Framing your photos in the right way can most definitely take your photography to the next level. As photographers, we always need to look for new ways to make our images better.
Natural framing is one of those quick pro tips that will allow you to transform your images in seconds. It is also really fun to play with.
However, the most important part is that by using framing you can direct the viewers’ eyes towards the most impactful part of the photo. The eye will be naturally drawn to the center of the image if you choose to use foreground or background framing.
Put Objects in Front of Your Lens
By placing random things in front of your lens, you can create interesting images. You can use almost anything you can find: doors, flowers, materials, bottles, glasses. You can also simply use your own hand to create this effect. Just make sure that your camera focuses on the subject and the object in front is blurred out.
The photo below is a great example of that. The blurred out object on the left creates an interesting frame and draws our eyes to the subject. In other words, the left and right sides of the image are less busy, which makes the subject more impactful.
Lightroom Presets: 90’s Style
How does this work?
By placing things in front of your camera lens, you are able to refocus your image and highlight the most important aspects of it. In the example above, the most significant part of the image is the subject. In other words, it removes the number of distractions in the scene.
Frame within a Frame
Frame within frame photos is another way to enhance your images. What is frame within a frame? In the simplest terms, it’s when the photographer uses some kind of object in front of him or her (for example, an arch) to frame the main subject.
Using this kind of framing creates build-up to the main subject. In photography, it is really important to feel your negative space and keep a nice balance between one focal point that is busy and reduce the rest of the background noise as much as possible.
Foreground Frame within a Frame
The foreground Frame within a Frame is one of the best-known framing methods. You have most probably done it yourself by shooting some pictures with the subject placed behind an arch or even an actual frame. However, sometimes the framing can be a little bit more subtle.
For example, the model stands in a phone box and this red phone box works as a frame. The left and the right side is not really busy. This allows the photographer to focus the viewers’ eyes to the model.
Lightroom Presets: 90’s Style
The picture above is a great example of a frame within a frame because a lot of times people only imagine an arch that could do that. However, you can get way more creative than that. Your frame could be literally anything that surrounds the model and isn’t too busy.
Background Framing.
An even more subtle way of a frame within a frame is background framing. Basically you make sure that the background of your subject makes a nice frame. You could have a blurry background and still use this kind of framing.
For instance, the model’s background is blurred but you can still the balloons. However, because they are blurred out and matching colors, you notice the model first. That is actually the goal, to draw your eyes into the model.
The most important thing to note is that the balloons from a nice and clean frame. Central composition works really well together with framing. It allows you to surround the main subject and fill in the frame from both sides.
Lightroom Presets: 90’s Style
To sum up, it is always good to think before taking photos. Nevertheless, having a couple of rules up your sleeves helps. Then you know what you need to look for. In this case, take a look at your surroundings and notice if there is anything that you could use for a frame. Maybe there’s a flower nearby or a box-shaped object that you could ask your model to go inside.
Either way, by first figuring out your background and foreground, you will later be able to pay more attention to your model. You will not have to be distracted by too many details and will be able to get the most out of your image.
