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These are NOT rules

Before going through the "rules" of composition it is important to note that you do NOT have to follow all of these rules. You are welcome to break these rules to compose the picture however you think is right. But that said, the following are a number of guidelines that generally help make your pictures look better.

Rule of Thirds

Rule of thirds is essentially the idea that the main subject of a picture should not be centered. Although this may sound counter-intuitive, pictures in which the main subject is off center tend to look better.

Start by imagining the picture as a 3x3 grid as shown below.

Rather than placing the subject in the center box, try placing it at one of the four blue points, which I like to call "hotspots".

Placing the main subject at a hotspot reduces the dominance of the subject while giving more prominence to the background.

Generally, people prefer the second picture over the first.

Similarly, when shooting landscape photography, try to place the horizon at one of the two horizontal lines. This is essentially dividing the picture into 3 strips and assigning 2 strips to the object that you want to highlight. In this case the water is given more importance than the sky for the reflection of the water. Moreover, the reflection is also along a vertical line following the rule of thirds.

Leading lines

Lines are a fantastic way to redirect the attention of the viewer. When used to the right effect lines can make a regular picture more artistic. Because we have a tendency to see across a line it is possible to make the viewer "travel" across the depth of the picture.

In this picture the viewers` attention will always be lead toward the line at the center of the leaf no matter where they start.

In some cases, such as the road, lines can be used to create depth in the picture. The viewers feel as if they are travelling further into the picture with their eyes.

Filling the frame

Sometimes it is better to fill the entire shot rather than leave space for other distractions. Filling the frame also gives the viewer a clearer view of the subject. Moreover, if you are filling the frame with the subject it is likely that the entire picture will be of a similar color; this again helps to avoid high contrast to reduce distractions and be soothing to the eye.

When there are a large number of similar objects, filling the frame is a good option.

Filling the frame can be used to make the subject look larger while emphasizing its color and texture

However, if you feel the picture seems boring with only one type of object, try and mix it by adding a different object to the picture. The viewer`s attention will now be directed mostly towards the different object because it becomes the subject of the picture. The flower in the following picture becomes the subject of the picture.

Symmetry and pattern

Humans love pattern and symmetry. There`s just something satisfying in watching a perfectly symmetrical picture. To put it another way, it is somewhat annoying to see a picture that is unsymmetrical.

Symmetry is most often used in architecture photography.

Viewpoint

It is very important to put thought into where the picture is shot from. It is easy to fall into the trap of taking pictures from the same viewpoint(eye level). Try to take pictures at different or, sometimes, even unusual angles to give the viewer a fresh perspective.

When taking pictures of your dog or cat, why not take the picture at their height?

Framing the picture

Look for ways to add a frame to the picture using objects around the subject. This way there is more emphasis on the subject. Adding a frame is a way to ensure that upon first glance, the viewer`s attention is directed at the subject. However, the viewer also gets additional context as to where the picture is being taken from. Framing the picture can be used to break free from the sharp corners and rectangular frame of a regular picture, while also adding a stylistic element to it.

Depth of field

Depth of field can be used to create the Bokeh effect. This reduces background distractions and gives emphasis to the subject.

By isolating the subject the picture is able to direct the viewers' full attention towards the subject. Note: although it is called depth of field, it is implied that it means shallow depth of field

Background

Although it may seem convenient and tempting to blur the background using a shallow depth of field, pictures are sometimes more informative and relevant with a background. Particularly in journalism photography, the background can tell a lot more about the subject than the subject itself.