The first and perhaps the most important guideline is simplicity. Look for ways to give the center of interest in your pictures the most visual attention. One way is to select uncomplicated backgrounds that will not steal attention from your subjects.

The saying "less is more" is often true in image composition. The photo is often more beautiful and effective if unnecessary elements are left out of the frame. A common mistake is to try to include all possible things in one photo. It is often wise to include only one clear center of interest into the photo.

When you are taking a photo, you should check if there are any distracting elements on the edges of the frame. Compose your photograph so that your reason for taking the picture is clearly seen. Arrange other parts of the picture area in such a way as to complement what you choose to be the center of interest

So, you can simplify your pictures and strengthen your center of interest by selecting uncomplicated backgrounds, avoiding unrelated subjects, and moving in close. If you want to make your center of interest even more dynamic, place it slightly off center in your frame.

Generally, pictures with subjects directly in the center tend to be more static and less interesting than pictures with off-center subject placement. We will explore this in Rule of Thirds.