A quick mental run-through to make before you press the shutter — a way to slow down and compose deliberately (after David duChemin).
- Orient the Frame — horizontal or vertical? Let the subject and the way you want the eye to travel decide.
- Isolate Your Subject — make sure there's one clear subject; remove or subdue anything competing with it.
- Consider the Depth — use foreground, mid-ground and background (and aperture) to give the scene dimension.
- Watch Your Edges — scan the frame edges for clipped limbs, awkward mergers and bright spots that pull the eye out.
- Let the Eye Move — build a path through the image with leading lines and tonal steps.
- Find Your Balance — weigh the visual mass across the frame; balance can be symmetrical or deliberately tense.
- Consider the Energy — decide the mood: calm and static, or dynamic and diagonal.
- Find the Contrast — contrast of tone, colour, size or meaning creates emphasis.
- Place Your Moment — position the decisive gesture or subject where it lands with the most impact.
Consolidated from notes: Composition Checklist (after David duChemin)