So lets say you've planned a big trip to Paris and you asked a friend to take a photo of you beside the Eiffel Tower. But when you look back at the photo, it appears that the true subject of the photo is the tower with people around it and lots of distracting elements in the background. Sadly, you hardly recognize yourself in the frame.

BUMMER, right? It's definitely not a souvenir photo that you would hang proudly on your wall...so what do you do?

One of the most common mistakes when starting out as a photographer is not putting enough emphasis on the subject by taking a photo where the subject fills just 1/5 (if that much) of the frame. With the emphasis on the background, photos taken in this manner result in a confusing photo with far too many elements to provide focus. The viewers’ eyes will more than likely miss the true subject as it is in competition with so many other elements in the photo.

Take these photos for example:

<br class="spacer_" />
<div><a title="Protest of P.A.ME. by xamogelo, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/xamogelo/2466770007/">[imageeffect type="frame" align="aligncenter" width="480" height="640" alt="" url="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Protest.jpg"]</a>
</div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em> Protest of P.A.ME. </em>
Photo by xamogelo</p>
<br class="spacer_" />

The subject here is the little girl carrying the flag. However, the people, car, and man to the left of her are all competing for attention within the frame.

A better way to frame this shot would be to get a few inches closer to the subject and take the photo from a low angle to eliminate the unnecessary elements in the background...of course, making sure that you've still got the red flag in the frame!

Although it may seem difficult to fix this problem all the time, but the solution is actually quite simple – as simple as getting closer to your subject! By getting closer you:
<ol>
	<li>Fill the frame and define your subject very clearly.</li>
	<li>Direct the viewers’ attention to the subject.</li>
	<li>Reveal telling details of the subject.</li>
	<li>Make the subject appear bigger than the other objects around it.</li>
	<li>Avoid distracting and unnecessary elements in the background.</li>
</ol>



<br class="spacer_" />
<div><a title="Old Man by Fouquier, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fouquier/4956707000/">[imageeffect type="frame" align="aligncenter" width="512" height="640" alt="" url="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/OldMan.jpg"]</a>
</div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em> Old Man</em>
Photo by Fouquier</p>

The photo above is a great example of how getting closer to your subject can create a fantastic image. Aside from showcasing nice details, the photographer was also able to capture and emphasize the subject's very expressive eyes - which would not be quite as effective, if taken from several feet away.

<br class="spacer_" />

Be wary, however, of totally eradicating the background! Sure, proximity is important in portrait photography, but so is context. Not all details you see in the background are unimportant. The background elements also contribute to a good shot by providing context such as the location and time of day. The trick here is to have a balanced blend of the most important objects within your scene: proximity to the subject and context of the scene. Look at the below as an example:

<br class="spacer_" />
<div><a title="悠閒(Leisurely) by JC, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bambooxhuang/4941049669/">[imageeffect type="frame" align="aligncenter" width="500" height="333" alt="" url="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/danbo.jpg"]</a>
</div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em> 悠閒(Leisurely)</em>
Photo by JC</p>
<br class="spacer_" />

Capturing the moments of your family and friends lives doesn't have to be difficult, just be sure to look at all of the elements in your frame and re-frame your shot to show off your subject appropriately! You know what they say...practice makes perfect, so get out there and practice practice practice! 