{"id":102871,"date":"2024-07-01T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-01T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=102871"},"modified":"2024-07-07T21:34:09","modified_gmt":"2024-07-08T01:34:09","slug":"emphasis-in-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/emphasis-in-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Emphasis in Photography?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Contrary to what everyone says, photography is more than just the click of a shutter and capturing a moment. It\u2019s more about what makes that specific moment stand out.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you understand how to make certain elements stand out, you can amp up a simple picture into a powerful story. In this article, you are going to learn what emphasis in photography is, specific elements you might want to emphasize, and how to achieve emphasis in photography effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Emphasis in Photography?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Photo by Alessio Soggetti on Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Can you recall a time when you couldn\u2019t look away from a certain detail in a photo? That\u2019s what emphasis is. Emphasis in photography is intentionally highlighting a specific part of a shot. So, it stands out and grabs the attention of the viewer!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To achieve emphasis in their photography, photographers have gotten quite creative over the years. The most common techniques you might have seen are contrast<\/a>, composition<\/a>, colors, and lighting. We will be breaking down those methods and more later on in this article!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A photographer has accomplished emphasis in photography when the viewer remembers that detail more than other details in the photo. And that is regardless of whether they\u2019re still looking at the photo or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to Emphasize in a Photo?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"man
Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Maybe you\u2019re blanking right now and can\u2019t think of what to emphasize in a photo. That\u2019s fair because there are a lot of options. To start, common elements to emphasize are things like the main subject, whether a person, an object, or a scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other great things to emphasize are emotions<\/a> or actions, such things evoke a special feeling or thought within the viewer. Conversely, background elements can be emphasized less <\/em>to make something stand out more. Colors, textures, and shapes can also be highlighted to add depth and interest to the photo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, what you choose to emphasize should align with the purpose and message of your image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Show Emphasis in Photography<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s debunk what you need to do to achieve emphasis in your photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blur Away with Depth of Field<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Photo by Bianca Berndt on Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of the easiest ways to dramatically emphasize your subject is to completely blur its background. This type of emphasis is popular in portrait photography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cameras by themselves will help you achieve this blur, no need for extra equipment. Set your camera to a wide aperture (around f\/1.8<\/a> or f\/2.8<\/a>). When you do, the background and foreground will become blurry, while the subject remains in sharp focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lighting to Dramatically Emphasize a Photo<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lighting holds so much power in how a photo will turn out. Try to think about how different your house looks in the soft morning light compared to a harsh noon sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can try a more dramatic approach for your photos. Play with dramatic lighting like side lighting or backlighting to create stunning contrasts between light and shadow. Bonus: This adds depth to your photo and pulls the viewer\u2019s eye to your subject. Amazing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pop with Color Contrast<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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Complementary Color Contrast: OnSet ep. 113<\/div><\/div>
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