Photo Tutorial 101: Framing the Perfect Shot
You may not realize it, but even some of your favorite photos could be giving you away as an amateur photographer. No, I’m not talking about bad lighting or poor focus – although, those can both be deal breakers for a good shot as well. I’m talking about something as simple as framing. The area you include in your shot and how you line it all up can go a long way to giving you professional results, even with a picture taken with your phone.
So for today’s photo tutorial, I want to talk framing and how you can create images that tell a whole story in a new and exciting way.
Go for Depth
So many people make the mistake of cropping the layers out of their shots. The rocks just off to the side. The hotel in the background. Even the sand that is directly in front of you. All these layers can add depth to your image, and sometimes they can even help to draw focus to your subject. Consider a shot with a flower blooming in the corner, closer to your camera than the actual image you are trying to capture. You might be surprised by the results.
Show Your Scene
There is a time and a place for extreme close-ups, but most of the time? Your image is better for the background you include. Don’t be afraid of capturing an entire scene, or including just a touch more of the train tracks running behind your subject than you think might be necessary. Remember, you can always crop a photo – but you can’t add background back in.
Allow Your Subject to be Off-Center
This is what is known as the rule of thirds, whereby if you were to place a 3 by 3 grid across your image, the focal point of your photo should reside around one of the line intersections. So many amateur photographers make the mistake of centering their subjects, but there is something so much more interesting about images that draw your attention away from center. This also allows you more opportunity to share what else is going on in the photo.
Watch for Light Sources
If there is a bright lamp or bulb shining near your subject, see if you can capture those beams in your shot. The same can be said for a blazing sun shining bright behind your subject. Tricky light can cast a terrible glow across the rest of your image, but it can also be a beautiful addition to the composition if done well. The idea that your light sources should always be behind you is a rule for amateurs who don’t know how to work with light. Do however, watch your subject and how light hits it. Is it flattering or not?
Get Creative With Your Perspective
Anyone can point a camera directly at a subject and shoot, but it takes real genius to experiment with more creative angles. OK, so “genius” may be a bit of an exaggeration, but it surely doesn’t hurt to get a different perspective. For the best shots, you should always plan on photographing from a few from different angles so that you can select the best view in the editing room (or right off your phone, as the case may be). Get up high and shoot down. Stand off to the side and shoot from the peripheral. Find a creative way to see your subject, and then shoot from there. The worst that can happen is you have some fun learning a little more about the angles that do and don’t work.