andarmsalsoneedtobeconsideredandshouldbecropped
inapleasingway.Asageneralrule,legsandarmsshould
neverbecut;leaveorentertheframehalfwaybetweena
joint.
Background
Quiteoftenwhentakingimagesthephotographerwillbe
focusingonthemainsubjectandtheirplacementwithinthe
frame. However,of equal importance isthe relationship
betweenthesubjectandthebackground.Whatispresentin
thebackgroundcanultimatelyaffecttheimpactandquality
oftheimage.Thephotographershouldbeawarethateven
ifpushedoutoffocus,elementsinthebackgroundcanbe
distracting and fight against the overall feel of the portrait.
Becarefultoplaceasubjectwheretheyarenotintersected
bythelinesofahorizonorstronggraphicelements.This
canquiteeasilybeavoidedbyalteringtheviewpointofthe
photographer either higher or lower. In some instances
graphic lines and structures can be used to frame the
subject;however,theymustnotcompeteordistractfrom
the main focal point of the shot.
Rememberthattheeyeisnaturallydrawntothelightest
areaofanimage;ifthishappenstobeinthebackground,
theeyewillmovetothatpointfirstratherthantheintended
focal point of the frame.
The more successful portraits are those where the
backgroundisatextureorneutraltone,whichservesasa
contrasttotheskintoneofthesitter.Creatingdepthand
dimensionwithouthavinga negativeimpactontheshot,