A good rule is: everything in the frame should either help the picture or be removed. There are few absolute “never” rules, because things like flare, centered subjects, or tilted horizons can work when used intentionally.

Common compositional problems to watch for:

• Distracting background or foreground clutter
• Accidental cropping of the subject or important elements
• Objects seeming to grow out of a person’s head (trees, poles, etc.)
• Unintended centered placement of the subject
• Subjects looking or moving out of the frame rather than into it
• Reflections, straps, fingers, or other intrusions in front of the lens
• Strong attention-grabbers that compete with the subject, especially text, signs, arrows, faces, and hands

The key is to look around the entire frame before pressing the shutter and ask whether each element supports what you want to show. If it distracts, reframe, move, change angle, simplify the scene, or wait. Composition is largely about deliberate inclusion and exclusion.