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Framing the Subject - Photography From an Artist's Perspective

The basic principles of framing

Classic rules of composition say that the overall shape of an image should be in the ratio of 2:3. In other words, "Portrait" format is 1.5 times higher than it is wide, and "Landscape" format is 1.5 times wider than it is high.
Happily, most cameras use this format, which means the photographer simply has to fit the subject within the frame.
Poor framing, produces three common errors; failure to frame, inappropriate "cropping", and incorrect angle of view.

Failure to frame

This is simply a case of being too far away from the subject. Whether using traditional film or digital cameras, the amount of information (detail) either can record is finite. Enlarging any photographic image can make detail more visible, but it cannot change the physical amount of detail recorded. In other words, failure to frame will waste the capability of the camera to record detail.
The solution is simple: when taking photographs, always get as close to the subject as you can without cropping.

Cropping

Cropping occurs when the photographer gets too close to the subject, and does not place them wholly within the frame. Most people know that slicing the top of someone's head off is bad photography, but many photographers do not hesitate to perform amputations of other body parts.
When framing a subject, the trick is to look at the overall picture within the frame (pull-back from the detail). It can be helpful to use a tripod. Because the camera's position becomes static, the photographer can frame the shot as a separate step, and then focus all their attention on the subject's face and expressions, and the moment of exposure.

Correct angle of view

The height from which the photograph is shot is important to framing. Too often I see aerial shots of Jack Russell terriers photographed by their towering 6-foot owner. The simple rule is - try to get the camera on the same level as the subject. If the subject is an animal or child, get down to their level. Squatting and kneeling work fine, but can be fatiguing postures to maintain. Again, use of a tripod is often beneficial.

Further rules for framing

Briefly, I believe there are only three "classic" crops: full length, half length (cropped at the waist), and head and shoulders. For animals, go for either full body or head and shoulders.

Summary

Your photographs (and artwork produced using them) can be improved measurably, if you:
1. Take-up a position at an appropriate distance from the subject in order to fill the camera frame.
2. Get down (or up) to the same level as the subject.
3. Try to look at the overall image you have framed, and check that the subjects extremities are all in shot.

Footnote: There are circumstances when these "rules" may be broken, but the intention of this article is to convey simple guidelines applicable to most situations.

Portraits by John Burton

About the Author

Portrait artist working mainly from clients' own photographs.