Digital Photography: The Missing Manual

Get Closer for Better Pictures

You can always tell a professional photograph from a beginner’s snapshot…but you might not be able to put your finger on what’s different. Here’s a clue: Every amateurish photo includes lots of wasted space. Try this experiment with a nearby subject—like your dog. Take a picture standing where you normally would (probably about five feet away and above Rover’s head).

Now take a second picture—but first crouch down so that you see the world at dog level. Get close enough that your pet can almost lick your camera lens. (But don’t let him do it; dog slobber is very bad for optics.) Then snap the picture. Compare the two photos on your camera’s view screen, or better yet, on your computer screen. The first shot probably looks pretty boring compared to the second one.

Clearly, you weren’t thinking about composition the first time. You were taking a picture of your dog. Taking a picture is usually a mindless act that doesn’t result in the most memorable photos. Getting closer to fill the frame with your subject creates a compelling composition.

So remember: Move your feet toward your subject, and don’t stop moving them until the subject fills the frame (Figure 2-2). Of course, the zoom lens on your camera can help quite a bit.

Figure 2-2. Top: This otter shot looked great in the camera’s viewfinder. Onscreen, however, it’s a bit disappointing. It looks bland, ...