Better backgrounds, better images

In his latest column for AP, nature photographer Marsel van Oosten reveals why you must always strive for the best backgrounds in your pictures

- Marsel van Oosten

Arguably the biggest difference between images made by amateur photographers and those shot by professionals is the backgrounds. Most beginners are so focused on their subject that they can forget to pay attention to the background. When I look back at my images from the early days, that certainly applied to me. The background seemed unimportant, something I simply ignored.

It wasn’t until a professional wildlife photographer told me that backgrounds are just as important as foregrounds, that I started to notice them in my shots. And when I did, I became obsessed with them. A good background makes your image better. While it is purely subjective as to what a good background is, here are some simple guidelines…