Tip #5: Pay attention to the Background

Backgrounds can either make or destroy a picture, so get in the habit of paying attention to the things that are BEHIND your subject.

1.  Remove the clutter!
If you are taking pictures indoors and have the option of moving things around, DO IT!  Take anything and everything (trash cans, clothing, pens, loose paper, remote controls, etc) that can look like clutter and push it aside.  The last thing you want is for a great picture to be ruined because some weird thing is sticking out by the subject's head.

See picture below.

2.  Use a plain background.
The easiest way to accomplish this is to use the wall or the ground as your background.  Another way to do this (though less convenient), is to purchase a solid colored cloth and hang it to the wall.  Using this strategy helps your pictures look more "clean" and professional.  Plus, since there is less for your viewer to look at, your subject becomes the center of attention.

For this picture, I positioned myself slightly higher than the subject and angled the camera so that the rug became the background.  This allowed for a plainer looking background so that the subject became the focus in the picture.  I also used a bigger aperture of 2.8, so that the rug became blurry, which further helped isolate the subject.

3.  Get creative!
When outdoors, try using moving objects such as buses to become your background.  Having a focused subject with a blurred background can lead to original, fun pictures.


For this picture, I was standing across the street and had my subject stand on an island located in the middle of the crosswalk.  I lowered the shutter to 1/40 of a second and snapped away as a bus passed behind her.

4. Angle your camera up!
Don't just take eye leveled pictures.  Get below your subject and angle the camera up to see if you can use the sky to get a picture with a better perspective.  The sky is a great tool to use especially when it is nice and blue!
See picture below.

Remember to pay attention to your background as you take pictures.  Make sure that your backgrounds are free of clutter and do not take focus away from your subject.  Also, try being creative by using objects like buses or the sky that are not normally used for backgrounds.  Those are my photography tips for backgrounds and thanks for visiting!