As I drove by this field of bluebonnets last April on US290 from Giddings and saw the shape of Texas on the iron gate I knew immediately I had to have that photo. I saw this photo in my mind the instant I saw the blue and pink flowers framed by Texas. I turned my truck around and went back, parked and took this photograph. I was photographing wildflowers for my Texas gallery and it makes a perfect frame for the state flower of Texas. This technique is called framing your composition.
Framing is a composition way to emphasize the subject of your photograph, drawing the viewer's eye naturally to it. Framing is not putting an actual physical frames around your photo but rather using natural or man-made objects within the photo itself.
One of the most common used "frames" photographers use are tree limbs and leaves. You will have to look around and position yourself to get the composition.
I had to hunt to find the right branches to frame this windmill.
Other common frames to use are doorways and windows.
Looking out our hotel on the top floor having breakfast in Victoria, British Columbia, I wanted to use the windows to frame a panoramic view of the city.
On a trip to London one of our target landmarks was the Tower of London. As we walked to the entrance to the Tower along the sidewalk, I saw this composition. We stopped and using the leaves to frame the famous London landmark took this photograph.
As we were leaving New York harbor on a cruise up New England, I had my camera ready. A stroll around the promenade deck I saw this view. I was able to frame Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty within the frame of the deck rail and roof.
Good compositions are the result of a conscious effort to "see" the photograph before even grabbing the camera. It beats just taking a snap shot any day.
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