Alright Mr DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up

“I love the sea. While walking one day, this blue bottle caught my eye. Its body was inflated like a balloon, almost as if it was about to burst. The praying mantis was on a pool table – it was almost as though it was posing specially for the photo.”

At first glance, these two pics look very simple, but both hide something more. Both have a predominant colour – one blue and the other green – and each has a single subject. So you instantly know where to look, and it’s not long before you get a little closer to enjoy the detail.

Amanda says she likes brightening up the colour of her photos a bit, but she also likes the vignette effect. That’s when you make the outer edges of the photo slightly darker than the middle part.

It boils down to personal taste, but in both cases, Amanda uses it to her advantage. It subtly guides your gaze to the centre of the photo. Both photos have a nondescript background that doesn’t compete with the subjects. The subsequent darkness forms a soft frame around the subject and you’re rid of any dull edge.