As you create a photo, what are the general guidelines you should follow?

What will be an ideal response?

Plan your layout and gather necessary photos. As you plan your layout of original
graphics, create the storyboard and the graphic from the back to the front. Decide
on the background first, then layers, followed by foreground objects or text. The
graphics you choose should convey the overall message, incorporating high-quality
photos with similar lighting characteristics. Keep in mind the customer requirements.
For professional-looking graphics, adhere to the general principles of alignment,
contrast, repetition, and proximity.
Choose colors purposefully. Consider the cost of full-color printing, paper, shelf life,
and customer requirements when choosing your colors. Try to repeat colors that
already exist in incorporated images. Some clients already may have colors that help
brand their publications. Consult with the client and print shops for the correct color
numbers and the plan for printing. Unless you want a rainbow special effect, limit
your colors to two or three on a contrasting background.
Design your brush strokes. Photoshop brushes imitate the actions of artistic paint
brushes. By varying the settings, such as tip shape, hardness, and so on, you can add
creative effects to your work.
Use predefined shapes for tangible objects. Use shapes rather than freehand drawings when you are trying to create a graphic that represents a tangible object. Shapes allow you to maintain straight lines, even corners, constrained proportions, and even curves. Except when intentionally creating a randomized pattern, try to align shapes with something else in the graphic, or parallel to the edge of the publication.
Apply effective text styles and strokes. Although many graphics include text as a
means to educate and inform, text often becomes a creative element itself in the
design. The first rule of text is to choose a font that is easy to read. No matter how
creative the font style is, if the customer cannot make out the words, the message
fails. Avoid using more than two different fonts on the same page or graphic. As a
second font, use either the same font at a different size or a highly contrasting font.
Keep similar text components in proximity to each other. For example, do not split
the address, phone number, and Web page address onto different parts of the page.
Use a stroke of color around the text for a more distinctive look that stands out.