for viewers to follow.
> This is an example where you cannot have a visual anchor because it creates a starting point that the viewer will just become transfixed on.
> Popular in architectural photography.

12. Harsh Shadows

Example: A portrait taken with strong, hard lighting, casting deep shadows on the face or a streetscape with large shadow areas, void of any detail.

Key Points:
> Makes the subject more enigmatic (difficult to interpret or understand - mysterious).
> Strong shadows that can add drama and visual tension.
> Effective when shooting during midday sun or with strong artificial lights.
> Makes the subject mysterious. Works well during the bright midday sun or with strong lights.

13. Selective Focus

Example: A flower in sharp focus with a completely blurred background.

Explanation: Isolating focus on a specific subject while leaving other elements in the frame blurred creates sensory dissonance (lack of harmony). Makes the background confusing and attention-grabbing causing tension as the viewer questions what is crucial and what is inconsequential in the image.

Key Points:
> Draws attention sharply to one element.
> Creates sensory tension through blurring.
> Popular in macro and portrait photography.

14. Color Dissonance

Example: A still life with clashing colors like red and green placed closely together.

Explanation: Using colors that clash in contrast creates visual discomfort, heightening tension.

Key Points:
> Creates visual discomfort.
> Adds emotional impact.
> Evokes strong reactions from the viewer.
> Effective in abstract or staged photography.

15. Intruding Elements

Example: A serene nature shot with a piece of litter in the foreground.

Explanation: Including elements that appear to be out of place or disrupt the scene's harmony increases tension. This challenges the viewer's expectations and assumptions about what should belong in the image.

Key Points:
> Breaks the peaceful feeling and adds conflict.
> Makes us question what should be in the photo.
> Adds more depth to the story.
> Good for making a statement or talking about issues.

Pre-Visualization: Before you even take your phone out to snap a photo, try to imagine what you want the picture to look like. This helps you figure out which techniques to use for creating that tension in your shot.

Experimentation: Don't be afraid to try new things! Take lots of pictures using different techniques. You won't know what works best unless you try a variety of styles and approaches.

Post-Processing: After you take the picture, you can still make changes using photo editing apps. This is your chance to tweak colors, shadows, or even crop the photo to make it more exciting.

Studying Other Works: Take some time to look at pictures taken by other people. This can help you get new ideas and understand what makes a photo stand out. Look at photos that you like and even some that you don't, and try to figure out why.

Obtaining Feedback: Share your photos with friends, family, or online groups to get their thoughts. Hearing what other people like or don't like about your pictures can be really helpful for improving your skills. The monthly Zoom calls inside the Smartphone Photography Club is a great way to obtain some more objective, independent feedback.

Remember, the goal is to make your photos more engaging and memorable by adding that element of tension. So keep practicing, and don't forget to have fun with it!