Our cameras have all the bells and whistles that enable even the most camera-challenged individual to take a picture. Automatic focus reacts quickly and reasonably well. Exposure rules – who needs them? We have automatic exposure complete with matrix metering that evaluates a scene and in lightening fast time compares it with a gazillion other photos and spits out a reasonably fair exposed picture most of the time. How unfortunate, however, that our camera-challenged neophyte must resort to actually having to compose the image by himself. Can’t they come up with an automatic composition camera? Come on Nikon and Canon research people!

Alas, I don’t see that feature happening in our cameras anytime soon. Therefore, we’ll have to resort to some basic photographic rules to help us present our automatically focused and exposed shots in a pleasing manner. The following list of rules are by no means complete and are meant to only whet the appetite of budding photographers to produce better photos.

1. Have a center of interest. Before you trip your shutter, ask yourself “Why am I taking this picture?” “What am I trying to show?” If you are filling your viewfinder with too much information, the center of interest will likely be lost. There’s an old adage that says “If you don’t like your pictures, move closer” (Robert Capa). Draw your viewer into your scene by showing them what you want them to view.
2. Simplify your subject. Move in close, isolate the background, emphasize your subject by its placement or size in relation to the rest of the photo. Pay attention to your backgrounds. Backgrounds can make or break a portrait and most other photos as well.
3. Follow the Rule of Thirds. This is one of the most common elements of good photographic composition. Keeping the subject in the dead center of a photograph gives a very static and quite boring photo. Move your camera so that the subject falls into the right and/or left third or the top or bottom third of your viewfinder. It doesn’t matter if you’re taking a portrait of Aunt Sadie or a vista view of the Grand Canyon, if you center the subject, you will end up with nothing more than a snapshot.
   1. Placement of horizons. A horizon placed dead center in the middle of a photo produces a very unbalanced photo. Move them into the upper third to emphasize the foreground or the lower third to draw attention to a dramatic sky.
   2. Level your horizon. Unless you’re showing a hillside, try to keep your camera on a level plane with the horizon – especially if that horizon is composed of water. There is nothing worse than having the beautiful sunset over the lake ruined by a water line that runs downhill from left to right.
4. Leading Lines. Leading lines can draw attention to the subject if properly used. Lines are everywhere we look – fences, roads, trees, railroad tracks. Effective use of these lines can make a dramatic statement to your photo. One of the more eye pleasing and powerful use of lines is the diagonal line. When you look at some other photos, pay attention to the lines and how they’re used. Another powerful line is the S Curve.
5. Framing. Using natural elements to frame your subject is a very effective way to draw attention to your subject and provide an eye pleasing photo. Tree branches, a field of flowers, an open window – all examples of using existing elements. But don’t focus on framing as a complete capture of the subject. Framing can also be accomplished by placing elements above or below or to the side to give emphasis to the subject.
6. Cropping. Many pictures are ruined by ineffective cropping of your photograph. Often this begins in the viewfinder. Cutting off the feet of your subject is one common mistake we often see. While we stress to move in close and fill your frame with your subject, give yourself some breathing room and leave some space on all 4 sides. You can always crop data away, but you can’t replace what isn’t there.
7. Patterns and Repetition. Repeating patterns can often give more impact to a photograph. A reflected image of your subject is one such method to give repetition. Look for patters of shape, form, line, and color.
8. Perspective. Vary your position when taking photographs. Don’t take shot after shot after shot while standing erect. Photos taken at eye level are commonplace. Change your position. Get down on your knees, lie down, climb up on a balcony, shoot at a different angle and get a new perspective on a tired subject.
9. Take your camera out of automatic. Explore the various metering modes your camera offers. Learn how exposure affects your images and when to compensate from what your automatic meter is telling you is correct. Feel free to manually focus your lens to achieve critical sharpness in the area of concern. Learn your camera, learn how light affects the scene, play with it, explore it, and enjoy it.
10. Feel free to break the rules. This is the only rule of photography composition that is a rule. The others are merely guidelines. The rule of thirds doesn’t always work and sometimes a subject right in the center of the photograph is just what works. Feel free to change the horizon so it’s slanting sharply in one direction or the other. Breaking away from the rules, just might just give you a reward.