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Home » Anatomy of a Snapshot Part II: Eliminating Distractions in your Background

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Anatomy of a Snapshot Part II: Eliminating Distractions in your Background

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will-collage

Thanks to everyone who left  love on my blogs last week!  I love photography and am excited to share what I know with others.  There were several questions asked and I hope by the time this series is done, those questions will be answered.

I hope you all looked through your photo files last week in search of chopped limbs and are practicing incorporating all body parts into your current shots.

This week we’re focusing on backgrounds.  In your photos, your subject should always be the focus.  But sometimes we’re not aware of clutter or objects in the background that cause distractions until we’ve got the print in our hands and it’s too late.

In our original Snapshot, can you spot at least 4 distractions?
When I look at this snapshot, my stream of conscience goes a little something like this:
“Those are my boys… 
Hmmm…  I’ve been looking for those shoes…  
That bag matches his shirt… 
I should really change out that painting and put something seasonal on that table…  
It looks like Will is exactly one step shorter than his brother…”
See how the boys are no longer the focus of my photo?  Too many distractions.
Here are three ways to eliminate distractions in your photos:
1.  Declutter the background!
It doesn’t take much to make sure your background is clear of clutter.  When I go into a client’s home to shoot, I always end up rearranging things around the room.  I’ll clear tables of tchotchkes, roll up distracting rugs, move chairs, open or close blinds and move plants.  Anything that will show up in the background that might distract the viewer from the subject of the photo.  Your house does not have to be spotless to be an ideal location for a portrait.  That’s why I assure moms, when I come to shoot their newborns, that they do not need to scrub their house for our shoot.  It takes no time at all to create a clutterless space by moving a few things out of the way.  Here are a few examples of clutterless backgrounds.
2.  Fill your frame with your subject!
Don’t be afraid of getting close to your subject and eliminating as much background as you can. I think that’s one of the most common mistakes made when shooting people.  Unless the background adds context to your image, you don’t need it.
Even though this snapshot has too many mistakes to become a portrait, look what happens when I get closer and fill my frame with my subjects. The boys become the focus of the picture again.
Here are some more examples of filling your frame with your subject.
3.  Open up your aperture!
(We’ll discuss aperture in detail in week 6)

The aperture of a lens is the diameter of the lens opening and is usually controlled by an iris. The larger the diameter of the aperture, the more light reaches the film / image sensor.

Aperture is expressed as F-stop. The smaller the F-stop number (or f/value), the larger the lens opening (aperture).

Aperture is what allows you to hone in on your subject and leave the rest of the photo out of focus.  If you have distractions in your background that you have no way of removing, opening up your aperture is a great way of eliminating them by blurring them.  For example, if you were taking a picture of someone sitting in the bleachers at a football game with lots of other people around and behind them, shooting with an open aperture would allow your subject to be in focus while the people behind them would be blurry.

If you know how to change the aperture (f-stop) of your camera, set it to a LOW number (f/1.4-f/4).  Remember, the smaller the F-stop number (or f/value), the larger the lens opening (aperture.)

Here are some examples of how your images look when you open up your aperture.


So, this week as you’re out shooting, pay attention to what’s behind, in front of, and around your subject.  And try out some of these ways of eliminating distractions in your photos.

  • Declutter your background
  • Fill your frame with your subject
  • Open up your aperture
You’ll be one step closer to turning your snapshots into portraits!
Next week:  Composition!

 Thanks Wenderful! 
I can’t wait for next week!
For more photography ideas and inspiration,
make sure to check out her blogs:
Wenderful and 
Happy Earth Day!
Some Projects Celebrating Earth Day will be coming up later on!
 XOXO

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Comments

  3. bbcd mama says

    So now you have me wanting to climb into my front-load washer, and have my husband take a picture of me like that!

    SO FUN!

  6. Michelle M. says

    I LOVE all of these tips! Thank you so much for featuring Wenderful and her amazing talent!

  7. jennykate77 says

    SUCH wonderful photos and very helpful tips!!

    Hope you're having a great week, Jen!♥

  9. Laura says

    That you for the great information.

    I wanted to tell you that I gave you the Sunshine Award over on my blog!

  13. MiMi says

    Oh my goodness! I've been trying to read my camera instructions and find out what Fstop means for a week! Now I know! Thank you so much!

  14. Angel Muly says

    Thank you for all the great tips!! I will definitely be trying them. Love and Blessings, Angel
    allthemus.blogspot.com

  15. heldam says

    Thanks so much for this series!! I am always struggling to capture my kid's beautiful lives in the ways I see on lovely blogs such as yours. I can't wait to get home and play with my F-stop.

  17. Tamber says

    Thank you so much for organizing this series. It is my weakest part of blogging. I really wish I could photograph better, but it just doesn't happen. Hopefully by the end of the series I will be a little better.

  18. pk @ Room Remix says

    She's so talented and I love all of this great advice! That dryer photo is too much fun… 🙂

  19. Liz @ Sugarplum Creations says

    I absolutely love this series! Anything to make me a better phtogorapher. Thanks!!! 🙂

  26. Soulfuldancer says

    thanks so much for the ideas. My 50mm lens is making it so much easier to eliminate those distractions! LOVE LOVE LOVE the pic of the mom in the dryer!

  29. KRISTINA CIPOLLA PHOTOGRAPHY says

    Thanks so much for the great tips! Love the newborn photos, so precious! 🙂

  30. Art by Ruth Sagrario Macotela says

    Good Morning Jen, Thanks for these tips i'm learning a lot, Thank your sister for sharing her knowledge too ♥

  32. ourlifeinaclick.blogspot.com says

    Thanks for this easy to understand lesson. I've had my Canon Rebel XT for 4 years and just started playing with the manual setting since I started blogging and reading blogs.

    Jennifer loving your blog! I just started blogging about a month ago and I'm loving it!
    -heather

  34. Cheryl @ a pretty cool life. says

    I really love reading these posts.

    Now I must get rid of my lowly point and shoot so I can take better pics!!

  35. Becca says

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series!! Your sister is SO VERY talented- I've been following her 365 blog for a few months and she never ceases to amaze me with her beautiful shots!!

    Thanks for featuring her! I love learning from her!!

    ~Becca

  36. Amanda @ Serenity Now says

    I {heart} this series big time! Great tips. 🙂 My question for Wendy is, can you adjust the aperture on a regular old point and shoot digital camera (I have a Sony Cybershot)? 🙂

  37. Rebekah Greiman says

    Thanks for featuring my scarf shirt. Let me know how it works out! I loved the Wendy installment, by the way. What a great photographer!

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