Interesting Photo of the Day: Shanghai Library Portrait

Interesting Photos  •  Portrait Photography

A frame within a frame is one of the most interesting composition techniques in photography. By enclosing your subject within a physical frame, you can direct the viewers’ interest to your subject. The following image by photographer Nathan Ackley is an amazing example of beautiful composition:

“Girl Reading a Book” by Nathan Ackley (Via Reddit. Click image to see full size.)

Ackley took this image at a library in Shanghai, which he happened to stumble by chance. By placing the subject in the center of the image and framing her using the shelves, he is able to draw our eyes directly to the subject. The subject’s eyes looking directly at the camera provide a sense of contact, as well.

The photographer shares a handy tip. If you happen to stumble upon a great location for a shoot but don’t have a model with you, here is what you can do:

“In those situations when I find something cool like that but don’t have a person [with] me I’ll make a mental note to come back later with the right model. Take a pic with your phone to save the location and plan for another day.”