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Frame for dramatic impact
Your subject is normally the centre of attention, but there is no reason why you can’t emphasize their surroundings to enhance the impact of the shot. Framing your subject within elements of the background, using architectural features to lead the eye to the subject, using a wide-angle lens to increase the drama of the background, or using digital-manipulation software to accentuate certain areas of the picture are all ways to create more successful portraits. Use wide-angle lenses with care, however; without strong composition, images can appear cluttered and unappealing, and if your model is small in the frame you need to ensure the environment is interesting enough to hold the viewer’s attention.
ARCHES
This fashion shoot took place at an ancient priory, and full use was made of the striking architecture. The central archway provides a very strong frame around the model and adds a powerful element to the scene. By shooting from a very low angle and using an ultra-wide-angle zoom, the strong lines of the pillars have been accentuated so that they dominate the frame. This in itself is enough to create a powerful composition, but the image has been enhanced even more through the use of image-manipulation software. The model was selected so as not to be affected by the manipulation work, which was carried out in two stages. The first involved using Curves to boost contrast to emphasize the texture of the brickwork. This also had the effect of deepening the shadows in the darker areas of the frame. The second stage was to select areas of the pillars in the foreground and desaturate the colours until they were almost monochromatic. Removing the colour emphasizes the pillars even more and adds extra interest to the image.
Canon EOS-1DS, Sigma 12–24mm lens at 17mm, 1/100 sec at f/5, ISO 400.