I have a super simple, perhaps obvious, but very fun photo composition tip for today:
Shoot Through Things
Here’s what I mean. See this perfectly lovely pathway? It makes a beautiful “frame” for my subject.
But I can also use the path foliage (getting up really close to my foreground foliage) to frame out the subjects in a variety of ways.
Neat, huh?
In the spirit of brainstorming, here are just a few ways to “shoot through things” to make a photo more interesting, more layered, more intriguing, less ordinary in its composition:
Shoot through leaves.
Shoot through weeds (especially if they’re backlit and glowy!!). BTW, that’s not sun flare below, it’s weed sparkle. 
Shoot through doorways.
Shoot through crib bars.
Shoot through furniture.
Sometimes in order to capture my ornery Teen in photos with a smile on his face, I need to go into stealth mode and shoot through truck bed windows …
If you happen to be photographing a puppet show, be sure to shoot a photo from behind the curtains …
Shoot a pretty landscape photo through a fence.
Shoot through a boat thingy (yup, my vocabulary is pretty techie!). Zoom in, too.
Shoot through ladders and doll houses.
Shoot through windows, from outside looking in (outdoor reflections add an intriguing layer to your photo).
Shoot through windows, from inside looking out (especially when your kiddo is using said window as his personal performance mirror!).
Shoot through car doors, and grab a self-portrait in the mirror while you’re at it …
Shoot through chairs.
And, one of my favorite shoot-through things (again, with the techie language): the car windshield.
As you can see, there are endless possibilities! Tell us in the comments some of your favorite things to shoot photos through.
Susan Keller is an Orange County Baby, Child & Family Photographer who loves coffee, good books, big landscapes, her dudes, and using ellipses instead of words… You can find her on Facebook and blogging at Short on Words.
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I love this post! You put it so simply and easy to understand, with fantastic examples. I do this all the time and get the strangest looks from my clients, I hide in things, I lay on the ground, I stand on chairs, I take pictures of reflections in mirrors on walls… You do get some odd looks, but the pictures are always so much more interesting!
I wish I had read this when I was just starting out.
Karli Harrison recently posted..Catriona & Tristan | Cumbria Wedding Photography
Love the inspiration here. I have a shoot this weekend and will definitely keep this on my mind to create some fun creative shots, this for sharing!
Christina Elenbaas recently posted..Project 52 Weeks! {Week 14} – Rochester, MN Photographer
I love it! Lately I have loved to shot through my peanut’s jumper with it’s toy and support archs it’s just perfect for framing her adorable little self.
LOVE this: RT @iheartfaces: Photo Composition Tips | Shoot Through Things http://t.co/K8zNKbYm
Great post/tips. I think one of my favorite thing to do is shoot through things; they are by far the most interesting shots!
Thanks for all the great ideas! I love to take pics of my son at his little league games through the fence. The fence adds a really cool frame around him.
ooops! Forgot the link!! … http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcjjap/6939839859/in/photostream/lightbox/
Great post Susan
I love to try and shoot through things. Here’s one I took just this morning ~ entitled “through the mayhem!”
I love this post. I love the idea of ” shooting through.” It makes photos feel so much more intimate and intriguing. Loved your examples! I have a few “shoot through” pictures in these two posts below. Please just delete this comment if it’s not appropriate to share the links. I’m just soaking up everything “photography” right now having just switched over to using my manual settings a lot more.
Through a gate: http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2010/05/between-rivers-on-pink-saturday.html
Through the handle of a pitcher: http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2009/08/welcome-to-50th-tablescape-thursday.html
Great tutorial from Susan Keller on @iheartfaces – a reminder to shoot through things! http://t.co/af4flZ3M
Such a nice collection of composing tips! Thanks for sharing these useful advices!
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RT @iheartfaces: Photo Composition Tips -Shoot Through Things http://t.co/IGcbZDgq #photog
I love the tip, and all the incredible examples. I am trying to learn to take more interesting photos. It’s hard sometimes to move around enough to get different and unique shots. I LOVE this idea!
Sharon {Grumpy, Sleepy, and Bashful} recently posted..It’s My Phone … Or Is It?
Susan, I just love all your tips, as usual! Thanks so much for sharing your stellar knowledge!
Simple Girl recently posted..iheartfaces | Hugs and Kisses
I loved this article ! Thank you for reminding us that its “ok” to shoot thru !! Some of my all time favorite photos I’ve taken, not only of clients, but of MYSELF (gasp ! The horror I know… lol!!) have been shot thru other items… car mirrors, car hood reflection (awesome w/the spring tree blooms I might add!), mirrors and a homes window… loved them all, and will continue to look outside the box and shoot thru. Rock on peeps… rock on.
Great ideas! My favorite photo of my husband – I shot it through the pickup, so he’s framed by the window. He’s such a pickup man.
Thanks! You are truly an inspiration to us newbies!!!
I always loved the intriguing look of a subject being framed by practically anything! And this is definitely one of my personal challenges I want to remember doing when documenting with photos. I like to shoot thru the rearview and side mirrors of a car. I shot a beautiful sunset that way (of course when I’m not driving) safety first! lol. I don’t personally have a favorite, but I do love looking at pictures that have that extra dimension, I think it helps to tell a story from a different perspective. Thanks for sharing this wonderful post!!
I love this! Thanks!
This was great! Thanks! IS there anything you all don’t think of!
Love this, I always add one of these types of photos to my sessions for character!
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I regularly shoot through things. It’s something I’m working on; I love the look of it, but I can never get the composition right so that the thing shot through isn’t distracting.
Just this morning I tried to get a picture of my 14 month old playing in her carseat through the grate of my headrest support. Of course, using my phone probably isn’t the best camera choice, but it was what I had on me.
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Great advice!! Thank you so much from an amateur photo maniac!! Can’t wait to try these out! Your pictures are beautiful!
Really great advice : ) Thank you for sharing Skeller!
Life with Kaishon recently posted..Time flies when you’re having fun.
Thank you for putting all these examples into one post! I do shoot through things, but often it’s more of an afterthought than something I do intentionally. This post illustrates the idea so beautifully, Susan. Most often I think I’m shooting through the clutter in my kitchen.
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