Simplify the background for cleaner, stronger photos
A busy background ruins good subjects. Learn quick ways to clean up backgrounds by moving, changing angle, using aperture and choosing lenses.
Look past your subject before you press the shutter. Poles growing out of heads, bright signs, cars, trash bins and random people can ruin an otherwise great photo.
Move yourself
Often a step to the left or right hides a distraction behind your subject. Changing height can replace a messy street with sky or a plain wall.
Move the subject
Ask people to step away from walls and toward a cleaner background. More distance between subject and background also increases blur.
Use aperture and focal length
A wide aperture like f/1.8 and a longer lens like an 85mm turn busy backgrounds into soft color. The 50mm f/1.2 and Sigma 85mm f/1.4 are especially good at this.
Choose colors that support the subject
Mérida’s painted walls make excellent backdrops. Pick a wall color that contrasts with clothing, and avoid colors that cast strong tints on skin.
Clean up in editing
Small distractions can be removed with Lightroom’s generative remove or Photoshop. But fixing it in camera is always faster and more natural.
