Close, Closer... and now three steps closer!

There are three basic techniques photographers can use to instantly improve their images... getting closer, finding the right light and creating more images.  Finding the right light is likely the most important as a mediocre composition can be transformed by glorious light.  Moving closer to the subject is equally important.  Many times amateur photographers stand too far awar from people they are photographing - often 10 to 20 feet from their subjects.  This becomes an even bigger problem the smaller the subjects are.

Most photographers stand too far away from their subjects so the subject ends up being very small relative to the rest of the photo.   You might be trying to create a decent photo of your child, but actually you're doing a wonderful job of documenting your living room.

Get close.  Now closer.  When you feel you are close enough, take three steps closer.  It's even okay to crop off the top of your subjects head.

The result is not only a much more interesting photo but, because the subject fills the screen, there is less distracting background detail. If you can't get physically closer to your subject use the zoom on your camera to zoom in closer. 

 

 

If the only adjustment you make in your photography after reading this is cutting the distance between you and your subject by three-fourths, the quality of your images will leap from merely okay to frame-worthy