Photography Article Composition: Framing|Photography Artist Statement

The concept of "Framing" is the fifth and final composition topic this month for the Boost Your Photography: 52 Weeks Challenge. (Join the Google+ Community to share your weekly photographs and receive feedback.) The previous topics this month were the Rule of Thirds,Leading Lines, Fill the Frame, and Orientation.

Composition and Framing

The term "frame" in photography refers to the border of your photograph. Everything that is "within the frame" is what you see in your final image. (Incidentally, Within the Frame is also the title of an amazing photography book by David DuChemin that focuses on vision and motivation, as well as detailed information about shooting different travel situations: people, places, and culture.)

Framing is the use of an detail inside your photograph that offers a seen frame in the borders (body) of the photograph itself. A body-within-the-frame, because it have been.

The concept behind framing is that a body gives another layer in your picture and the story which you are telling. A body can restriction the viewer with the aid of drawing their eyes closer to and through the frame. A body also can add a experience of region or context to the relaxation of the image - a panorama view may be contextualized as the view thru your inn window, as an instance.

View from inside our tent of the Badlands of South Dakota

There is a limiteless deliver of factors that might be used to create a body within your image, however the most common encompass architectural elements like windows and doorways and natural factors like trees and branches.

Man-Made Frames

Architecture is a great source of elements to use for framing an image within your image. Windows and doors are commonly used to add interest or direct your eye when viewing a photograph. (You can read more about photographing through windows in the articleWindow on the World.)

The collection of sunset shots, above, were taken from the pinnacle of the Astronomical Tower in Prague, Czech Republic. The unframed version (pinnacle) offers a extra expansive view of the town and the sunset and become shot by using leaning myself and the digicam out through the window slits. In the framed version (bottom), the inclusion of the masonry arch adds some other layer of depth and context to the image. Now the viewer sees the context where the photo is being taken (from the tower) and the foreground of the frame draws the viewer through the window and into the history of the metropolis and the sundown. (In an ideal world, I would have used a tripod and a narrower aperture to get the whole image front-to-again in recognition.)

This photograph changed into taken via the windshield of our minivan at the same time as journeying in Jordan. The body of the interior of the automobile, as well as the decorative fringe and air freshener, upload to the feel of region and gives the viewer the sensation of being within the van as well. The juxtaposition of urban (edges of Amman) and rural (the pony) additionally upload to what is going on on this photo.

Frames and Framing in Nature

Think beyond architecture, and you will find a wide-range of frames and framing elements in nature as well. Trees and branches are commonly used a frames and can add a sense of depth an interest to a photograph or scene.

This series of images of a Great Blue Heron comes from certainly one of my all-time preferred sunrise shots. I had given myself an extra 20 mins on my shuttle in to paintings that morning and become taken aback by the exceptional mist and fog off the lake, contrasting with the bright rays of the morning sun. The heron and its unique silhouette was the suitable bonus.

I took a huge variety of pictures, experimenting with composition in general and framing in particular. While I loved the interplay of mild and shadow inside the first photo (pinnacle), I observed that the addition of the framing factors of the tree trunks on the edges and the branches above (bottom) absolutely brought to the storytelling electricity of the photo and accentuated the exquisite colorations of the morning. Now there are 3 clear zones: the foreground silhouettes of the timber and heron; the midground interest of the lake, fog, and geese; and the background shapes of the timber and sky.

A body also can be used to give the viewer the sense of "being there" themselves. The photo above, from Milford Sound in New Zealand, grounds the viewer with the photographer - standing on the brink of the fjord, peaking via the timber.

Summary: Use a Frame

Using a frame within your photograph is a creative way to add interest and expand on the storytelling abilities of your image. Pay attention to the architectural and natural elements around you that could lend themselves well to an interesting framing image. Experiment with different angles, views, and compositions to find out what works the best for you. And always remember to have fun with it!

(Looking to grow more in your photography? Consider joining the BYP 52 Weeks Google+ Community to share your weekly photograph and see what others are capturing.)