Another key concept when it comes to photography is composition. Having a boring or flat photo can cause viewers to become bored with your work if there is not something about it that either sets it apart of makes it more interesting to look at. Here are some fun concepts to experiment with when trying to step up your game when it comes to composition.
Utilizing Light- Light is one of the most fun ways to switch up the way your photos look. This can be done in post while editing as well, but it can also be done when actually taking your photograph. With light, you can create interesting shadows and shapes that end up creating their own type of "frame" for your subject.
I wanted to use this photo as an example because when it comes to light/shadow photography it is usually shown in or thought to be in black and white. In this photo, you can see how, even in color, the shadows on the subjects face/body make for a more interesting photo than you would see if they were not there.
Framing Your Subject- Being able to frame your subject in a way that is appealing to the eye and tells the story of your photo is important. Try to look for a structure of some sort to make the frame. Natural frames from the environment you are shooting in, as well as leading lines work great for this. Doing this can help create balance within your photo. You can also use other people that are around to naturally frame your photo subject. Doing this adds more color and depth to the composition.
Here are 2 great examples of natural leading lines that existed within the location the photos were being shot at. The lines allow the viewer's eye to move freely/effortlessly around the photo, finding the subject on their own.
Framing the subject of the photo in a way like this makes for a way more interesting photo as opposed to how it would look if it was flat and shot directly on the subject.
Perspective- Shooting dead-on your subject makes your photo exactly that, dead. Try shooting from a new angle such as lower, straight down, or a higher perspective than is natural. One way of remembering how to make your photos more interesting with angles was actually taught to me by my high school photography teacher. You can try a "normal" shot at first, but do not forget to get a worm's eye and a bird's eye perspective in your photos.
The best way to begin enhancing your composition is to just start messing around with which part of the frame your subject is placed in. Start by just picking up your camera and going out to shoot in a way that you normally do now, you never know what you might capture.