A photo should contain only one center of interest. This will help arrest attention and the viewer will not be confused about the message you are trying to convey. Whenever you plan a photograph, look long and hard at the subject until you are aware of every single aspect and detail. Then analyze what you see. Ask yourself these questions:
- What’s the strongest point of interest?
- How can I make this feature prominent?
- Which other elements support the main feature, and where should they be placed to balance or add drama to the picture as a whole?
Once you have a clear idea of what the main element should be, start thinking about how you can give prominence to this feature and make sure other details in the scene do not compete for attention.
Three ways to ensure you have one center of interest:
1. Frame in the viewfinder - Frame the subject in the viewfinder to eliminate distracting elements from the photo.
2. Contrast - Use tonal or color contrasts between the subject and surrounding areas.
3. Selective Focus- Use depth of field to isolate the main subject by making the background out of focus.