If you’re a beginner photographer there’s perhaps no simpler compositional rule to master than filling the frame. This often-touted photography ‘hack’ has become a bit of an instructional buzzword akin to Weegee’s “f/8 and be there”. And indeed, filing the frame can be traced back to a legendary photographer, too, none other than famed photojournalist and Magnum co-founder, Robert Capa. To quote him in full: “If your pictures aren’t good enough, then you aren’t close enough.”
Capa is arguably the most famous war photographer of all time, it’s not surprising that getting close to the action was of extreme importance. However, his wisdom can be applied to many different genres of photography and while filling the frame should be considered just one compositional technique in your arsenal, it’s a great technique for beginner photographers to learn, because it’s a simple concept that can be achieved with almost any lens (providing you’re photographing the right subject).
