Spiritual Photo Tip 8: Size In Frame

This is the last Composition tip before diving into the Elements of photography.

Size in Frame is all about what you prioritize and the impact it has in your photos and your life.

Welcome to Spiritual Photo Tip 8 – Size in Frame – opening new ways of being & seeing.

I remember the first time I came upon a banyan tree in Vanuatu, symbol of immortality with aerial roots that grow down from its branches forming additional trunks and anchoring the tree to the ground. The sheer size of this stringy trunk took my breath away. That’s the feeling I wanted to capture by filling up the frame with it.

It was the same with an Alaskan mountain I watched from the deck of a cruise ship. I needed to capture its majesty, so I only included a tiny bit of sky and sea along with a huge chunk of rock.

As for the black bear in Saskatchewan’s Prince Albert National Park before tourist season,  I didn’t know wether to put my car in reverse or to sit still. So I took a picture out of the window with my zoom lens, filling the frame, and then sat in fear behind the thin pane of glass, hoping it wouldn’t damage my rental…. or me. Every time I see that photo, I remember the feeling of watching it thump its way in my direction.

These are examples of when to fill the frame with your subject – conveying a feeling.

Other times, you might want to bring attention to the details of an interesting object or focus on one person within his or her environment. What’s important is the object/ person, not it its place within that environment.

Take a look at these photos. Imagine how different they would be if the subject was small in the frame – if I’d stepped back or not zoomed in. How would they feel differently to you? Would the subject lose impact?

For example, if I’d photographed the ice tree to include its entirety with the sky and house beside it, would you get what I was photographing? Would it show how cool its ice robe was?  How about a crowd of mummers? Would you have noticed a detail like mismatched footwear?

Of course it’s great to have Context when presenting a series of photos from one location – but for a single shot, make sure it conveys your feeling about it.

Now look at your monthly or yearly budget. Where is most of your money going? Does it reflect your values?

If your dollar power were truly aligned with your priorities, what would you change? What would you spend more on? Less on?

For example, I spend a lot on organic groceries because I value eating healthy. I also value living in a beautiful environment, but don’t value home or car ownership. So I rent space in someone else’s house and we share her car. Having found the right housesister to share a space with made this possible. It’s also why I’ve been able to transition from salaried work to less stable income (so far) as an artist.

How about your time? Are you filling up your time frame with what matters most? If your children or your marriage are top priority, does your schedule reflect that? If your health ranks high, are you putting big time into healthy eating, exercise and proper sleep?

Reflect on how your earning and spending time & money fill your life frame. What feeling does it give you? Are you focusing on the right things for you?

Go over your budget and schedule to eliminate or reduce what’s not aligned with your priorities, making space for what you value most.

Making your subject small in your frame doesn’t mean it isn’t a priority.

Something tiny can have a huge impact in the big picture, depending on its placement, colour, and other factors.

What changes is the feeling you’re portraying.

For example, placing tiny people in the same shot as a big mountain, expansive rice field, or huge iceberg gives those scale. It also puts humanity into perspective – how small we are in the vast wilderness.

The tiny lighthouse in today’s top photo shows how easy it would be to get lost out on the ocean at night or in the thick fog.

The yellow rubber duck here may give off a feeling of loneliness or abandonment. Had it taken up the whole frame, it may have seemed joyous instead.

Take a look at the picture of your life again. Sometimes, making a small change in your diet, habits, or behaviour can have a huge impact on everything else.

You’ve probably heard about how putting a little money into your retirement fund every month can really add up with the years, especially due to compound interest.

It’s the same with all your choices. A bad habit also compounds over time.

Think about your health, work, community, personal growth, recreation, finances & life planning, relationships, and your environment. What one small change can you make that would make a huge impact?

For example:

• Is there a piece of art or decoration you hang onto because it was a gift, but it makes you cringe every time you see it? Get rid of it.
• Could you eat 1 less bag of chips a week or smoke 1 less cigarette a day? Could you eat one more fruit a day or park 1 block further from work?
• Could you save a % of all your pay checks to put aside for a rainy day and another % for fun stuff?
• Could you schedule 30 minutes in nature to contemplate every week?

You get the idea. Small changes can make a big impact. Have fun making life affirming choices. You’re worth it!

Start with what’s easy – take your camera and walk down the block around your house. Come back with at least 3 photos of something big in frame and 3 with the subject small in frame.

Can you understand why you chose to create them that way? What feelings do they convey?

Then make at least 1 small change in your life this week. How does that reflect your values?

Share your results with friends. Who knows? You may inspire them to do the same.