A simple background can create a strong foundation for a photograph
Objects in the foreground, the closest to you, often draw the most attention in your photo. But the wrong
background can overwhelm and distract from your subject. There are a lot of elements that make a foreground
or background especially powerful. Use these techniques to make the most of your subject and frame it
beautifully.
Before you snap, make sure your subject doesn't have anything "sticking out" of his or her head.
Put some thought into your photo ahead of time. Try these:
A good thing to do before shooting is to scan the four corners of your image in the viewfinder. Look in
all four corners for distractions that will detract from your subject, then remove them or change your
background. These corners provide the foundation for your composition.
Position subjects so that nothing is sticking out of their heads—look out for telephone poles,
tree branches, and other objects.
Create an artful backdrop by blurring your background with a narrow depth of field. This will also focus
attention on your subject and minimize distractions in your background.
Use the Portrait shooting mode on your digital camera to achieve this automatically.
If you can adjust your camera manually, use either Manual mode or aperture priority mode, open the
aperture to f2.8 or so, and the object in the front will be in focus, while the background will blur.
Tip: Step back and use your zoom to help blur the background even more.
Learn more about
focus and depth of field.
The lines of the sidewalk and the concrete post draw the eye naturally to the bicycle.
Leading lines are a way of directing the viewer's eyes. These usually vertical or diagonal lines needn't be
actual lines, but might also be patterns or shapes that lead the eye from the bottom, top or sides of the photo
toward your subject. These lines are everywhere once you learn to look for them.
People can also add context and scale to your setting.
Your camera can't portray just how large or far away an object is. A way to compensate for this is to add a
familiar object, like a person, to your picture as a reference point.
Use natural surrounding to visually support your subject.
Frame your subject using various naturally occurring physical structures or patterns—everything from trees,
doorways, windows, etc. This is an easy and powerful way of showcasing your subject as the focal point.
Lining up objects from foreground to background will give your photographs depth.
Capture an object in the foreground of your image to create depth, using the landscape—shooting mode to
ensure that both foreground and background are in focus. A scene that features objects one in front of the
other can help keep a photo looking three-dimensional.
Background movement—especially with slow shutter speeds—can take attention away from your subject.
Have your subject step to the left or right away from background elements that could suddenly move. Learn other
ways to take your photographs to an
artful new level.
Try shooting from a low angle to eliminate background distractions.
Changing your camera angle can be quick way to a less distracting background. If you're outside, try getting
on the ground and shooting up from a low angle, so that the sky fills the background. Or you could take a
picture from a higher angle so that you can see only grass in the background.
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