Composition is the way you arrange visual elements inside a photograph. Decide what you want a viewer to notice first. A bright patch, an untidy background or a distracting edge can compete with the subject even when exposure and focus are good.
Use rules as experiments
The rule of thirds can be a useful starting point, but centred subjects, symmetry and empty space can work well too. Look at lines, colours and differences in brightness. With wildlife, change your viewpoint only when doing so respects the animal and its habitat.
Try it
Make three photographs of the same subject: centred, off-centre and with more surrounding space. Keep your settings similar. Compare what the background contributes and check every edge before choosing your favourite.
By Joseph Hubbard, photographer and artist at Hubbard.ART.
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