Diolma: aesthetics aren't wholly learned values, not by a long shot. That was my point above re the human psyche. It's nature AND nurture, as with most things human. A lot of what we find pleasing to the eye is hard-wired into our biology. As for non-western influences, they're fine once one puts them into context; they're all (objectively and historically) inferior to the western traditions (that applies to art, music, literature, etc.). I came back to this thread to point out another important tip that I forgot to mention; step back from your composition from time to time to evaluate it. When you see the archetypical artiste standing back from his canvas, peering at his work, he isn't just posing for effect. Standing back from a composition helps one see the whole rather than the parts, which is vital in evaluating work in terms of composition. (this one is sort of the sister to the squint technique) I don't know if just zooming out the camera has an identical effect, try both and see I guess.