A subject against a white background can often be simple and effective if you have a good subject. If you have a boring subject, like an ordinary house, a blank background (like a clear sky) isn’t going to be very compelling. Instead, try framing your subject with surrounding objects.

Photo by Dan Eckhart

With the house, for example, using nearby trees (or what remains of them) may help. You’ll want to make sure the trees don’t create lines and shapes that draw your viewer away from the subject (the house), as previously mentioned, but often times they can be helpful in making your photograph more interesting and helping to draw the eye where you want it.