Frame the photo !

Frame the photo 

One of the attractive composition technique in the photography is to 'frame the photo'. Framing can be achieved by capturing the scene through a window made by natural or artificial objects, such  as sky from the window, view through a hole. Any object with void in it can also become a frame for the photograph. To list a few: iron gate, tree branches, doors and windows etc. Some creative frames might be the broken mirror, hand arrangements. 

Amber fort, Jaipur.

Fundamentally whenever you conceal an object with the help of other objects, the focus of the viewer is taken directly to the main subject of the photo. These objects may not necessarily be with hard boundaries. For example, if a person is shot in the crowd and crowd part of the photo is blurred then this image can also be called as framed photo. Pattern within a pattern is also framing technique by default. 

Below are three examples where I have used 'frame the photo' technique. I shot water-pot framed by a door using a minimalism approach. This image was taken at Amber fort, Jaipur. It show-cases a small part of sky, placed at 1/3rd position at right top corner. As the sky color contrasts with the frame-color strongly, it may become the point of attraction or distraction, left it to the viewer. For me main attraction remains as the water pot placed outside the room. Characteristics I liked the most about the photo is the light condition. It was about 4 PM when the sun was making perfect angle to illuminate the objects and blacken the frame. 


In the second image, I have captured hostel no. 12 from the hostel no 13 gallery. Photo was then converted to black and white. The frame creates a natural effect. Viewer feels if he would have been in cameraman's place, he would have seen exact frame with his naked eyes. 

Third image was taken during my visit to 'Elephanta caves' near Mumbai. A girl seating on a stone and praying was photographed by her parents. The entrance to the cave is used as the frame. Again the contrast in the color of clothes and the color of the cave leads the viewer to the object of interest.

IIT Hostel-14

Couple shooting their child at Elephanta caves, Mumbai