• The simpler the picture, the better.
• Focus attention on your subject.
• An out of focus background will draw the viewer’s attention to the subject. Blurred items should fall in the bottom or side of the frame.
• Make sure no other elements are sharper, brighter, more colorful, or in any way more attractive to the main subject.
• Look at the four corners and borders of the frame for distracting elements.
• It is easier to exclude a distracting element from the frame before pressing the shutter, than to remove it in post processing.
• Physically moving your body to the left, right, up or down is sometimes the only adjustment needed to remove a distracting element from the frame.
• If the background is unattractive, zoom in and photograph a tight close up. Frame-filling detail can be very attractive.