There are many things that make a great photograph but one of the most important elements of a good photo is composition. Composition has to do with the placement of the subject and objects in a photograph and how these various elements interact together.
Good composition can turn an average snapshot into a professionals photograph. Composition is comprised of many factors. Some simple elements of composition are the framing and cropping of an image.
Photoshop can enhance the composition of a photograph through the use of the cropping tool. With this tool, you can quickly and effortlessly cut out parts of the photo that you don't want or that divert focus from the main subject. By allowing you to measure areas to be cut, Photoshop makes cropping as exact as you need it to be.
The best part about cropping using Photoshop's cropping tool is that if you don't like how your photo looks after it has been cropped you can simply go back to where you started and try again. You can essentially experiment with an unlimited number of possibilities.
Here are some tips for better cropping.
Rule of Thirds:
You will typically never see the professional photographer center the subject in a photo, while the amateur usually does. By moving the subject off center, you will create more visual interest and appeal to your image. Visualize three lines dividing your image into even thirds and crop your photo in a manner that will place your subject into one of the outer thirds. Experiment as much as you want to reach your desired effect, but make sure to save a copy of your image as an original in a separate folder.
Cropping to Traditional Print Sizes
Standard photo sizes such as 4x6 are easier to frame, so make sure to check the sizing when cropping a photo. Should your image not conform to standard dimensions, simply cut off or add back a little of your photo to meet these sizes. Without this, a photo lab may crop off more than you would want or in the wrong area of the photo to make them print the right size.
Photoshop makes it so easy to crop your photos that you really won't have to worry about the framing when you take the picture on your camera because you can just fix it later on your computer. Regardless of whether you use Photoshop Elements or the more advanced version, Photoshop CS, the technical aspects of using the cropping tool are essentially the same.
Good composition can turn an average snapshot into a professionals photograph. Composition is comprised of many factors. Some simple elements of composition are the framing and cropping of an image.
Photoshop can enhance the composition of a photograph through the use of the cropping tool. With this tool, you can quickly and effortlessly cut out parts of the photo that you don't want or that divert focus from the main subject. By allowing you to measure areas to be cut, Photoshop makes cropping as exact as you need it to be.
The best part about cropping using Photoshop's cropping tool is that if you don't like how your photo looks after it has been cropped you can simply go back to where you started and try again. You can essentially experiment with an unlimited number of possibilities.
Here are some tips for better cropping.
Rule of Thirds:
You will typically never see the professional photographer center the subject in a photo, while the amateur usually does. By moving the subject off center, you will create more visual interest and appeal to your image. Visualize three lines dividing your image into even thirds and crop your photo in a manner that will place your subject into one of the outer thirds. Experiment as much as you want to reach your desired effect, but make sure to save a copy of your image as an original in a separate folder.
Cropping to Traditional Print Sizes
Standard photo sizes such as 4x6 are easier to frame, so make sure to check the sizing when cropping a photo. Should your image not conform to standard dimensions, simply cut off or add back a little of your photo to meet these sizes. Without this, a photo lab may crop off more than you would want or in the wrong area of the photo to make them print the right size.
Photoshop makes it so easy to crop your photos that you really won't have to worry about the framing when you take the picture on your camera because you can just fix it later on your computer. Regardless of whether you use Photoshop Elements or the more advanced version, Photoshop CS, the technical aspects of using the cropping tool are essentially the same.
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