Photofocus

Copyright Scott Bourne 2005 - All Rights Reserved

Filling the frame is the name of the game. But it’s WHAT you fill the frame with that matters.

I was sharing some insights with a new photographer recently and it dawned on me that my own style has matured significantly since I was a newbie. The biggest change I see in my work is that it has become simpler. When I was new at all this, I thought my photographs had to be “complicated to be good.” Turns out, that’s not necessarily true. I’ve started to simplify every image. I shoot tighter and tighter every year. I find myself gravitating to simple compositions that are clean and accessible.

The beauty of a single simple object is that it provides a clear focal point for the eye. If you have one simple, single object filling the frame, then the viewer doesn’t have to guess what you want them to look at.

When you fill the frame with your primary point of interest, you also simultaneously remove background clutter and distractions. This draws the viewer’s eye right where we want it.

Professional photographers know what NOT to include in a photo. On your next photo outing, ask yourself what you want to illustrate. Decide what story you want to tell and zero in on that.

In other words, get closer.

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This post sponsored by X-Rite Color and the ColorChecker Passport