One way to create a better image is too move the subject away from the center of the picture.There should always be a reason for where you place the subject in the final image, by doing that you're telling a story and not just taking a photo. Now that's not easy to do with wildlife, in particular with the nuthatch I was taking pictures of. So I made sure the bird was not taking up all the space in the photos, I just wanted to make sure it was in focus and the background was not busy.
When working with the attached photo on the computer , I was able to place the nuthatch toward the top left when cropping the image. End result, you can see the subject on the tree with its classic pose, giving space toward the direction its looking at and as well providing the symbolic space that the bird can fly into. There is no perfect formula for a better photo, but at the same time if you decide to place the subject in the center it should be because it creates the best image.
Until next moment,
Amar