Filling the Frame

When taking pictures, one of the mistakes often made is not daring to get close enough to your subject.  We either convince ourselves that we shouldn't invade their personal space, or that we need to have lots of the background in the picture.  It could almost be said that we are afraid to get "up close and personal".  

If you are hesitant to shoot up close, you are not alone.  Once, after I sent a picture to my mom, she asked me this question: "Why did you cut Stephen's forehead off?"  My response: "I wanted to see more of his adorable face and capture those big huge eyes."  Since then she has warmed up to my tighter crops and has even learned to appreciate the dramatic affect it has on a portrait.

I'll admit it.  It is definitely a look you may have to grow to appreciate. Once you're convinced this is the style for you, there are two ways to go about achieving this look.  First, you could invest in a good zoom lens and let it do the work while you keep your distance.  Or, second, you could save a chunk of change and just suck it up and move your own body just a little bit closer to your subject.  The choice is yours.  Either way, close the gap!  

Still not convinced?  Take a look online or in a magazine at celebrity portraits or commercial makeup ads.  I think you'll agree that some of the most powerful portraits are those that fill the frame with the subject's face.

For example, take a look at the picture I posted above.  It is one of my favorite portraits of my niece.  It totally captures the emotion of the moment and her joyful, energetic outlook on life.  I LOVE it!  Had I not cropped in so tightly, I would have totally missed the moment.  The larger-than-life crop just oozes emotion.  

Maybe a couple before and after examples will help seal the deal.  The images below also help to show the difference a tighter crop can make. Take a look.

By the way, in case you are growing weary of seeing pictures of my children on this blog, I offer only one excuse: They happen to be THE most available models I have for teaching these lessons.  (It's a convenience thing.)  Besides, how could you NOT love looking at these adorable little faces?  Give me more!  That's what I say.

Don't you agree?  In this last picture, I just want to eat her up.  The first one's cute, but this last one makes Alden's bubbly face just jump off the page right into my heart.  These pictures of my son Stephen have the same affect.  It will have the same affect on your client's heart-strings as well!  Why not take one portrait from far off and another one from closer in and increase your print sales by presenting them to your client in a 2 hole frame! Two prints ordered instead of one: Ka-ching!

One thing to keep in mind when filling the frame like this is to make sure you get it "in camera" the way you want it to be printed out.  Sure, you could crop a photo that was taken at a wider perspective AFTER you download it using Photoshop, but doing so may significantly reduce the resolution of the image - and that translates into a loss of sharpness.  You don't have to mess with all that.  Just get it right the first time.

So, you see, just like in a relationship, once you dare to get "just a little bit closer", the rewards are usually so worth the risk!