#TECH: Fun in framing

FRAMING is a basic composition technique that every photographer must know. It guides viewers’ eyes towards your image by using another element in the scene as a “frame”.

Depending on your creativity, you can shoot through doorways, archways, colours and even light contrasts to create a frame or a “window” for your subject.

Clever framing gives your photograph a sense of depth and layers. Viewers’ eyes linger longer and wander further into your image.

So whenever you are out and about taking photos, consider this technique to make a difference in your photos.

Fill your image with clever frames. Use framing as part of the storyline that you want to create in your photographs.

Here are a few ways to use framing in your photos.

1. FRAME OVER FRAME:

I always challenge myself to include not only a frame but also a frame over another frame in my photographs.

This kind of shot depends heavily on luck and your creative eyes.

In this photo of a stall selling street food in a village outside Xi’an in China, the women were looking at me at the right moment when I clicked my shutter.

Having multiple frames within my image creates different storylines for viewers.

Camera setting: Aperture f/9, shutter speed 1/60 and ISO 1000.

2. ENVIRONMENT:

Make use of natural frames such as trees, branches, flowers, foliage, grass or bushes for your photographs.

Shoot from angles that look as if the natural element is surrounding your subject.

In this photo of a group of children at a village outside Jakarta, I utilised the effect of the trees, branches and light surrounding the children and the buffalo.

I further enhanced the natural frame effect during post-processing by changing the colour contrast, saturation and shadow.

Camera setting: Aperture f/4, shutter speed 1/400, ISO 160.

3. ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS:

Doorways, window frames, archways, columns, staircases, buildings and decorative walls can be used to frame your subject.

For this photograph, I was at a brick factory outside Jakarta when I saw some children walking through one of the doorways.

Camera setting: Aperture f/4, shutter speed 1/320s, ISO 1250.

4. LIGHT AND SHADOW:

Use tonal contrast of both light and shadow as the “window” for your subject. It will create depth and texture for your photograph.

This photo was taken at a fish market in Dhaka. The fish display area was lit up with bright yellow bulbs hanging very low from the ceiling. The sellers’ faces were hidden under the shadow. The black-and-white contrast helps to highlight the framing effect.

Camera setting: Aperture f/4, shutter speed 1/60s and ISO 500.

5. PROPS:

Shoot through a rectangular picture frame, a circular frame, a framed mirror or just anything that helps create a framing effect.

I captured this image of a woman through a mirror frame. She was putting on her make-up for an opera show during the Hungry Ghost festival in Teluk Panglima Garang, Klang.

Camera setting: Aperture, shutter speed 1/60s, ISO 500.

Source: NST