Theme, Emphasis, Simplicity . All three things help to focus the attention on the subject. The photographer accomplishes this by determining the theme, placing emphasis on the subject, and simplifying the background. We covered theme in a previous article but it is important to mention it again. Theme is what makes a photograph different from a snapshot.
Theme is what makes a timeless image.
It is what moves and inspires the viewer to look at the photograph again and again. Theme is what makes a person want to hang a photograph on the wall, not bury it in a shoe-box. There are many techniques used to show emphasis. The photographer can show emphasis through framing choice, whether he uses a vertical or horizontal format. Or he might show emphasis by the placement of the subject, governed by the rule of thirds.