When you aim the camera to an object and click the shutter button; there must be something that you would like to tell about this photo. The problem is how you can express the main object you would like to tell; becomes the point of interest in the photograph? Point of interest (POI) is a term commonly used in photography to express the main element in the photograph within frame.

Your main object probably has been correctly residing on one of the points of power according to rules of thirds; but probably it could not explicitly tell that the object becomes the main point of interest. There could be other objects draw attention that make the photo fails to explicitly tell the main point of interest.

Let’s have a look at the below photo. The main point of interest is the couple; I have no idea what they are doing; but a person at the right side draws the attention too. The viewer’s attention would be divided into two main objects that draw attention each other. The photo fails to express the main point of interest.

You should have decided which would be the point of interest prior pressing the shutter button. The occurrence that often emerges is distractions of the background which can weaken the strength of the main point of interest. You should consider these distractions; something like bright background, a color or a form, or an improper aperture. See also remove photo distractions.

Now let’s correct the above photo by eliminating the person on the right by cropping it. This is one of the advantages of digital photography; image editing tool such as Adobe Photoshop can be used to edit digital images such as cropping the image for a better composition balance, and edit the color balance. See also composition in photography.

Now the main point of interest, the couples, has been explicitly emerged on this photo by eliminating the person at the right side.

Make it simple, do not include unnecessary object that will just draw attention other than point of interest. Just focus which objects will become the most important element of your photo, and arrange other elements in such a way that will not emerge distractions to the main point of interest. Remember; do not think that the point of interest is the biggest element on the foreground. A smaller element will become point of interest as long as resides at one of the points of power, and isolated by the sharpness of a confined space or slow shutter speed that blur the moving elements on the foreground. Or you can make it explicit from the surrounding by making it more contrast in color and textures; it will be predominantly in the atmosphere of the photograph.

Please have a look at the above photo; the photographer was successfully affirming the point of interest. Both subjects are on the point of power. But the background was made blurred; affirming the main point of interest for the kid on the foreground. Both the point of interest and the rules of thirds work successfully on this photograph.

You may also consider:

• Digital white balance in photography
• Photography exposure techniques
• Photography light – how to trick