Some photographs just look better than others. They can be of exactly the same subject matter, but still one will be more appealing than the other.

For the most part, this has nothing to with the camera used or the editing processes. It’s all about the composition of the photograph – where the subject is placed, what is being focused on, and the angle the image was taken from.

The good news is, this is something that can be learnt. There are a number of tricks and concepts that professional and good photographers follow when it comes to setting up their shots. These will elevate any shot from ordinary to interesting – all without opening an editing tool or fiddling with the camera’s exposure.

Remember 1, 2, 3

The Rule of Thirds is one of the most elementary lessons in any photography course. It’s basically about where you place the points that are of most interest in your shot. A rookie mistake is to put the subject of your photograph right in the middle of the shot. It’s the most important thing, so it should go in the center. However, the key to a great photograph is to put things off-center.

A photograph should have an imaginary grid over it (thankfully many viewfinders on digital cameras have the option to place an actual grid over the display to help you out) that dissects the image you want to take into three bother vertically and horizontally.

Then, place your subject or points of interest on those lines. Faces in portrait shots look particularly good if they’re at a point where two lines intersect.

Look For Leading Lines

Physical lines in a photograph are also very important. Roads, fences, railway tracks, buildings, even a line of trees or mountain tops will draw the eye into the photograph. You can even use long shadows or silhouettes. They all give a sense of movement within the still photograph as the viewer’s eyes travel along the lines that you have photographed.

Another element to consider here is the framing of your subject. Natural frames such as doorways, windows and buildings can give an energy and a sense of movement and friction to the image.

Create Contrast

To make things stand out in a photograph or in any design, such as the background at Cash Cabin Bingo, they need to be different to everything else around them. The simplest form of this type of contrast is for example, to put a person in a yellow dress against a blue background. The subject of your photograph looks different, and it’s the color that creates this contrast. You can also play with light – putting one aspect in shadow and the other in sunshine will create contrast.

The idea is to have a juxtaposition so that your photo is not one-dimensional and rather has a dynamic energy to it. Just be careful not to add too many contrasting elements, otherwise the image will be too busy and it could end up being difficult for the viewer to decipher.