Check the background
Sometimes when you're taking pictures, it is too easy to concentrate on the subject and to completely forget about the background.
For photographs of people against landscapes, and seascapes, make sure the horizon is horizontal and that buildings are standing upright.
Take a quick look at what is behind the person being photographed. Make sure that there doesn't appear to be a tree, post or pole sprouting from their head.

Try Group Portraits
There must have been millions of pictures taken of groups of people standing together. You can't see any detail in their faces because the picture was framed to include them completely.
Consider going closer and taking a head-and-shoulders view of the group. You'll get detail in their faces, and they won't be seen to be standing uncomfortably.

Take Pictures at the Subject's Eye-Level
When taking photographs of people, the result will be much better if taken at their eye-level.
So for children and animals, sit, kneel or crouch down to get down to their level.

Use close-up to capture detail
Want to capture that cheeky smile from your child? Come in close and make it a portrait. There really is no need to include the whole person in the frame.

Use Focus-Lock to Keep Your Subject Sharp
Many cameras have focus lock. This is used by pressing the shutter button only half-way down.
If your subject is not in the middle of the frame, the camera may focus on part of the background and your subject will appear blurry. So aim the camera at the subject, gently press and hold the shutter button to get focus lock and then re-frame the subject before pressing the shutter button completely.

Use Your Camera Horizontally and Vertically
Choosing the right format for the pictures you want to take will really make a difference to the end result. Turn and hold the camera vertically to get a tall, narrow picture. This is especially effective for portraits.
If you are taking a photo of a person near a famous landmark, choose the right format to fill the frame effectively.

Don't Centre Your Subject in the Frame
If you look at professional photographs and paintings, you will see that most of them do not centre the subject in the frame. Instead, they are slightly to one side. There is a formula that some people use, called the Golden Section or Golden Ratio to position their subject within the frame. This has been proven to create a more aesthetically pleasing image.
You don't have to worry about the mathematics of it - simply offset the subject slightly and see how it looks. You will soon develop an eye for the Golden Ratio without even realising it!

Avoid Harsh Light
Taking portraits on bright, sunny days may seem like a good idea, but it can produce some poor results. Bright lights create harsh shadows and can make the subject squint their eyes.
If the subject is wearing a sun-hat, their face may be in dark shadow created by the brim.
Try not to have your subject looking directly into the sun, or with their back to the sun. Neither of these arrangements will produce good pictures.

Flash is Not Only For Indoors
Sometimes you can produce a much better outdoor picture if you use the flash, even on a bright day. If your camera has a flash mode callled "fill-in", this is the time to use it.
As mentioned above, if your subject is wearing a sun-hat, their face may be in darkness. Use the fill-in flash to light up their face.

Flash Has A Limited Range
The flash in your camera may look bright to you, but it doesn't have a very long effective range. The typical flash will not illuminate things more than about 6 metres (20 feet) away.
A dedicated flash gun will have a longer range - check the manual and always know the range of your flash.
I have seen on hundreds of occasions at rock concerts and sporting events, people taking flash photographs when they are nowhere near the stage or the sporting action.
It's very likely that they will be disappointed with the results and wonder if their flash was even working.

Take a Break From Cheesey Grins
People don't spend their entire lives smiling, so most pictures you see of people don't always look that natural. And if you take a long time to compose your shot, you'll find the smile has become a little strained.
Try some more natural shots in which the subject is not smiling.

The chances are that most of your photgraphs of people have them looking directly into the camera. Try something a little more candid. My favourite picture of my eldest son was taken when he didn't even know I was there. He's looking to one side and has a very natural look on his face.

Follow these tips and you should end up with a lot more good photographs instead of hundreds of poor or mediocre ones.
Happy snapping!

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