Tips/advice for improving my composition skills.

[brancaleone]

Very nice, and good advice.

I do go out, and find myself inspired, taking dozens or hundreds of pictures. On the flip side (the discipline), I went for a 4 mile walk today with my camera, and did not take a single picture (experience taught me they would all be junk).

It is a hobby, so I don't force myself to take pictures, it is a way to relax and use my brain.

Recently I attended a seminar with 3 well known and accomplished professional photographer, talking with one of them and showing him some of my images, he told me these exact words: "do you take pictures for living or for pleasure?" and I said for my pleasure and satisfaction, and he said "if you do not need to make money with photography continue doing what you do and forget the rest."

And that's what I do.

 

[MaryGierth]

I also have to say that I've looked for good books on the subject of composition and haven't found one. Does anyone have suggestions?

The Photographer's Eye by Michael Freeman