Week 7 - Composition: Fill the Frame

This week's challenge is another composition technique: Fill the Frame.

Here is the assignment:
One very simple technique for improving your photos is to move in closer to your subject and fill the frame. Filling the frame means that your subject is the only thing in the photograph. By filling the frame with your subject, you remove any distracting surrounding clutter and make it obvious what your intended target was. Filling the frame also makes for a more compelling photograph. For example, a photograph of an athlete from far away in the middle of a field is much less compelling than a closer look at their facial expression as the athlete battles for a ball. A portrait of person from far away isn’t nearly as personal or interesting as a full shot of the person’s face. There are two ways to fill the frame:

• Use a telephoto lens and zoom in on your subject.
• Move your feet closer to your subject.

Challenge: 1. Choose a subject to photograph. Fill the frame with your subject and take a shot using Manual mode. (Remember to set the ISO and white balance.) 2. Move back a few steps or reduce your focal length and take a shot of the same subject. Adjust your settings if necessary. 3. Compare the 2 photographs to see which one is more interesting and compelling.

I used the second way to get close to my subject...I got right in her face!

Here are three examples of filling the frame:


f/5.6
1/50
ISO-100
55mm
AWB - Shade
No Flash















f/5.6
1/30
ISO-100
55mm
AWB - Shade
No Flash















f/5.6
1/40
ISO-100
55mm
AWB - Shade
No Flash














Here are two of the same subject doing the same thing, but from slightly farther back:


f/5.0
1/30
ISO-100
43mm
AWB - Shade
No Flash


f/5.6
1/20
ISO-100
55mm
AWB - Shade
No Flash
















You can see that the event (First Lollipop) is captured better in the close-ups. Those photos are more interesting and show more detail. You can really tell she is enjoying that apple sucker. Also, the distractions of the stroller pattern and the blaring light in the top corner are removed when I moved in close and filled the frame.

I tend to fill the frame 90% of the time when I am shooting. Sometimes, I need to remember to move back a little though. When processing the prints, I tend to forget that when making enlargements, the image gets clipped a little and I unfortunately lose some of the photo when going from a 4X6 to a 5X7 because of the ratio/proportions.