| We're all familiar with the cropping tool in our digital | | | | shot now than to have to crop it out later. |
| image editing program. Unfortunately, it is one of the | | | | - Are there objects in the background that could |
| most widely used editing software tools, mainly | | | | provide an attractive backdrop to your image? Is |
| because it's easy to forget to frame pictures before | | | | there something in the background that can provide |
| snapping the shutter. Yes, it is fairly simple to crop | | | | a natural frame for your picture, such as an |
| images to get rid of ugly background extras like | | | | attractive doorway or staircase? |
| empty water bottles and focus only on the part we | | | | - When photographing people with scenery or |
| want. Or sometimes we do some heavy-duty | | | | buildings/monuments in the background, the |
| cropping to zero-in on a subject's face. But if you are | | | | foreground should be minimized. Try to focus fairly |
| planning on printing your photos or enlarging them, | | | | close up on your subjects so they don't look like tiny |
| you'll get a sharper end result if you to do a little | | | | ants in front of a giant building-unless you are |
| pre-planning and properly frame your shot. | | | | attempting to show how big something is in |
| Whenever you crop your photo, you limit the size | | | | comparison to the people. |
| you can print your image without it looking fuzzy or | | | | - Landscape photos benefit from showing more of |
| jagged. If you have a high mega-pixel camera and | | | | the foreground in order to provide a better |
| shoot on high resolution, or only plan to show your | | | | perspective. |
| photos online or in a digital slide show, it is not as big | | | | - Keep the horizon above the center line of the |
| of an issue. However, by properly framing your shots | | | | photo to enhance the composition. |
| in the first place you will have greater flexibility in | | | | - When photographing landscape, placing an object in |
| what you can do with your photos and you won't | | | | the foreground can greatly enhance the image. It can |
| have to spend so much time cropping your images. | | | | be interesting to focus on an object in the |
| Here are some tips on how to properly frame your | | | | foreground and let the background blur, or try the |
| pictures: | | | | reverse: focus on the background and let a |
| - Take a minute to compose your shot and see | | | | foreground object blur. |
| what's in the background before you have people | | | | By keeping these tips in mind, you'll find you'll use |
| get into position. Then you won't have to rush to get | | | | your cropping tool much less, you'll keep your printed |
| your shot when your subjects get restless. | | | | image sharp, and you'll increase your creative options |
| - Check out what's in the background on the left and | | | | - from making enlarged prints and posters to |
| right sides of your subject. Is there a trash can or | | | | calendars, and even blankets and pillows with your |
| telephone pole in the way? Better to adjust your | | | | favorite pictures. |