Move Closer (Less is More)

Perhaps the most common mistake amateur photographers make (I know-I am one) is not getting close enough to your subject.  This is usually due to either laziness or impatience. You see your subject, your grab your camera, you take a picture.

But wait-wouldn't it have been better to get closer?  Usually.  Don't be afraid you will miss important details.  Most of them are irrelevant. The closer you get, the more your camera will focus on what's interesting and compelling.

Here's a photo I took of my daughter and son-

Andrea and Dave, 1991

Notice how, despite the fact that I cut off the top of Andrea's head, the photo still conveys the important details; namely, the happy expressions on both of their faces, and Dave's little fingers.

Many amateurs would have included all of the subject-their bodies, clothes, etc. Yet there is still enough information to show that Andrea is in her bathing suit and Dave has on overalls. The limited view of the clothes still adds a bit of color but does not distract the viewer from the happy faces.

Although this photo was not cropped, I could certainly have done so. The problem with cropping is that it reduces the size of the photo.  It's also more fun and challenging to get the composition right in the first place.

Here's another photo of an old car-

Statesman Super 2006

I saw some antique cars in a garage parking lot in Denver. Most photographers would have concentrated on the overall design of the car. I moved closer, and found the fading paint and rust was what attracted my eye. Without thinking, I concentrated on the gorgeous red and gray paint, and rusty wheel.

Two other details stood out. The logo gave the photo an identity, and the white blotch in the upper left corner, which happened to be a bird dropping, added an  unusual element.

It's fun to get closer to your subject, whether you do it when you compose your photo, or with your cropping tool. You discover things which you might have not seen. And, most importantly, it helps you take better photos.