If you are interested enough in photography as opposed to taking snapshots, then you have probably already read at least one book on the subject, If so then you've no doubt been advised that the RULE OF THIRDS and the SWEET SPOT should not be ignored. Without going into page after page of technical ramblings; what follows should allow you to get the pictures you crave. Frame your picture so that the single most important element of your picture is not sitting smack dab in the center of the frame. This element, whatever it may be, should sit off to one side or the other of the center, and perhaps above or below the centerline. Simply stated, it will just make a world of difference in the end result. The other important point is that horizons should never, (well almost never), be in the exact center of the frame. Dividing the picture almost exactly in half by placing the horizon in the center will almost always make a less interesting photograph than placing it above or below the centerline. This will usually apply to any long straight line, be it the actual horizon or not. What ends up in the final photograph is up to you.

Finding the Photograph refers to the way you train yourself to see things. We tend to see things in a much different manner than does the camera lens. Our eyes take in everything and the scene is constantly changing. When viewing a beautiful building, we are also seeing the trees nearby, the objects to the left and right, above and below that make for us the overall impression. The camera lens takes a somewhat different view of things, condensing them into something that will actually fit in the available space. Therefore, it is important to know what will appear in the final view. As far as the actual equipment goes, this is not rocket science. A camera with a separate viewfinder, such as a point and shoot model, will generally show you the whole view but capture only a portion of that view. This is due to a condition known as parallax. Simply stated, because of the separate viewfinder, you are not seeing what the lens sees. Most of these cameras attempt to salvage the situation by including frame marks which show (almost) what will end up in the final picture. It works well, if you remember this fact and frame the shots with this in mind. A single lens reflex camera, or SLR, works differently. You compose your picture while viewing the subject through the actual lens. This tells you exactly what the final image will include. At the exact moment the exposure is made, the mirror in the camera, which directs the image to the viewfinder, flips up and out of the way, darkening your screen for an instant, then swings back down again. In the Minolta Dimage 7 digital camera and in similar digital cameras, the LCD screen shows the picture as it will be captured, so the problem of parallax does not enter into the equation. As in the SLR, what you see is pretty much what you get!

The problem then, is with what you see. All the seemingly unimportant things that your brain processes out for you, will appear in the final photograph. This can include unsightly power lines, a vehicle moving across the picture, glare spots, street signs; all things we tend to blot out when looking at the beautiful building, landscape or pretty model. Many of these things can be removed in the darkroom, be it traditional or digital, but at the cost of added time and labor. It is essential then, to become better at seeing the Picture before the exposure is made. This applies equally to traditional photography and it's digital counterpart. With the digital world, however, you have the option of seeing the image before printing it, so shots with problem areas can be deleted and better shot can be made. Even so, a trained eye will facilitate the picture seeing process so that eventually, every shot can be a "keeper". This will entail learning to be more aware of what we are "seeing". While some pictures necessitate an instant decision, as in action photography or once in a lifetime opportunities, most shots can be framed at your leisure and improved by forethought.

A simple way to train the eye is to make a small cardboard or plastic frame that can be easily carried in your shirt pocket. Then, anytime you see something that might make a decent photo, just look through the frame to see what everything will boil down to. the frame should be made either rectangular or square depending on your camera's format. If rectangular, it can be held for either a horizontal or vertical view to choose different options for a view. This little aid will go far in allowing you to train your eye to see photographically. After a time, you will be comfortable without the frame, having trained your eye to see the desired end result. The final picture, after all is what we are after, and by learning to actually see
what you are looking at, your photographs will be so improved, that your efforts will be amply rewarded.