After my article on the seven elements of art and how they can complete your photo, I thought I would share a summary of the principles of art. Knowing how they work can make all the difference to how well your creations work.
Seven Elements I wrote about are line, shape, form, space, hue, value and saturation.
Even though it’s well established, I queried whether the point should be included in that list, since it is a dimensionality reduction from a line, since a line is from a shape. One of our readers then made an astute comment, wondering why one aspect of the composition, symmetry, was missing. The answer to that is that composition falls under the principles of art and design. These are the criteria that explain how to best arrange those elements in an image. For photographers, the principles are all about fine-tuning the composition, often in such a way as to produce compelling photographs.
Balance
Symmetry is a way to create balance in an image, and balance – the first of the principles – is very important in photography. It seems like a simple concept, but there’s more to it than one might first assume. For many people, achieving balance will really be about symmetry, which is very pleasing to the human eye. However, it can also be a little more than that.
Equally weighted objects seen on either side of the centerline are not necessarily symmetrical. Just like the balance we used in our middle school lessons, a large object near the fulcrum on the left can be balanced by several smaller objects on the right or with a single object. smaller on the far side. Empty space can also have weight. A single subject to the left of the photo that can be balanced by the rest of the frame is the sea or the sky.
Just as mirror symmetry can work, so can radial and rotational symmetry.
Equalization also works when the image reflects the world as we see it. For example, we expect the sky to be brighter than the ground, and thus brighter images at the bottom feel out of balance because they weigh on top.
Not all images need balance. Imbalance and asymmetry can be used intentionally, adding tension and dissonance to an image.
Harmony and unity
Although the concepts are similar, there is a subtle difference between harmony and unity. An image consisting of adjacent colors or identical subjects in harmony. Harmonious images please the eye.
Unity is similar to harmony. It is used when there is a relationship between the distinct elements of the image, but they are not necessarily identical. However, a life photo or digital scrapbook layout will often have unity, a common theme that makes the elements fit together.
The contrast
Of course, the opposite of unity is contrast. I have written before about the contrast of different types. It refers not only to light contrast but also to the contrast created by opposites in properties, for example: large/small, tall/short, fast/slow, solid/liquid, in transparent/opaque, more/less, etc
Complementary color is a type of contrast and of course, the difference between light and dark is the kind of contrast we usually think of in photography.
Patterns
The next important principle of design is texture. This can be clearly seen, for example in the following lobster pot photo. The pattern of the vases and the nets surrounding them create rhythm.
However, the patterns can be more subtle. In the following image, the shores of the clouds and their reflections in the sea form an unusual, but still, pattern.
Having a broken pattern can add an interesting dimension to a photo, changing the mundane into something worth considering.
Although it has become a cliché, selective coloring, in which a black and white image is interrupted by a single color subject, works because color interrupts the image’s overriding pattern , which is desaturation.
Diversity
As opposed to unity, variety refers to the different quality of elements in a photograph. In many cases, too much diversity can be confusing and overbearing. However, it can also be used to subdivide repeating areas of a picture. An image can have diversity and at the same time represent unity. For example, a picture of a flock of birds of different species can show both unity (the birds) and diversity (each), like the seabirds in the following image.
Emphasis, dominance and hierarchy
Various types can be used to add emphasis to an element in the frame. However, we also emphasize the subject in other ways. Usually, we use selective focus to create separation from the background. We can also use tonal contrast, especially when we exaggerate it in high and low precision images or create a monochrome photo. The other physical contrast mentioned earlier can also be used similarly. In photography, the element that stands out is often the main subject, but it doesn’t have to be.
Domination is a little different. An element with greater dominance will be noticed first. In other words, a dominant factor has a greater influence than other factors over which it is overshadowed. That dominance can also distract the eye from other elements in the picture, adding surprise or completing the story being told.
Take the image above as an example. It had an elderly couple dancing slowly in the foreground. They are the dominant subjects. Then a longer study showed a young woman and girl dancing with more energy in the background, that contrast telling the story of the difference between age and youth.
The image also presents an even more visual hierarchy. The older couple is the dominant subject, the younger couple is the secondary subject, and the others just appear in the background to add context to the photo as the secondary subject.
Ratio and Scale
Proportion in photography often emphasizes the importance of the subject in its size relative to the rest of the image. While it’s an obvious approach to have the main subject larger in the frame than the other elements, that doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be the biggest thing in the photo.
Making the main object relatively large or small can show scale, as well as reveal the distance between elements. The main subject in the following image is a remote island with the rising sun starting to peek in the background, but its distance makes it appear small in the frame.
Move
Finally, we come to motion. Except for video recording, what we produce is static. However, we can give the impression of movement in an image. In the following photo, movement is shown using a long exposure.
Ultimately, most paintings contain one or more of these principles. This is a useful exercise to go through your portfolio of photos and figure out what principles apply to different photos.
As for the artistic elements I’ve written about before, I’ve only touched on each of these topics lightly; There is much more to be said about each and they will be covered in more depth in future articles. But I hope you’ve found that food for thought. I would love to hear from you and see your pictures in the comments that illustrate these principles.
