photo tip: fill the frame with the details

Too often I see pictures where the subject does not fill the frame and the background and "clutter" around the subject draws away from the focus. This "clutter" does not necessarily mean mess. Sometimes the clutter is simply a part of the subject that is irrelevant. While the big picture is interesting, some of my absolute favorite photographs are the ones of the details- these are the ones that draw real emotion from me.

Evan is getting so big. So big in fact, that I find myself sometimes forgetting just how little he really is. I want to remember his tiny fingers and the way he drinks from a cup. I want to remember that his whole face stretches out when he takes a bite of an apple and I want to remember that he likes to wear Curious George bandages for no reason and that they barely stay on for more than five minutes.

So the next time you are taking pictures of an ordinary moment, consider what makes that moment so extraordinary. So my kid eats apples.. great! But the way that he eats them makes it special to me.