Composition - Rule of Thirds

In photography, composition refers to the placement of the subject within the frame of your photograph. Composition also deals with lightness, darkness, lines and balance of the image. One basic rule is the rule of thirds. Images with the subject aligned with the intersection of the horizontal and vertical thirds are usually more appealing.

This image by Stephanie Deissner from her Flickr stream is a good example. I've overlaid a grid of thirds on the photo to show where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect. Stephanie has placed the eyes close to the intersection of the upper-left third. You can read more about the rule of thirds on Wikipedia.org.

In this second image by Stephanie, you can see how key elements of the image use the rule of thirds to create a pleasing balance.

Some cameras actually have grids that can be turned on to show up in the view finder. Just thinking about the composition of your image in terms of vertical and horizontal balance should be enough to help you.

Technical Tip: Most digital cameras have an auto focus feature. When you hold the shutter button down 1/2 way, the camera will focus on what is in the middle of the viewfinder. To take advantage of this feature, go ahead and aim your camera right at the subject and press the shutter button down 1/2 way to lock in the correct focus. Then, while still holding the shutter button down 1/2 way, recompose your image before taking the shot.