Although the natural tendency is to shoot your entire subject, shooting tightly cropped details can lead to the creation of captivating photos. Detail photos often are more interesting than shots of a whole subject or scene, because you can end up with an interesting photo that shows detail that the viewer had never noticed or detail that may cause them to take a closer look wondering what the subject might be.
Capturing just part of a subject lets you further accentuate details that are usually overlooked. When composing detail photos, pay extra attention to the main elements of design such as form, color, texture, pattern, or shape.
When shooting details, be aware of the fact that you can shoot an increasing level of detail, too. For example, you can shoot just part of a tree with an interesting shape, such as a specific interesting looking branch, just a few leaves, a single leaf, or even part of a leaf that has an interesting layout of lines or patterns.
As you get to smaller and smaller detail, you may want to consider using a macro lens or the macro shooting mode if you cam offers one. Shooting with a shallow depth of field can also further add to the success of your photos.
If you have some interesting close-up photos of your own, please share them with us in the comments below. We would love to check them out.
