Centering Your Photographic Subjects

Arts & Entertainment

  • Author Samantha Stephens
  • Published January 25, 2011
  • Word count 508

To some photographers it is a taboo and while others consider it as an amateurish mistake. Centering is one of the key issues in photography. The subject should be at the center of your frame. But it is not that the subject should be in the center all the time. There are times and situations when centering your subject makes perfect sense. Centering is used to draw attention to a particular subject, as it creates a sense of space and size and effectively overcome the location difficulties. Composition of photograph is the combination of different elements to create the whole image. Background, lighting, focus, color scheme all combine to create the composition. Photographers should devote time to objectively view the composition of a scene before pressing the shutter. When there are few items in the composition, centering is a good way to grab the attention to a subject.

Centering along with creative lighting and many other techniques enhance the effect of the centered subject and maintains the focus. Portraits be it of animal or people are good examples of this. When the composition is busy with lot of objects competing for attention in a frame, centering a strong and different type object draw attention to it. When a subject is encircled by smaller objects, the size of the subject can be highlighted by centering. Centering invokes a sense of belonging to a space or a sense of loss. For instance, while a child photographed amongst toys create a feeling of the child belonging to the space around the child by photographing a child surrounded by toys but with a small empty space around the child before the toys create a sense of loss. Though in both the cases, pictures the child remains the center of attention. There are times when centering is not so appropriate especially in the case of nature photography. Often centering a subject can result in "bull's-eye" composition. Unless the subject is exclusive and deserve spotlight composition, the placement can result in a dull and uninteresting design.

However, all subjects do not permit a photographer to compose according to the rule of thirds. In some situations you can capture only a centered shot. Again in some cases there are distracting foreground or background objects or an element to the side of subject that would interfere on the image were the subject not centered. In such scenarios you must make the most of the situation and center the subject. A centered subject will definitely draw more positive attention compared to a subject with a lamppost behind his or her head.

There are numerous photographers settled in and around Norwich creating beautiful images with the use of evocative lighting, rich toned backdrops and props. All you need to do is to make a search in the Internet and choose the best in the town. Silvestri Studio is one such portal where you get the value of your money. Get a good professional and create stunning photographs to keep in a range of gorgeous keepsake, albums and books.

Samantha Stephens is a professional photographer and likes to write about photography Norwich. She is specifically interested in portrait photography including wedding photography and commercial photo shots.

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