Photography is visual communication, which is some kinds of universal language.

• even if you yourself are the intended viewer and its whimsical or playful, there is still something that you are trying to convey.

There must be a subject, a very obvious "thing" that the photo is about. Have respect for the subject - isolate it, and arrange the other elements depending on their relationship to the subject. Leaving as much other stuff out of the frame will increase subject isolation and convey intentionality.

Can you see what the photographer was trying to say?