Composition is probably the most confusing problem in photography. I see a lot of questions from newbies about composition, which is understandable, but what is surprising is the advice given, which ranges from misguided to downright counterproductive. For that reason I have been thinking about this a great deal lately. For one thing, I consider mastering composition to be a lifelong pursuit so I understand the difficulty people have with it, but I wonder if there isn't a way to help people get started so they are least headed in the right direction. With that in mind, here are some preliminary thoughts.
I think there are three things you need to improve your photographic composition; a great source of information, feedback and practice. Clearly, the Internet is a fantastic source of information with thousands of resources and blogs to help you on your way.The difficult part is narrowing it down to a few that are truly helpful. If you don't already have some of your own, check out those listed at the bottom.
Feedback might also be called "constructive criticism." It means posting your image where others can see it and letting them tell you what they like and don't like about it. Yes, you will have to develop some extra skin because you will hear some things you don't like. You will also have to learn to discern between the voices that matter and those that do not. However, if you can do both of those things and survive your work will improve exponentially.
Finally, there is no substitute for practice, and lots of it. My roommate in college practiced piano four hours a day and guess what? He got very, very good at playing the piano. You may not have four hours a day to dedicate to photography, but there will certainly be a direct relationship between the amount of time you invest and the skill you develop.
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