"Finding a perspective with natural sight lines can help highlight the details in a photo. Here, the walls of the valley guide your eye toward the two bold pops of red and blue on the water."

"Soft lighting and a focus on reflections can add a dreamy, ethereal quality to a photo — here, they create the illusion that the subject is almost floating."

"Some photos defy easy interpretation, like the abstract pattern captured here. The layers of detail present — bubbles, reflections, and moving water — invite viewers to create their own interpretations."

"This desert shot takes full advantage of the warm reds and oranges of sunset, capturing a beautiful range of tones with a limited color palette."

"Establishing a central focal point can have dramatic impact. Here, wispy clouds lead the eye to the hut and create a stronger sense of focus."

"Sometimes the best shots aren’t planned. The bird flying through this photo adds a sense of scale and surprise to an iconic view, making the whole composition more interesting."

"Photographing a subject from behind can add wit to a photo. Here, the subject and the flowers are both facing away from the camera."

"Filling the frame with the subject can help the viewer focus on its details — like the texture of the reindeer’s fur and antlers."

"Finding unexpected whimsy in a scene can make a photo more appealing — like this combination of nets, boats, and fishermen."

"Capturing the moods of different colors, like the warm yellows and cool blues seen here, helps tell this photo’s story: The sun sets on a day of surfing."

"Different elements that share a similar color palette, like the blues of the tile and the winter hat, can help tie a composition together."

"Capturing opposing subjects together, like the manmade overpass and the natural element provided by the trees in this photo, helps create a compelling contrast."

"Shooting your subject in a reflection — like the one on this wet street — can make a simple scene seem surreal and surprising."

"You can use composition to tell thought-provoking stories. In this photo, a solitary human figure against a backdrop of sky creates both scale and a sense of isolation."

"Shooting from an unexpected angle can add an interesting twist. Here, it creates contours in the lines that convey a sense of movement to the viewer."

"Grouping complementary colors together can cast a hue over the whole photo. The blues of the boat and water mix with the greens of the rocks to paint the scene in a teal patina."

"Filling the frame with your subject can help make a scene feel more intimate."

"Finding angles that create visual separation between different elements of a scene can help highlight their details. The sharp lines of the horizon, street, and shore draw the eye in for a closer look."

"When photographing a flat landscape, focusing on foreground elements — like the partially inflated balloons in this photo — helps create greater depth of field."

"Capturing subjects in unexpected poses can create more visual intrigue. This elephant’s stance is engaging because you can’t tell which way he’s headed."

"Finding a common theme in different elements, like the flowing waterfall and the woman’s flowing locks, can make a photo more compelling."

"Vivid colors from the natural world can help soften the hard lines of manmade structures like the buildings in this skyline."

"The exaggerated scale of a shadow, like the one cast by the tree, can add an element of interest to a stark landscape."

"A stark foreground can make a background subject feel grander. The dark landscape here adds a majestic quality to the view of the mountain."

"Keeping subjects on parallel vertical lines creates a balanced composition. Here, the extension of the subject’s leg mimics the nearby tree branch."

"Capturing people in nature shots can help define the scale of the setting and make it more compelling. The silhouettes in this photo amplify the desert’s vastness and turn an ordinary landscape into a story."

"Sometimes the physical elements in a scene, like the car window and side mirror here, can frame a photo."

"Photos featuring just one color family can be brought to life with a subtle hint of a contrasting color. Here, the pop of blue in the sky adds a surprising element."

"Convergent lines, like those created by the trees and shoreline, can provide a more interesting perspective in a composition."

"A high dynamic range can make photos more compelling. Here, subtle pastel colors contrast with earth tones."