A Tip to Add Dimension to Your Images

Welcome to my blog.

Today I want to give a quick tip on one specific item – how to add dimension to your images.  Before I give you this simple tip, first, I want to talk about seeing what’s in the scene before you make a picture. Somethings to consider: Do you take time to look at your surroundings, taking time to fully appreciate a particular location before you make a picture?  If you don’t you may really be missing out. It’s very important to stop and smell the roses so to speak.  This time spent in observation will serve you well as you begin to create a vision that defines the kind of image you want to make.

I’ve seen many people, bring their camera to eye and snap away, like they just saw Justin Bieber step out Barack Obama’s wife’s hotel room when Barack is out of town.  They act like they are going to miss some incredible moment that only they can see.

Ask yourself, when you make a picture, are you the person that sees something interesting and puts the camera to the eye and starts snapping away?  There isn’t anything wrong with that, if you are trying to work for a newspaper, or covering sports.  As a matter of fact, the ability to acquire a subject and nail a decisive moment is the most important thing, in that type of photography. In portrait photography it requires much more thought and a little planning.

You see, I want to be the one in control and I want to see everything. I want to see the final image in my head way before I ever bring the camera to my eye and press the shutter.  So, now I will tell you about the “tip” - today’s tip is about seeing foreground elements.  Foreground elements add dimension and depth to your images.  They are easy to use, you only need be aware of them, it’s easy to add them to a scene. Below are two images of the same subject. Tell me which one is more interesting to you.

The first image showing the lack of foreground elements (note the tiny foreground element). It is kind of interesting, but it can be much better.

In the second image you can see the foreground element. It creates depth and leads the eye to the center of the image and keeps it there. This was my vision before I ever pressed the shutter. Which one do you like?

Please note that my observations are not about right or wrong, they are just my observations. My goal in this post is to help you start to think about what you are really trying to achieve when you make a picture. I want you to think and define a clear vision before you make a picture. If you do this over time you will become a better photographer. It takes much more time to stop, look around, and decide if you want to shoot. And, if you do decide to shoot you must ensure you have a clear and defined vision of the final image.

Try this during your next shoot and post a link to the work in the comment section below. I would love to see how you are doing.  Thanks for taking time to read my blog.  I hope you have a great day.

Thomas Shue