Photography Composition Rule nobody wants to talk about - Fill The Frame to shoot Impactful Photographs

In current series of blogposts about Photography Composition Rules, today we will talk about one of my other favourite composition rules - 'Fill the Frame'. This essentially means that main subject you are photographing takes most of the space in final photographs and doesn't leave much scope for other things to be incorporated. There can be multiple reasons for doing that - your subject may have lot of interesting details you want viewers to focus on or there is a fear about too much distraction in background or lighting around the subject may make photograph look more cluttered. In this blogpost, we will look at different examples and will also see how many of them were clicked directly as tight shot vs which ones are cropped later to follow 'Fit the Frame' composition rule.    Just to iterate, it is important to understand what we mean by a frame when we say 'Fill the Frame'? In photography, when we talk about a frame, we are essentially talking about the photograph itself.   Related Blogpost - Photography Composition Rules - Rule of Thirds

In current series of blogposts about Photography Composition Rules, today we will talk about one of my other favourite composition rules - 'Fill the Frame'. This essentially means that main subject you are photographing takes most of the space in final photographs and doesn't leave much scope for other things to be incorporated. There can be multiple reasons for doing that - your subject may have lot of interesting details you want viewers to focus on or there is a fear about too much distraction in background or lighting around the subject may make photograph look more cluttered. In this blogpost, we will look at different examples and will also see how many of them were clicked directly as tight shot vs which ones are cropped later to follow 'Fit the Frame' composition rule. 




Just to iterate, it is important to understand what we mean by a frame when we say 'Fill the Frame'? In photography, when we talk about a frame, we are essentially talking about the photograph itself.

Related Blogpost - Photography Composition Rules - Rule of Thirds


If there is any risk losing impact due to a busy background or surroundings, crop in tight around your main point of focus can be very helpful. It would eliminate the background so all attention falls on your main subject in the photograph.   When it comes to composition, there is a time and place for each technique. The trick is knowing why you are using a particular technique, because that’s when you start creating strong photographs.   Related Blogpost - Understanding & Observing Lighting conditions is critical step to create Great Photographs

If there is any risk losing impact due to a busy background or surroundings, crop in tight around your main point of focus can be very helpful. It would eliminate the background so all attention falls on your main subject in the photograph.

When it comes to composition, there is a time and place for each technique. The trick is knowing why you are using a particular technique, because that’s when you start creating strong photographs.


Related Blogpost - Understanding & Observing Lighting conditions is critical step to create Great Photographs

When you fill the frame you are making a clear statement of what is most important in the photograph. Viewer eyes have no way to get distracted.     Related Blogpost - Tips to click Great People Portraits with your Phone Camera

When you fill the frame you are making a clear statement of what is most important in the photograph. Viewer eyes have no way to get distracted. 


Related Blogpost - Tips to click Great People Portraits with your Phone Camera


This works particularly well with portraits when you're trying to capture something more intimate and focused or are shooting in a busy location where what's around them would just cause a distraction. Filling the frame could involve you capturing them from the waist up or for more impact, fill the frame with just their face. Patterns are another subject that when capturing, you should fill the frame with, aligning it up carefully to ensure it's straight.   Related Blogpost - Quick-Tips to click Great Selfies with your Phone Camera

This works particularly well with portraits when you're trying to capture something more intimate and focused or are shooting in a busy location where what's around them would just cause a distraction. Filling the frame could involve you capturing them from the waist up or for more impact, fill the frame with just their face. Patterns are another subject that when capturing, you should fill the frame with, aligning it up carefully to ensure it's straight.

Related Blogpost - Quick-Tips to click Great Selfies with your Phone Camera

Filling the frame is the opposite of using negative space, which is another great composition technique we will discuss soon. When you fill the frame you include mainly positive space, which means meaningful details in the frame.    Related Blogpost - Creating High-Tone Effect in Portraits using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom || Post-Processing Tips

Filling the frame is the opposite of using negative space, which is another great composition technique we will discuss soon. When you fill the frame you include mainly positive space, which means meaningful details in the frame. 


Related Blogpost - Creating High-Tone Effect in Portraits using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom || Post-Processing Tips


Should we also talk about when not to Fill the Frame?     When close-up details of your main subject don't look as interesting as they may look from distance or you want to add some perspective to your subject through appropriate background or surroundings. Environmental portraits can't really follow this rule of composition.     Related Blogpost - Correcting Skin Tones in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom - Part1 (Bsic Post-Production for People Portraits)

Should we also talk about when not to Fill the Frame? 


When close-up details of your main subject don't look as interesting as they may look from distance or you want to add some perspective to your subject through appropriate background or surroundings. Environmental portraits can't really follow this rule of composition.  
 Related Blogpost - How to make good use of Shadows in People Portraits

Related Blogpost - How to make good use of Shadows in People Portraits

Other useful links to explore more about 'Fill the Frame' Photography Composition Rule -


Digital Photography School


Travel Photography Guru


PictureCorrect.com

Comments

Trending Post Today !

How to reach Kasol/Malana and top things to do around this stunning hill-station of Himalayan State of India

Main places to see & Top things to do around Dalhousie : Stunning Hill Station in Himalayan State of India