Tired of uninspiring snaps? Start thinking about composition and you'll soon be taking pictures you'd be proud to hang on the wall.

Fill the frame: if you're taking a portrait, zoom in as much as possible to concentrate on the person's face.

Think in two dimensions: remember that you see in three dimensions, but your picture has only two. This is why we often don't notice that a tree behind a person looks like it's growing out of their head – until we've taken a picture.

zoom

Use a zoom lens to fill the frame with your subject.

Foreground interest: Shooting landscapes seems simple enough: there's a nice view, point the camera and snap! But to make a shot more interesting or to draw the eye into the picture, make sure you include some foreground interest. This simple device will add impact, scale and interest to your shot.

The Rule of Thirds is a photographic technique that divides the scene horizontally and vertically into thirds, and places the main point of interest on any point where the lines intersect. The simplest application of the rule is to place the horizon on one of the horizontal lines (a third of the way down from the top or a third of the way up from the bottom of the frame).

Experiment and you'll see how this simple rule can add impact to your shots. Some cameras even overlay a grid showing the lines onto your colour screen.

Use diagonal lines to lead the eye into the picture. Good examples are pathways or fences in landscape scenes.

scale

Try to indicate scale by including either foreground or something recognisable

Use natural framing: whether you include some nearby overhanging foliage in the picture, shoot through an archway or between two trees, framing the main subject of your picture will produce a much more pleasing result.

frame

Natural framing can create a pleasing effect