And something happened -- I'm not quite sure what -- and I decided to start bringing them to enjoy ALL day everyday. Now I'm taking pictures of them inside AND outside so I can remember the colors and enjoy the beauty LONG after they are gone.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9woTJ59wz5lyxBG-fT3GbjXwcnQHy47ZDDpqGB60IbwAAa96XqWMEops1WhahU1Vb-GuMq7Y7WAu2s6JWW9VFNgPBA0QarIumPmBL_LEcmLZvXWBc_CmPgspOl-gzMO106LvuQRGupIW/s320/IMG_5528-705172.jpeg)
Today I thought I'd share a little about how I compose my photos -- when my backdrop and backgrounds are not large enough to hide what is going on behind the scenes.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFbm0AzWZoubgEd-Qic3NsozD7V_nNWlucmFh4EthWSSI7ANT77V8jaVzehPUBWkz6a0BLsq2e1IRLBYGk-IrJp_4EOAOLD3xIrEqxt-PGuKjXC9IJsB1-lmVY0eHeW3vXFqUk-DSe53f/s320/IMG_5535-707147.jpeg)
Here you can see what my composition -- or still life -- looks like before I start shooting. I'm using the backdrop I created from a window shade and a piece of bead-board paneling left over from my studio remodel. Kind of ugly, don't you think?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTKG8fY1PpFmMOom9nn0k7TcOLJxaCjIs3hxqeGvh5ZK8jSGNCnQVAra_gAkXvi74vIHe4rOSJrFi2ii7PLPtimPMI9wpJNKEOe5MuXW3KderpJlH7ViqABRUdwrk2InVsWqC86XCK37S/s320/IMG_5529-708437.jpeg)
Look what happens when I zoom in using my iPhone and the Hipstamatic App. The colors pop. The background disappesrs -- and it's beautiful. You could achieve the same look by cropping the original photo and adding fun filters in Adobe Photoshop if you wanted.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUSFGVCOkC2dPCMqGepHFVdGmnGQVblnBE1PyWV4oJWhTekRotqS2SPV-w1b0Gux4AjxaMpehhKs2C4RQ7Hpvh7zmVZ8KN5H9VQ6fG6mExfpeaLs7GUjIpDJxRSgTa5Q2eDN2xN1FawGeM/s320/IMG_5546-709907.jpeg)
Here's another view -- this time I added a beautiful vintage tablecloth to the counter. I love the folds and embroidery on it. Again, it looks pretty ugly with the background elements in the picture.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMX_m08zVBkc_ZJ9j9wniwClGcUMIgFabIkDaYnF11NqqocQ2wdCtxgA1deaJBfZicfn46GC4Zg_jMj4vqUJIn4T6VqncE0Y3fPC4T39LW8EnW6yHePOZa5TRum3LnoiCMMM_JvZL75bNq/s320/IMG_5548-711907.jpeg)
But -- look what happens when I zoom in. Beautiful light, bright flowers and the horizontal folds in the tablecloth really accentuate the vertical design of the purple liatris (or gayfeather).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNw5PQyXlT6xsG9q6BdPqwAPgs4hj97wV4nSSX9SqpnSJnX5MWXF4L0TyP2zej1JiVA-Lstuecicr1ETwq9NdML1APZSryjt68eJnBpbLAjtzS84RmBfCAbAPnVkXFrxoRES9CavSWmiuW/s320/IMG_5556-713855.jpeg)
I really love this one with the vertical lines of the bead board paneling adding interest on the bottom right.
And this one is a lovely close-up of little black-eyed Susie -- or Rudbeckia and some tiny details of the table cloth at the bottom left.
THANKS for stopping by, have a GREAT and WONDERFUL week!
As you go about your daily grind -- capturing beauty with your camera or phone -- get creative with your cropping, backdrops and get CLOSER to your subject so you can really focus on them. Look at creating interest with vertical and horizontal lines -- and make sure you've got ENOUGH light so your subjects look bright and beautiful! And -- don't be afraid to take too many photos -- for this session I think I snapped 100 or more shots. It's easy to delete the ones that come out blurry or you don't like them but once the moment is gone -- it's gone!
THANKS for stopping by, have a GREAT and WONDERFUL week!
Great ideas for staging photos...thank you!
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