How to highlight the subject when composing a shot

Knowing how to compose a photo well can mean the difference between having a beautiful shot where your subject really pops out of the frame or the subject blending in with everything in the background. Highlighting the subject can be tricky when it comes to photographing people, places, and objects. But according to photographer Janique Goff Madison, there are some tips that photographers can follow to make sure that their photo composition is spot on.

When it comes to lighting, make sure the subject is brightly lit against a dark background. This is one of the simplest ways to make a subject stand out. It’s also a bonus if using only natural lighting, states Janique Goff Madison. Natural light can give the subject a fuller look. But be warned of the difficulty when two levels of lighting in one picture. If the background is exposed and not the subject, the subject could be overexposed.

One can also choose to forego background details by blurring the background completely by using a smaller depth of field. What better way to narrow down on the subject than to eliminate the noise from the background altogether. At the same time, one can also do almost the exact opposite of this tip to get a similar effect, according to Janique Goff Madison. By using a wide-angle lens, a photographer can exaggerate perspective to make the subject huge in the picture.

There are also other principles of photography that can help highlight the subject like leading lines. By cycling through different techniques and learning new ones, photographers can better understand the process, get a feel of how each works, and grow as an artist.