Last Two Rules!

Here are the last two composition rules that you should follow to make your photographs more professional and more eye-pleasing.

Rule Number Nine: Watch the light. Great light makes great pictures but some times of day and types of days make better pictures than others. For "people pictures" - where your subject is a person - cloudy days are the best days to take pictures. These days have soft light and result in excellent pictures. Try to avoid overhead sunlight because it casts harsh shadows across the faces of your subjects. When taking photos of scenery use the long shadows and color of the "magic hour"-the time just after dawn and just before sunset.

Rule Number Ten: Be a picture director. Don't just be another person taking random photographs. Try directing your pictures like a movie director directs movies. Try adding props to your shots, rearrange your subjects, or try a different viewpoint. Bring your subjects together and let their personalities become more evident in the photos. This rule should really only be used during group shots or while taking pictures of friends rather than for photojournalism.