Improve Your Composition - Get Closer

One of the easiest things that the average photographer can do to get better quality images is simply to get in tighter on the subject of the photograph. This can be done in the field as you take the shot or in post-processing, but the goal is to highlight and feature the main purpose that the image was taken in the first place.

This means that before you press the shutter button on your camera, you need to know WHY you are taking that particular shot. What is the main focus of the image you are creating? Once you know that, the next step is to remove everything from that image that does not contribute in some way to the main subject of the photo. In many cases, the simplest images are the most visually appealing and enjoyable.

Cropping tight on the main subject is especially important in nature photography. As an example, here is a photo I shot of a tri-colored heron just a couple of weeks ago:

Click to enlarge

The truth is that this image is pretty good. I loved the late afternoon light and how it lit up the detail in the heron's feathers. But I really wanted to highlight the bird itself and in my opinion there is just too much marsh grass and a big old green leaf in the picture that detracts attention away from the heron rather than contributing to its presence in the image.

Fortunately, I had taken some other shots of this particular bird and I had gotten one that was much stronger visually because it removed all of the extra features of the above image that did not really belong. Here is that result:

Click to enlarge

In this image, the marsh grass is still present to give a feel for the setting where the photo was taken. But because I was a little closer when I took this shot, the grass was more out of focus and so the eye of the viewer does not travel to that part of the image as easily. Also, in bird photography, capturing the eye of the bird is a main point of interest. And in this shot, the red eye of the tri-colored heron becomes the focal point of the entire image, which is exactly what I wanted to accomplish.

So is it best to make your final crop of the image in the field or on your computer during post-processing? Personally, I find that it's best to get a few shots of your subject at different focal lengths in the field and then during post-processing pick the strongest image and make your final crop from it.

So get out there and take some photos. Just remember what your main subject is and get in tight!

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See my latest nature and wildlife images at:
www.duanelipham.com
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