Photography basics: Rules of composition

In photography there are no fixed rules, but there are some guidelines which can help you take better photos. Ok,so if there are no rules, why should you care about some guidelines?
These guidelines will help you take more compelling photographs, they can increase the impact that an image has over the viewer lending them a natural balance, drawing attention to the important parts of the scene, or leading the viewer's eye through the image.
Once you know this composition tips, you'll see the world differently and they will have a huge impact on your photos.

Rule of thirds

This a simple but very effective rule. Imagine that your image is divided in nine equal parts divided by two horizontal and two vertical lines. You should position the most important elements alongside these lines or at the points where they intersect.
Doing so, you will bring some balance to your photos and draw the viewer's eye to the main subject.
Most digital cameras and even phones have these grid lines to help with your composition.

Balancing your images

Placing your subject according to the rule of thirds is good first step but it can lave a huge empty space in your image which can might make it look unfinished.
You can achieve a balanced composition by including another object of lesser importance to fill the empty space, to even out the weight.

Here, the visual weight of the ship is balanced by the seagull on the opposite side of the image

Leading lines

The leading lines do exactly what you think they'll do: they lead the viewers eye into the image. By thinking of where you use leading lines in your composition, you can affect the way we view the image. Leading lines pulls our attention into the image, towards the subject.
You can use any type of lines you can think of: straight, curved, diagonal , etc, and each can be used creatively to enrich an image.

Using patterns and symmetry

Symmetry and patterns, both man made or natural can make some pretty amazing compositions. A great way to use them is to break the symmetry in a way that introduces a focal point to the scene.

Negative space

It's going to sound like I'm contradicting myself. Above I told you to balance the image with another element, here I'm telling you that it's ok to leave out some empty space.
Leaving alot of empty space around your subject can create a sense of minimalism, it helps the viewer focus on the subject.

Rule of odds

This rule says that an image is more appealing if there are an odd number of subjects. The theory is that an even number of subjects is distracting, thus an odd number makes it more attractive for the eye. This is not a general rule and can't be applied every time but there are moments when this rule, if applied correctly can do wonders for a composition.

Keep it simple

Someone said that photography is not about what you leave in the frame, is about what you leave out. As a general rule, try to add just a few elements in a picture, watch the sides of the composition for any rogue elements and keep it clean. Leave out all the unnecessary elements.

There are a lot more rules in photography: the golden ratio, golden triangles, juxtaposition, rule of space, etc. Maybe I'll cover them on a different post.
The rules that I explained in this post are essential for anyone who wants to improve their photo taking skills. Learn them, use them and they will change the way you see the world.