Photography Tip: Crop to Focus

I'll be the first to admit that I'm no pro when it comes to photography, but I have seen lots of pictures doing what I do, and I also have a lot of photographer-friends who sometimes share bits of wisdom with me, which of course, I am happy to then pass on to you!

Of the next 2 images, which do you find your eye being drawn to?

 No offense to my dear husband, but the picture on the right packs a lot more punch. The point of interest in the picture is really the relationship between my daughter and her grandmother, so I've cropped out the rest in the picture that doesn't matter, and there is less to be distracted by.

You can get a lot of mileage out of this technique - crop out the messy room in the background, crop to get a better balance in your picture (think Rule of Thirds), even crop to show just the smiling face of your loved one if everybody else in the picture is not even looking at the camera :)

By cropping out the unnecessary parts of your photos, your storybooks and other projects will be that much more interesting to look at - simplify your images for less distraction and more focus on the story that you are telling!

Happy Storybooking!