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Composition is the primary factor for successful photography, hands down. You have to be careful with a dSLR, because the automated features make it really easy to let the camera decide everything for you except for the composition. Allowing the camera to make all of the decisions can take the fun out of photography.

The first thing to keep in mind when composing a frame is the Rule of Thirds, as this creates off-center subject placement and this “imbalance” actually results in a more satisfying image. If you place the subject in the dead center of the frame, it may look bland or static. Consider placing the subject off to the side and down, it will be immediately more dynamic.

Here’s how the Rule of Thirds works: imagine that the camera viewfinder is divided up like a tic-tac-toe game. As you look for your scene, place the main subject at one of the intersecting points – this will automatically improve your photos. The Rule of Thirds works equally well for vertical and horizontal pictures. That is how important it is to understand the Rule of Thirds. Don’t be afraid to shoot vertically to fill the frame. You don’t want to clutter the frame, because your job as the photographer is to draw the viewer’s eye and dynamically fill the frame as much as possible or leave it as empty as possible, which is also an effective choice. The key is making a cognitive choice.

What also makes a photograph more interesting is a sense of depth. Photographs are two-dimensional. Creating a sense of depth makes the 2D canvas feel like 3D space. This means being aware of the foreground, middle ground and background. One way to instantly create depth is to change your distance and/or height in regards to the subject. When you change your distance, you’re either changing the background elements and/or changing the size of the main subject in the frame. With a little trial and error, you’ll find the right spot.

Now a straight on shot is fairly boring, but if you move to the side and lower the camera to chest- or waist-level instead of eye level, the same subject will “feel” different in the final photo. Shooting from a higher angle also creates a different feel. It will be positioned in space to show as much volume as possible and that volume is what makes an object appear 3D. This will do wonders in improving your compositions.

Controlling the depth of field also aids in formulating better compositions. You can have it extremely sharp throughout the entire frame by using a small aperture like f/16. Or you can have a wide-open aperture, like f/1.4, to blur everything out of focus except for the specific subject where you want to draw the viewer’s attention, such as a bumblebee on a flower. You want to see the bee and the flower as clear as day, but have the surrounding foliage appear as a wash of color.

Another key factor to improving your composition is having a clear point of interest. You want to direct the viewer’s eye, not let it roam around until it finds the subject that you thought was interesting enough be to be photographed in the first place. You also might want to employ framing devices to help you draw the eye, like shooting through a window or other piece of architecture. By doing this, the structure acts as a secondary frame. Just make sure the framing device has some aesthetic value to it as well. Also, look for the rhythm of repeating elements, like an arresting diagonal line. Be aware of contrast (color, size, shape, texture), and the unity of design. It takes time to grasp composition, as it’s one of the key things that separates novice from pro. Practice and you’ll soon be making works of art!