Composition is an essential element of photography that gives photographs their "soul". There are some basic rules to follow for well-composed photographs, such as having a strong central subject, positioning the subject off-centre following the rule of thirds, and ensuring the background does not distract from the subject. The camera angle should be chosen to best interpret the subject and draw the viewer's eye into the photograph. When photographing people, it is important to use their best side and include some activity to add dynamism. For group photos, be aware of backgrounds and ensure all faces are lit to avoid shadows.

1. Composition
It may be an overstatement, but composition is what gives the ‘soul’ to a
photograph. Consider a people stopping photograph, a photograph that cause
viewers to stop or pause to have another look. Who can forget those pictures
of famous people like Marilyn Monroe etc. There are some rules to follow for a
well composed photograph but over time it becomes an instinctive sort of
action as there are only seconds to look through the view finder or the small
LCD screen to decide to squeeze the shutter button.
Generally:
Have a strong centre of interest. Colourful subjects, distinctive buildings,
scenery, attractive people, children, babies, pets etc Shift the camera as you
compose to exclude other distracting things. Keep the subject horizontally
positioned.
Use the rule of thirds horizontally and vertically, so that the picture is not split
visually into two. Position the subject slightly off-centre and take a few shots.
See that the background does not distract attention from the subject. For the
foreground, it may be anything that acts as a frame to give depth to the
subject. Flowers, branches of trees, geometric shapes of buildings would add
scale when photographing a scene. Taking a picture through a hole in a wall
would add drama to a fire fight picture.
Depending on how you want to interpret your subject, use the best camera
angle. You can direct the viewer’s eye into the picture by using objects that
act as lines, like a long road or fencing along the side. This will add depth to a
picture and draw attention to the subject at the end. In other situations you
may want to move in close to focus on interesting details. On overcast days,
try to exclude as much of the sky as possible in your composition.
For people, everyone have a ‘good’ side or sides. That’s why celebrities or
anyone who is well photographed will always turn to the photographers in a
certain way to present their best side/s. Photographs are two dimensional so it
may be good to do some test shots so you know which side will always result
in flattering pictures of your subject. It also comes with practice when looking
through the viewfinder to move and position yourself for that good side shot. It
is also good to get your subject to be involved in some sort of activity. It adds
to the dynamism of the picture.
For group photographs, keep on eye on the LCD viewfinder as people
arrange themselves or are arranged. Look out for indoor architecture or plants
that will end up looking like growing from people heads. Use flash and take
your time as there is that few seconds when everyone has their eyes opened.
Take a few shots. For outdoor group photographs, always use fill-in flash or a
reflector to fill in the shadows under the chins, nose or eyebrows.
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