The Photography Background – The Absolute Fastest Path To Better Photos!
If you happen to be focused on photography – and wish to move your photography to a whole new, higher level – the important thing to success often is the photography background!
Among the fundamental distinctions between beginner and pro photography is that the pro has learned to control and manipulate the photography background – where the beginner focuses all their consideration on the subject and usually merely lets the background happen on its own.
Have you ever been so caught up with your subject and lights and so on that (when you have a look at the finished photograph) you see a huge waste can – right behind your subject – spilling rubbish all over the ground? In every shot? Plus you didn’t even see it in the course of the photo session!
Or, maybe you have been guilty of having tree branches seeming to stick from the model’s head, like horns?
They are stupid mistakes that are effortlessly resolved and will rapidly boost your photography’s impact.
The bad news is we don’t really become aware of how much better our photographs are! Let’s face it; if you do not have garbage or horns and so on, you don’t pause to think how significantly better your shot is…you simply never notice. Our notice only comes to bear if we forget and mess up (all of us do now and again).
If you want respect for your artistic undertakings, you CANNOT allow these problems into your photography. It is really an easy fix…just remember to consider the backdrop and every one of the 4 corners in the viewfinder before you click the shutter button – and then you adjust accordingly.
If you have a difficult time remembering, take a strip of masking tape and record – in large black letters – “CHECK THE SURROUNDINGS”. And then stick the masking tape on the backside of your camera. It will help prompt you until it turns into a habit.
You will never appreciate the number of photos you’ve rescued, nevertheless it’s definitely worth the effort.
The following most simple photography background procedure – to make your subject “pop” from your photograph – would be to isolate them.
I’m positive you’ve noticed photography where the model is in clear, razor-sharp focus – however the background is totally out of focus and is only a wash of color.
This is done with controlling the depth of field.
Depth of field establishes just how much of your photograph is in focus. There are entire courses written about this photo technique (heck, I wrote one myself!) but the easiest ways to achieve this “wash of color” method are to:
1. Utilize the longest focal length lens you can.
2. Set it to the widest aperture possible – this will be the lowest f-stop number.
3. Make the background as far behind the subject as is doable. Or put the subject as far in front of the backdrop as you possibly can.
Clearly each of the 3 steps has a lot of variables. Through adjusting the choices offered to you, you can make your photography background as focused or unfocused as you require. There is not any right or wrong.
Totally out of focus, partially in focus, sharp as a tack…this is now where your inventive eye comes into play.
Once you’ve mastered your “in camera” methods of controlling your backgrounds, then it is time to think about getting some fabric backdrops. This would give your photography a pro “photo studio” look.
A first rate quality backdrop can literally cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Consequently, as opposed to dishing out the big bucks, I recommend making your own. Luckily a photography background is simple to make and can be made for pennies on the dollar.
Pay attention to your photography background and you can be capturing pro level photography in no time.
