Sometimes we get so caught up with our amazing subject that we forget what sits behind it. Many photos are ruined by busy or inappropriate backgrounds. Sometimes by changing your camera position or moving your subject you can frame your subject against a better background that makes a much stronger photograph. And this is something judges are keenly aware of!

When looking through your viewfinder, look at all the elements as shapes and lines, rather than what they really are. How do these shapes and lines interact? Can you keep the shapes and lines of your subject separate from the shapes and lines elsewhere? One way to make the shapes and lines of your background disappear is to focus on your subject and throw the background out of focus. Or in a landscape, maybe you need a higher vantage point to remove the horizon if it is distracting, or get down really low so you just have the sky as the background. Or shoot on a misty day when the background is obscured.

When editing your photos, can you darken the background or desaturate the colour so it is less distracting? The background is not as important as your subject, but it can ruin an otherwise wonderful subject if it is not kept under control.

Entries into the 2022 Better Photography Photo of the Year Awards close on 15 July 2022, so there's still time to enter - and who knows, you could be part of the $5000 prize pool too! And every entry gets a judge's comment to assist them improve. For more details or to enter, visit www.betterphotographyphotocomp.com now!

Today, 8 July, is the last day to enter and receive your 5th entry for free, so don't delay enter now!!  Of course you can still enter until 15 July with no 5th free entry.