Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Photography and portraiture - How to choose the background in photography?

How to choose the background in photography?

Finding a suitable background to match the theme is not only to trust your intuition, but also to handle this process consciously and cautiously, because as we all know, the background may cause the success or failure of a photo. Where to choose the background of the photo?

First, reduce the interference background.

If you look at some of the most famous paintings, you will notice that the background is usually simple, so it makes sense to try to use minimalism in the background and photography.

Think of your photo background as an oil painting. You may want the background to be clean enough so that it won't be distracting and disturbing, so that the audience can focus on the main idea of the image.

Find a background without too many colors or patterns. This can not only keep the visual clarity, but also form the contrast between the subject and the surrounding.

But in some cases, because the background is too clean, the object may look like a superimposed foreign body. In this case, try to find some textured background to increase the volume. For example, if the concrete wall looks empty, you can try to shoot with a wooden fence or a wall intertwined with a vineyard as the background. This can not only increase the depth, but also increase the people in the photo image.

Second, explore the blank space

Blank space (or blank space around objects) plays an important role in the composition of photos. You can use it to separate the subject from the rest of the image, which will be more meaningful.

This "visual focus" will make the eyes focus on the subject, which will be an important feature of the photo.

Choosing a background with blank space can provide greater flexibility in composition. Because you don't have to worry about interfering with other visual elements in the frame, you can put objects almost anywhere.

Another visual advantage of using negative spatial background is that the observer's eyes can rest. If your image looks too saturated, please put a blank point in the frame to make it easier to see the photos.

Third, pay attention to your lines

A very important tool to improve photographic composition is the use of lines. Pay attention to the lines that appear on the background, including lines that outline buildings, lampposts and even the horizon.

If you want to include them in the image, make sure they don't pass through the head of the object. Composition should make lines appear in a special way without disturbing people's minds.

Fourth, use depth of field.

If you can't find a simple background, there is no good way to make it less distracting-such as blurring. Try to use a shallow depth of field by setting the aperture to f/ 1.8 and f/2.8.

To make the background blur more cinematic, try turning on bright lights or repeating patterns, because they look more attractive in a blurred form.

The term "loose landscape" originated in Japan defines this aesthetically pleasing background blur. Background blur technology is very popular among photographers.

Remember, the farther away from the background, the more blurred the object is. This function is especially useful when the background you want to shoot is full of details.

Fifth, cut off the redundant background objects.

A well-defined background can highlight the image, thus making it more attractive. This is very useful not only for the composition object, but also for balancing the whole composition.

You can skillfully "fit" the theme into a square or rectangle, such as a door frame or a window. You can also try to find circles, because the lack of angles will make these shapes more soothing to the eyes.

On the other hand, triangles can increase the symmetry of photos. Always pay attention to the unusual shapes you can try.

Looking for a sense of balance and harmony in photos.

People subconsciously like sorting. By choosing a geometrically aligned background, you can create a sense of balance and harmony in your photos.

However, what attracts the audience's attention is not the composition structure, but how not to destroy this sense of order. All we have to do is put the object in front of the patterned background, so as not to destroy the symmetry of the photo.

Six, with the help of the surrounding environment as the photographic background

Use the background to introduce your photos to the audience. If you can't resist distracting elements, please try to use them to tell the story of the theme and add atmosphere to the picture.

Many people think that they need to go to picturesque places to take beautiful photos, but this is not necessarily the case. Walking around your area, you will find that there are many undeveloped places that can be used as potential backgrounds.

Just open your eyes and you will find something interesting. Through some creativity, you will find that even familiar places, such as parking lots or construction sites, can be the background of beautiful photography stories.