Sometimes it's good to break the rules of photography.
Here I'll show some ways to frame a shot that may inspire you to try something different.
These methods are not very hard. They're just things most of us never think to try. The beauty of simplicity.

Step 1: Watch the Shadows!

In this shot, all we got was our shadow, but it delivers the message that we were out on a bicycle built for two. On Facebook, we even tagged the shadows with the names of the riders.

Step 2: Use the Macro Setting!

Using the Macro setting on the camera renders some neat effects too. Here I focused on a granite grinding wheel, but the real subject is out of focus. Sometimes, by working with the distances, you can get just enough focus to lend that fuzz filter effect.
Also notice that the the subject is quite a bit darker. The second image shows the difference in the amount of light between the forward and background images.

Step 3: Highlight the Event With Macro Shots!

You can even use this effect to draw attention to the event itself by focusing with the Macro setting on the subject of the event. Here we had our Meetup Group set up in a Concert in the Park. We focused on the Group sign in Macro and showed many of the participants in the background. On both Meetup and Facebook we're able to tag the individuals in the photo too. Coincidently, this is where we first saw the Collapsable Picnic Table we built.
At the $2.00 pint night below, we focused on the beer, but having a pretty girl in the shot never hurts either.
Again notice the dramatic difference in the amount of light lost from things in the background.

Step 4: More Macro Effects!

The possibilities are endless. The idea is to compose a shot with something visually striking shot in Macro mode while the real subject is in the backdrop. Here we see a situation where the lighting was exactly the same for both points of interest so the background stayed bright.
Lighting is a whole science in and of itself, so we'll save that for a later time...like one day in the distant future if I ever gain a true understanding of it.

Step 5: Obscuring the Background!

Finally, obscuring the background can be accomplished in many ways. Here we see the head badge of the San Francisco Randonneurs (http://www.sfrandonneurs.org/fleche-norcal.htm).
It is very clear that they are all about cycling, even though there is no clear image of a cyclist. Just the blurred image of cyclists on the road with the San Francisco Skyline in the backdrop. What is clear is the name of the group and the event they are promoting.