Height should create direction
A tall branch is most useful when it does more than reach upward. Its angle can pull the eye toward a corner, frame a planted area or connect the lower and upper parts of the composition.
If every branch is pushed against the background, height can turn into a flat wall. Leaving some separation between major lines gives the silhouette more depth.
Preserve readable layers
Think in front, middle and back layers. A branch in front can overlap another without completely hiding it. Small shifts in orientation often create more readable depth than adding another object.
Keep the context claim narrow
This Journal note addresses visual composition only. Material suitability, enclosure safety and species-specific husbandry require their own verified authority and are not inferred from a photograph or a form label.
