Context creates a sense of time and place in photography. Context identifies the era of a photo, the lifestyles being lived, and the possessions held most dear. Beautiful portraits draw our attention to the subject, but our everyday photos show with details of our lives.
Was there a rotary phone on your wall? What did your front door look like in your first day of school photos? I love my childhood photos with the green countertops of the kitchen, funky flower wallpaper, and long, boat-like cars. I love the Christmas photos with special gifts still in boxes behind smiling faces next to a leaning tinseled Christmas tree.
How do you capture context in an appealing way? Three techniques help you improve context.
1. Focus - It's all about focus. Focus on a strong subject in the frame so the viewer knows exactly the story you are telling. The other elements stay in the frame and keep the viewer lingering on the details of the photo, but strong placement of your subject provides an anchor for your viewer. Divide your frame into thirds, place your subject on a third intersection in the frame, and create a feeling of dominance. Avoid centering your main subject.
2. Blur a bit - Shoot with a wide aperture (small f/ number) with space between your subject and the background to blur clutter, again drawing focus to your subject. Use portrait mode on your camera for similar results. Don't completely blur everything, just decrease its intensity.
3. Shoot low - Change your point of view to increase the focus on your subject. Shoot from below their eye level of your subject to make them seem larger, reducing the focus on items in your background.
The next time you think about moving the clutter from the frame, consider leaving details to give important memories for future viewers. If your viewer's eye goes to the subject of the photo everything else in the frame is a bonus.
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