Composition

Rule of Thirds - This is one of those popular photography tips that should be broken whenever you want to, but is a good general guide for composition.  The "rule of thirds" breaks your photo into a 3x3 grid, which produces 9 boxes.  If your subjects are at one of the 4 intersecting points created by the grid, they are usually more appealing than if they were centered.  Also, imagine just 3 horizontal lines across the image.  Landscapes tend to look better when the horizon runs along one of these lines.

Remember, this is a rule made to be broken, but learn to use it before you break it! 

    
                Family is centered - pretty nice photo                          



Using Rule of Thirds - really nice photo!

Big Faces - For people shots, quite often filling the frame with faces makes for a great shot.  Don't be afraid to cut off ears, tops of heads, etc, to get as close as possible to your subjects.

    
                                             Get close ...                                                  


 
  Really close!

Include Surroundings - You don't always have to go for the closeup though.  Looking back at photos from previous generations, seeing the environment that you or your ancestors grew up in makes for great memories.  Orange shag rugs, farmhouses, classic cars, strange furniture, vacation spots and the like make perfect backdrops for people pictures.  Your home decor may not seem wacky today, but future generations will appreciate the laugh.

You don't always have to get really close - wide angle is nice too!

Change Your Angle - We usually default to straight-on, eye-level photography, which is alright, but experimenting with different angles can turn snapshots into works of art.

Experiment with different angles

Perspective - A landscape photo is much more exciting when the viewer has a sense of scale.  This is achieved when something of a known size - a person, a car, a bird - is included in the picture.  You've heard people say that a photograph just can't do the Grand Canyon justice.  Check out the photograph below.  On an 8x10 print, that tour bus really gives scale!

Direction - A great photograph draws the viewer into your world.  Lines are to a photo what a pocket watch is to a hypnotist.  Look for lines that will grab attention and frame your subject, drawing the viewer through the photograph.

    
You might even want to throw in the Rule of Thirds!

Think Composition - Always keep composition on your mind.  After this lesson you should see in the photo below left that the composition is weak.  It's just a strip of land in the water.  The photo on the right uses the Rule of Thirds while the boat draws you in and gives a sense on scale.  Much better!