SIMPLICITY
The first and perhaps the most important guideline is simplicity. Look for ways to give the center of interest in your pictures the most visual attention. One way is to select uncomplicated backgrounds that will not steal attention from your subjects.
We chose the cactus as the main subject. And by moving in closer and using the plain sky as the background, we have simplified and improved the appearance of this photograph.
The photographer is certainly close enough to the subject in both pictures, but the busy background on the left camouflages the seagull. Just change your point of view slightly and, presto, your seagull stands with visual prominence against the blue sky.
Compose your photograph so that your reason for taking the picture is clearly seen. Arrange other parts of the picture area in such a way as to complement what you choose to be the center of interest. Most of us would prefer the picture on the right because the parking lot tends to contradict the feeling of antiquity related to this mission.
RULE OF THIRDS
Avoid placing your subject in that center square,
and you have followed the rule of thirds.
Too often, photographs have their subject placed smack in the middle, making the image look dull and uninteresting. A simple shift in composition can change all that. The Rule of Thirds is probably one of the cardinal rules of composition. Mentally divide your viewfinder or LCD screen into thirds, using two vertical and two horizontal lines to create nine smaller rectangles and four points where the lines intersect. It has been repeatedly shown that by placing objects over these intersections, a pleasing and balanced arrangement often results, whether the composition is horizontal or vertical. Rule of Thirds is based on the theory that the eye goes naturally to a point about two-thirds up the page When an image's center of interest is placed at one of these intersections, balance in the picture can often be achieved by placing a secondary object (known as a "counterpoint") at the opposing intersection.
As mentioned earlier, the "Rule of Thirds" is not a rule at all; it's a guideline, intended to help you when you are uncertain as to the placement of elements in a scene when you are framing the picture. By ignoring the rule, you may still have a great picture, depending on the content of the image and how well its elements are balanced. For example, if you want your viewer to ignore all other parts of your composition, then place your center of interest smack in the middle, like a bull's eye. The important thing is to note the reasons for object placement in your images. Knowing why you do something and what effect it will have leads to good composition.
Although there are many ways a photograph can be composed effectively by basing it on the use of "thirds," the most common example is the placement of the horizon line in landscape photography.
If the area of interest is land or water, the horizon line will usually be two-thirds up from the bottom. On the other hand, if the sky is the area of emphasis, the horizon line may be one-third up from the bottom, leaving the sky to occupy thetop two-thirds. Watch the horizon. Just as an off-center subject is usually best, so is an off-center—and straight—horizon line. Avoid cutting your picture in half by placing the horizon in the middle of the picture. To accent spaciousness, keep the horizon low in the picture. To suggest closeness, position the horizon high in your picture.
USE OF LINES
Select a camera angle where the natural lines of the scene lead the viewers' eyes into the picture and toward your main center of interest. You can find such a line in a road, a fence, even a shadow. Diagonal lines are dynamic; curved lines are flowing and graceful. You can often find the right line by moving around and choosing an appropriate angle.
Vertical lines emphasize power, strength, and height.
Horizontal lines express stability and width.
Diagonal lines express dynamic energy.
Curving lines express sensuality.
FRAMING
This is the use of elements in the foreground to frame the object in focus.
The Washington Monument on the left is composed in the center without a frame. The picture on the right has a stronger feeling of depth and tells a more complete story because the photographer chose an appropriate foreground to complement the Washington Monument.
BALANCE
Generally, asymmetric or informal balance is considered more pleasing in a photograph than symmetric (formal) balance. In other words, placing the main subject off-center and balancing the "weight" with other objects (smaller or lower impact) will be more effective than placing the subject in the center.
VIEWPOINT
You can often change a picture dramatically by moving the camera up or down or, stepping to one side. One of the best ways to come up with a prize-winning photograph is to find an "unusual" point of view.
When the subject is capable of movement, such as an animal or person, it is best to leave space in front of the subject so it appears to be moving into, rather than out of, the photograph.
AVOID MERGERS
The merger of this tree with Dave's head is so obvious, you probably think no one could avoid seeing it before snapping the shutter. Remember: we see things in three dimensions, so it's easier than you might guess to focus our eyes on the principal subject only and not see that background at all. Avoiding mergers is our sixth guideline for better composition.
When we cut people in half or trim their heads or feet, we've committed a border merger. This is often caused by poor alignment of the photographer's eye in the camera viewfinder. To avoid border mergers, line your eye up squarely behind the viewfinder and adjust the picture format to leave a little space around everyone.
SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY
When it comes right down to it, every sport is about speed. Not all sports are as fast-paced as a basketball game, but they all center on motion, speed, and action. The key to sports photography is to know when and where the action is happening, and taking the picture at the right time.
Know the sport
Before you can take great sports pictures, you have to understand the action involved. You need to know the basic rules of the game so you can figure out when the exciting moments will happen. In a soccer game there's usually a flurry of action in front of the net. In hockey the face-off can be exciting as two teams battle for control. In baseball, nothing beats a last-inning slide to home plate.
Making sure your camera is ready at the right time will go a long way to helping you capture that perfect shot. Many pros spend the whole game looking through their viewfinder. While it's not necessary to watch a whole game with one eye closed, it's a good idea to bring the camera up and look through it when exciting things start to happen.
It's also a great idea to walk around the sidelines, if possible, to get different angles, and remember to take a look at what's happening behind the action, too. Nothing ruins a nice action photo than something really distracting in the background.
Keeping your focus
If you look at any great sports photograph you'll notice that some parts of the action are razor sharp, while other parts are blurry. This helps draw attention to the action, and make the background less noticeable. Photographers do this by changing the depth of field of a photograph. Depth of field is a complicated subject (and it really just means "how much of the photograph is in focus") so it might be easier to think of it in a practical way. Many cameras have a mode called "aperture control" (it's usually a setting with the letter "A"). The aperture is the opening in the camera that light comes through. Aperture numbers (often called f-stops) relate to changes in the depth of field.
When a camera is set to a low-numbered aperture (like 2.8 or 3.5) only the area where you focus will be sharp. Everything else will be blurry. Focus on a football player's head and a teammate right behind him will be out of focus. Set the aperture to a higher number (like 8 or 11) and not only will his teammate be in focus, but so will the crowd of people behind them sitting on the sidelines.
Sometimes you might want to make sure that only the star player is in focus (during his touchdown run for example) but some times you might want to see everything going on (like when the people in the stands are cheering). By changing the aperture you can control how your picture looks. Check out the manual that came with your camera to find out more about changing your aperture.