If you are focused on photography – and need to move your photography to a whole new, higher level – the key to success would be the photography background!

On the list of significant differences between novice and expert photography is the pro has learned to manage and manipulate the photography background – where the novice focuses all their consideration on the subject and typically simply lets the background happen on its own.

Have you ever been so caught up in your subject and lights and so forth that (when you check out the completed photo) you see a huge waste can – right behind your subject – spilling garbage all over the ground? In every shot? Plus you never even noticed it in the course of the photo sitting!

Or, maybe you’ve been guilty of having tree branches seeming to erupt from the model’s head, similar to antlers?

These are silly blunders which can be easily handled and will promptly boost your photography’s impact.

The bad news is we do not really become aware of how much better our images are! Let us face it; if you don’t have litter or antlers and so forth, you don’t stop to consider how significantly better your shot is…you just do not notice. Our attention only comes to bear if we overlook something and screw up (we all do once in a while).

If you’d like admiration for your creative activities, you CANNOT allow these problems into your photography. It really is a simple fix…only remember to consider the setting and all 4 corners within the viewfinder before you click on the shutter button – then you tweak accordingly.

For those who have a tough time remembering, acquire a piece of masking tape and write – in large black lettering – “CHECK THE BACKDROP”. And then stick the masking tape to the backside of the camera. It will help remind you until it turns into a habit.

You won’t ever appreciate the number of images you’ve rescued, nevertheless it’s definitely worth the effort.

The next most straightforward photography background technique – to make your subject “pop” from the photo – is to isolate them.

I am sure you’ve seen photography where the subject is in clear, sharp focus – however the backdrop is totally out of focus and is nothing but a wash of color.

That’s accomplished by manipulating the depth of field.

Depth of field establishes how much of the photo is in focus. You can find complete publications written about this area (heck, I wrote one myself!) but the simplest ways to achieve this “wash of color” technique are to:

1. Make use of the longest focal length lens you can.
2. Open it up towards the widest aperture workable – this will be the lowest f-stop number.
3. Place the backdrop as far to the rear of the subject as is workable. Or else place the subject as far in front of the background as you can.

Plainly each one of the 3 procedures has quite a few variables. By adjusting the variables presented to you, you can make your photography background as focused or de-focused as you desire. There’s no right or wrong.

Completely out of focus, moderately in focus, sharp as a tack…this is the point where your inventive eye comes into play.

When you’ve mastered your “in camera” strategies of manipulating the backgrounds, after that it’s time to consider creating some cloth backgrounds. This can give your work a pro “studio” look.

A good quality background can literally cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. So, instead of dishing out the big bucks, I like to recommend creating your own. Fortunately a photography background is straightforward to generate and can be made for pennies on the dollar.

Pay attention to your photography background and you can be shooting pro level photography almost immediately.

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