4 Ways to Isolate Your Subject for Standout Photos

Hey photographers, let's talk about this... [Home]( 4 Ways to Isolate Your Subject for Standout Photos Grab the [Creative Composition Resource Kit]( today to access our best material on photographic composition (but read the tips below first!). –– Isolating your subject in photography is a key compositional tool. It simplifies and increases the impact of your image. It also clearly communicates to your viewer what the photograph is about. To isolate your subject, you must be clear in your own mind what the subject is. Beginner photographers often struggle with this. Some don’t want to commit to a single subject while others “spray and pray” – taking a lot of images, hoping one is good. Sometimes the subject is identifiable but doesn’t have the impact it could have had. It doesn’t stand out against the background or there are competing elements. Let’s look at how you can go about isolating your subject for more impactful images. 1. Simplify background Your subject will stand out better against a clean background than a cluttered one. If possible, move your subject away from a cluttered background. Sometimes changing your perspective or angle on the subject will do the trick. Step to the left or the right. Move up or down. Changing your position may move your subject into a cleaner space. In the photo above, shooting from a lower angle isolated the sunflowers and improved the background. 2. Use shallow depth of field When you don’t have a clean background to work with, use your camera’s selective focus ability. Creating a shallow depth of field blurs the background and removes distractions. In this technique, you open your aperture wide (by selecting a lower f-stop number like f/2.8). At a wide aperture, the focus will drop off the main subject and blur the background, as you can note in the shot above. 3. Cropping An essential part of isolating your subject is in how you frame your subject. You can include a lot of background or zoom in tight on your subject. A good crop makes the image all about your subject and removes anything distracting. Cropping is a decision that’s made both in-camera and in post-processing. In the image above on the right, the close-up crop helps eliminate the crowded streets of the carnival. 4. Utilize contrasting elements Another way to isolate your subject is to look for contrasting elements. Differences between your subject and the background help your subject stand out. Silhouettes are a good example of this. A silhouette isolates a dark subject against a light background. You can also isolate a light subject against a dark background, as seen in the photograph below. Isolating your subject is one of the most important compositional tools. If you want to make more impactful images, isolate your subject. Give the above ideas a shot as a start. If you’d like to dive deeper into photography composition and learn how to create standout images, take a look at our [Creative Composition Guided Resource Kit: Vol. 3]( that contains everything you need to get going – consisting of printable cheat sheets, video tutorials, quick guides, case studies, exercises and assignments plus a lot more. Check it out [here](. Keep that creative fire burning 🔥 Cheers, Brett   P.S – Want more quick photography tips, for free? Head over to our friend's website- [DailyPhotoTips.com]( now.       [ Want a quick way to learn the basics of photography? Grab our best-selling collection of cheat sheets: [The Snap Cards]( If you missed out on your set last time, they’re available again and on-sale right now. Plus there's a sweet bonus that expires at midnight. Don't miss out! [Download Here →]( Thank you for supporting Photzy! We're so glad you're here. Our mission is to help you explore your creative side, through photography. As a small community-led team, email is a crucial way for us to keep in touch. We regularly send out free tutorials, photo tips, inspiration, and store discounts. Never want to hear from us again? Break our lil hearts and [unsubscribe](. Or tell us how we can improve [here](mailto:cservice@photzy.com?subject=Feedback%20on%20your%20email). [Made with ♥ at Level 2 11 York St Sydney Australia]( Copyright © 2012 – 2023 Photzy Pty Ltd. [All Access Pass]( | [Free Quiz]( | [Advertise](