Tips for determining the right photo composition

Your subject is the most important thing you see in your frame. Decide who or what is your subject. A photo without a clear subject isn't interesting, and won't grab your attention for long.

Many beginner photographers place their subject in the middle of the frame. This is easy and safe. However, you're not challenged when you look at the photo, so it won't grab you attention or long.

To make your photos more attractive, you can use the golden ration. This is a distribution of lines where you subject are on one of those line. If you place your subject there, the viewer has space to look at the rest of the frame. People can 'read' your photos.

If you don't look through the lens, you can easily recognize your subject. Your brains will focus on it right away, and the rest of the surroundings aren't important. In the fixed frame of the viewfinder, it's important to consciously choose a foreground and background. Make sure they don't distract from your subject. Step to the left or right to make sure there's no tree directly behind your subject, for example.

Each subject, like people, buildings, and objects, have a viewing direction. You often know intuitively what the viewing direction is. Leave the most space on the side of the viewing direction. If your subject is looking to edge of the frame from very close, it's the same as when someone doesn't look at you during a conversation.

The placement of the horizon is important for the ambiance of the photo. A horizon that's exactly in the middle can be boring. Try to put the horizon low or very high in the frame. You'll see that this gives your photo a completely new look.