>>2586902If you want to improve your composition, stop learning the different guides, and pay attention to the purpose of composition
Balance
Attention
Guiding the eye
Once you understand WHY you're composing, you can frame each photo you take to best effect, rather than saying "Well I'm going to apply the golden spiral to this photo of garbage" etc.
Large and contrasty objects hold a lot of weight in the image, whereas smaller more smooth objects don't. So for instance, while the OP image (sort of) conforms to the golden spiral, it's also very off balance, because the girl has so much visual weight, and the whole right side of the frame feels empty and light.
The window patterns also create leading lines. Your eye wants to follow the pattern down to its point, but in the OP, there is nothing there. All it does is draw the eye away from the girl and it leaves you lost against the right frame. So while this photo may be right, according to a random guide you slap on there, it really isn't composed well for what it is.
You don't really need training or books (though they can help) all you really need to do is learn to trust the natural predilections of your eyes. Open a photo, de-focus your eyes, and see where they want to travel in the image. Does all of the interest and weight pile up on one side in a negative way? or is there balance? etc.
It takes time, but once you come to understand WHY you compose, it comes very naturally.
