Background check: How a good background can make or break your photo
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Loading... - Damini Chadha
- 29 Jun 2022
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Photographers can often concentrate on the main subject so much so that they can forget about or ignore what’s going on in the background. In truth, a photo’s backdrop can make or break the quality of the image.
The biggest thing about backgrounds is that they’re all too often cluttered with distracting elements. The stereotype of this is the tree or telephone pole sticking out of your subject’s head. There can be many things, say, on a wall or in the scenery beyond the main subject can divert attention from the main subject. There are a few ways that you can alleviate the situation.
If you have a cluttered backdrop try changing positions. While you may have to move to a different location, sometimes all you have to do is move just a few feet or even a couple of inches to get a better background. Sometimes just a step or two to the left or right or shooting from a lower angle can eliminate the distractions. Often, shooting from a kneeling position can do the trick.
You can eliminate distractions simply by getting closer. By filling the frame with your subject you can get rid of unsettling elements at the edges by cropping them out and others you can hide behind the subject.
You can also mitigate distractions by throwing them out of focus. A small aperture creates a shallow depth of field. A telephoto lens will further heighten the effect. By finely focusing on your subject everything in the background should become unrecognizable blurry and help to emphasize your subject.
While distracting backgrounds are to be avoided or eliminated, there are other times that they can add to the aesthetics of your image. A sky full of fluffy clouds, brilliant sunset or a field of colorful flowers can and beauty to a portrait or a scenic image, as long as you make sure there isn’t a tree branch sticking out of someone’s ear. Read More...
