How to take better travel photos: Choose a clear focal point

May 5, 2:57 PMSeattle International Travel ExaminerAnnika Hipple

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Welcome to the third installment of my weekly series on taking better travel photos. So far we've covered the rule of thirds and using color effectively. This week, my suggestion is to try to give your photographs a clear focal point.

Simplicity is powerful. Without a clear center of interest, a photo can easily become flat and dull. A distinct point of interest draws the eye and gives the photo life. Focus on what's really important in the scene you're shooting and cut out any extraneous elements. Eliminate anything that distracts from your subject, such as bright white areas or other things that compete for your viewer's attention. Even if you're shooting a landscape or other wide-angle scene, consider including something (or someone) in the foreground to capture the viewer's attention and give a sense of scale.

The following sets of photos illustrate how a clear focal point can make a photo more interesting. In the first pair, the photo on the left does give a nice view of the Great Wall of China receding into the distance. However, I think the second photo, with the guard house as a focal point, is the more interesting shot.

Similarly, the following photos of the Piloto Glacier in Chilean Patagonia were taken from almost the same spot, but the inclusion of the Zodiac boat in the second image gives a sense of scale and adds a point of interest to the photo.

The color is better in the second photo of the Pyramid of Khefren at Giza in Egypt, but that's not the only reason this shot works better than the first. As with the Piloto Glacier photos, the inclusion of a foreground object - in this case, a man on a camel - gives a sense of scale. Even though the camel is very small, it draws the eye and adds interest.

There are times when a photo can work well without a clear point of interest, but in general, giving the viewer something specific to focus on will result in a stronger image. Without a distinct focal point, the eye is forced to roam through the image looking for something specific to settle on. This can seriously weaken the power of the photo.