“There are several visual elements that make up a successful photograph of people. The person you are photographing is no doubt the most important element, but you do not need to show people close-up to get a great shot. If you are able to create an interesting composition, the people in the picture can be reasonably far away, and they do not necessarily have to be engaged in an interesting activity either. I also look for an interesting background and a composition that enhances the scene. Before pressing the shutter try several different viewpoints and angles, and experiment with both horizontal and vertical views. In India I took a picture of a man sleeping on a bench at a famous historic monument. There is nothing happening in the picture, but the interesting perspective and composition, and the beautiful color variations of the carved columns resulted in a great photograph.”

Wise words from travel photographer Volker Poelzl, so think of composition  the next time you are looking to get a great pictures of people.