Anyone can take good photographs with any camera. Creating good
photographs has less to do with the equipment you have and more with the composition you
use--it's not what you see but how you see it. Good photographic composition takes
practice, but after using these rules, you, too, can become a good photographer.
1. Have one strong center of interest, and place the subject
slightly off center for the most pleasing composition.
2. Divide your picture area into thirds, both vertically and
horizontally. Place your center of interest at one of the four places where the lines
intersect. Have the subject look or move toward the center of the picture.
3. Place the horizon line high or low in your picture, and
check to make sure the horizon is straight before you squeeze the shutter
release.
4. Select a camera angle that will allow a leading line, such
as a road, path, fence, or river, to lead into your picture.
5. Look at your subject from several angles and then select the
best one.
6. Move in close to fill your picture area with the subject.
7. Add a natural frame to your scenics by including a
foreground object such as a tree or an overhanging branch, and include people in the scene
for a center of interest.
8. Watch the background in your picture. Busy backgrounds can
steal attention from your subject. A blue sky or foliage makes a good background.
9. Whenever you take scenic pictures or pictures of buildings
or monuments, try to include something in the foreground to add interest and dimension.
Also include people for a size comparison.
