Framing in photography is one of the most known and easier to apply compositional elements. It helps to guide the look from the viewer towards a specific point or area in the background of the photography, sometimes it can also guide within the foreground.
It simply consists on using an element or various elements that can create an artificial frame within the picture to guide our look.
Windows and doors are common artificial frames that can be used to frame a photograph. But different elements can also be combined or used to create a frame within a photography. For example, elements such as trees’ branches, lamp posts, or walls can help you to build the right frame.
In above photography of the The Great Wall of China, I wanted to take a different perspective and composition of the famous site. For that I took advantage of being in a non crowded part of the Great Wall, as it was in a section that is less accessible as not being restored, and I utilise this ruined window for not only framing the scenery with the meandering wall, but also to emphasise the context of deterioration, as it can also be seen from the section invaded by plants further away. Thus, in this case, the frame was not used only for guiding the look, but also to provide atmosphere and context to the image.