How to Improve Composition in Your Photographs

For all intents and purposes, composition is everything when it comes to your photographs. Without good composition, your photo becomes a mediocre snapshot with no idea of what you are actually 'snapping'. Read this article to learn how to improve the composition in your photography.

Steps

1
Identify the subject. Are you taking a picture of your friend on the beach or the beach with people/friends on it.
2
Fill the frame. Don't take a picture of the hallway with your pet in it (unless that is vital to the 'story' of the picture). Take a picture of your pet.
3
Choose whether or not to shoot horizontally or vertically. While most shots are better shot horizontal, there are some shots that just look better vertical.
4
Use dramatic angles. Lay on your back and shoot up into the trees. A boring shot can be greatly improved just by changing the perspective of the shot. Get on the ground and shoot from your pet's view.
5
Be very careful about cutting off your subject. There might be times when it adds to the shot, but be careful.
6
Use the 'Rule of Thirds'.^[1] You need to learn the 'rules' of photography before successfully breaking them.
7
Look for frames in the shot. Not just frame your shots, but look for frames within the shot. That helps you to define your subject and get your point across quite often.
8
Simplify. Don't over-complicate your photo. If your shot is too busy, then you will never be able to identify the subject later on, when you are further away from when you took the shot.
9
Watch your background. It is very easy to give your subject horns if you don't watch out for the tree or sign behind them. If at all possible, blur the background.
10
Look for patterns in your photographs. Again, they will, quite often, identify the subject.
11
Think. If you don't think about the shot, you will spend much more time regretting what might have been.