The Rule of Thirds directs where to place the main subject and skyline. Contray to common habit, the subject shoujld not be dead center in the photography. We like to have the subject looking into or moving into the picture. This is accomplished best by placing them at about 1/3 into the photo and looking or moving towards the other 2/3's. This rule also helps us position the skyline. When emphasizing colorful flowers or scenery, the sky should only occupy the upper 1/3 of of the photo. If clouds or the blue sky highlight the subject, have the skyline at the bottom 1/3 of the image.

The first part of this means having the camera as close to the ground as possible and looking up at the subject. This gives the impression of the subject dominating the image, not the image dominating the subject. The "Slow" part of the rule relates to having as slow a shutter speed as possible. Cameras balance the shutter speed with the proper depth of field for proper film exposure. The slower the shutter speed, the greater the depth of field or amount of the picture that will be in focus. More depth of field can also be obtained by backing away from the subject.

By including foreground in the photo, not just the subjects feet, the viewer can imagine themselves being there. Most people do not like the feeling of looking over a cliff that occurs when your photo starts at the edge of the Grand Canyon and it does not have any foreground or area for the viewer to imagine they are standing on. It can leave an unsettling feeling. By putting a little foreground in the picture and maybe including some people in the composition, you will prevents that fearful feeling.

Avoid having bright spots or very dark areas in the scene. The composition of an image is more pleasing when there is consistency. Small bright spots will often draw attention away from the main subject. Todays cameras average the amount of light coming through the lens and bright spots throw that calculation off. If bright spots cannot be avoided, take the exposure meter reading from the main subject with a spot meter. When working with a subject on snow or water you have to meter off the subject or allow for the extra light reflected off snow and water. The general rule is to open up the camera one full stop when shooting on snow and water. The simple way to remember it is if the camera says to shoot at 1/250 of a second, then shoot a the same F stop but at 1/125 of a second to allow more light to reach the film, or if shooting at F11, keep the same speed, but shoot at F8, one stop down or more open to allow more light in.

Shoot early, late and when cloudy. Bright sunlight usually means a lot of glare and reflection or bright spots in the scene. During the early morning or late evening hours the low sun angle reduces the amount of glare, and often creates a warm golden feeling for the image. Cloudy days also reduce glare and reflection and is the best time to take macro photos of flowers. Another trick to reduce contrast in mid-day shooting is to use a polarizing filter. Turn the filter until the sky is darkest (most polarized) and then back off just slightly to avoid the unnatural blue sky that polarizers are famous for creating.