Mastering Framing in Photography: How to Guide the Viewer’s Eye

When we talk about framing in photography, I’m not referring to slapping a gilded Victorian frame around your final print. I’m talking about how you compose your images — using elements within the scene to naturally frame your subject and guide the viewer’s eye exactly where you want it to go.

Framing is one of the most powerful tools we have as photographers to create focus, depth, and emotion in an image. Sometimes, techniques like dodging and burning during the editing process can help emphasize the right parts of the frame, but even more important is learning how to use framing while you’re actually shooting. In this article, I’ll walk through one of my favorite ways to do this: using foreground elements to create natural frames around your subject.

Using the Foreground to Frame

At weddings especially, I’m constantly scanning the environment for ways to frame my subjects using what’s already around me. One of the best tools for this is using people — guests, wedding party members, family — to frame the bride, groom, or other key moments.

A long lens is invaluable here. Shooting with a lens like the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 allows me to create a beautiful shallow depth of field. I can have elements in the foreground completely out of focus while keeping my subject tack sharp, creating a natural, elegant frame that draws attention right where I want it.

For example, when photographing the bride walking down the aisle, I’ll often zoom in tight on the groom’s reaction. By using the bride and her father in the foreground, blurred out softly at f/2.8, I can direct all the focus to the groom’s expression. This creates a layered, emotional image that tells a deeper story than simply photographing the groom alone.

Finding Frames in the Environment

It’s not just people that can be used for framing — anything in the environment can help. Always ask yourself:

• Is there a fence with slats I can shoot through?

• Are there columns, archways, or trees that could block part of the frame and direct attention inward?

• Is there an opportunity to use doorways, windows, or even light patterns as framing elements?

These natural frames add depth and visual interest to your shots, leading the viewer’s eye right to the subject without distraction.

Examples in Action

One image that stands out in my mind is a shot where I used a group of groomsmen lined up in the foreground to frame the bride. I shot this again with my Canon 70-200mm at f/2.8. The three groomsmen, blurred softly in the foreground, help create a tunnel of focus that points directly at the bride. It’s not just the framing that helps — the fact that the groomsmen were in black tuxedos while the bride was in a bright white dress naturally pulls your eye to the brightest part of the scene.

Another example came during the first dances. While the main focus was on the mother-son dance, I noticed the bride standing nearby, watching the moment unfold. Instead of focusing solely on the dance, I composed a shot that used the dancing figures in the foreground to frame the bride’s emotional expression in the background. It’s a reminder that sometimes the most powerful moments aren’t happening in the center of the action — they’re unfolding quietly at the edges.

Keep Scanning, Keep Seeing

The key to great framing is constant awareness. As a photographer, it’s easy to get tunnel vision, focusing only on the main subject. But by staying alert and scanning the environment, you can find countless opportunities to use framing to enhance your storytelling. Look for those side moments, the small gestures, and the emotions happening on the periphery. Often, these are the images that your clients will treasure most.

By mastering the art of framing, you don’t just take pictures — you create images that feel layered, intentional, and alive.