What don't you like in a picture.

I posted a few pictures in a facebook group the other day, and someone commented that there were no people in the pictures (of my local city centre)

Of all the pictures I have taken, I can count on one hand any that had people in the shot.


And that got me thinking,
I don't like people in my shots,
I try my best not to get any lamp posts, signs, or traffic lights in the shot (not always easy)
And no pictures in a cemetery.

So what do you try and avoid when taking a picture.

It used to be people but these days I can't say I exclude anything by definition.

What I do pay attention to is the amount of background clutter in my shots, at least for those shots it matters. I avoid the lazy man's perspective whenever possible.

Landscape is great without people in the shots, although I sometimes like people to show the size of something in the photo like a pyramid or statue where size matters. And for lampposts, I love them in a photo especially at night when I can add a "star burst" to the photo. Gives it characters.
What do I avoid. Yes road signs, and unnecessary background clutter that takes the eye away from the main subject.


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I always try to avoid people "posed" for shots. I'll do a candid if they are not looking my way, or if they are in a distance. Overhead wires bother me, unless it is a part of the photo, such as hi tension towers. Roadsigns, unless they are unusual. And the sun behind ANY flag.

I don't generally like people in my shots, either. But in some cases, it can look weird without people around. An empty ballpark, for example.

This isn't exactly what you asked, but: A friend posted a picture of a lighthouse the other day, and I commented that it was a great picture, but she should dial back the sharpening or other processing, because there was a glow around the lighthouse and the land. I find it very distracting. Another friend of hers, though, disagreed with me and said it helps set the lighthouse away from the background.

My big three (compositional) Pet Peeves would probably be...

1. Busy, cluttered backgrounds
2. Broken edges and/or corners
3. Wildly crooked horizontal/vertical lines
.....

Depending on the shot, I like people in it to give it 'life'.

One thing I am careful of when composing is garbage cans for sure. Other items might be light poles and other objects only if I think they 'block' or take away from my subject or desired end result.

Telephone lines. I will try to clone them out when it detracts from the landscape. I usually try to wait until people are out of the scene but I'm relaxing on that a little depending on what the subject is. I do like cemetery shots with character, old headstones. But NOT people standing around smiling, visiting, laughing with a coffin in the middle if that's the kind of shot you mean.

People especially those small ones,think they call them children

Most of the time it is people but i will include them if i feel they are needed,children ime trying to avoid being in my pictures unless they are unrecognizable, this is due to the over reaction its possible to get from parents,the same parents i may add that will post pictures on face book of there kids in the bath or at the park,but then again face book is a safe environment where your just talking to the 4,500 friends.::what::

Horizons such as sea that slopes, clutter and distractions.
Overcrowded images where the subject doesn't stand out.
People are ok if they help the image.

Digital noise. Oh How I despise thee! Like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Also can't stand leaning pictures. Whether they are done on purpose or by accident.