How many times have you been out taking photos and thought, “This picture would be great…if only those people would just step to the right and get out of the frame of my picture!” At one time or another this has happened to me. It can be frustrating, but have you ever thought that maybe they could actually help you too?

Adding people to a photo can really change the depth of your picture. The next time you run into that “get out of my picture” scenario, try incorporating people into the photo. If it is a landscape photo, adding people can bring scale and show you how large or small the landscape really is. Are you taking a photo in a foreign country and there are people who are native to the area? If so, ask them if they wouldn’t mind being included in your photo. If the photo is taken closer to dusk or sunset, use people as silhouettes to add a dramatic element.

I read an article recently about landscape photography being used for stock images. The article stated that landscape photos that are sold the most on stock sites were ones that included people. The reason for this is because most people like to have the human element included in a photo, especially when they are used for advertisements or other ad purposes.

The next time you’re out taking photos, give it a shot and add people. You might find that your pictures start having a new quality and sense of life that wasn’t there before.