ELEMENTS OF ART FOR CREATIVE PHOTO 1 AND 2

What's the difference

between a snapshot and

a photograph?

All great photographs

contain more than one of

7 elements.

Lunchtime atop

a Skyscraper

Charles C. Ebbets

1932

Migrant Mother

Dorothea Lange

1936

Gandhi at his spinning wheel

Margaret Bourke-White

1948

WHAT MAKES AN EFFECTIVE PHOTOGRAPH?

Some professionals consider a successful

photograph one where you achieve your

intent in a thoughtful skilled way.

Not all photographs live up to this standard

and yet they can be effective too—they are

commonly called snap shots- quick

photographs we take of family and friends

and events that we want to remember.

ELEMENTS & PRINCIPLES OF ART & DESIGN

THE BASIC BUILDING BLOCKS

• Line

• Shape

• Form

• Space

• Value / Tone

• Texture

• Color

You need to understand the

basic idea behind each of

these element:

• Line – Help direct your eyes throughout a photo (leading lines). Can be vertical, horizontal, curved or jagged. Examples: roads, sunsets, bridges.

• Shape – Two-dimensional representation of objects (they look flat). Examples: silhouetted photographs of birds.

• Form – Three-dimensional representation of objects, usually through the use of lighting and shadows.

• Space – Either negative or positive space can be used to make a statement. Within a photo, depth of space is separated into foreground, middle and background space.

• Value (tone) -Value is a description of an area's relative lightness or darkness. The wider the range expands, the more contrast there is, and the more mid-tone values would be represented in the image.

• Texture – The use of lighting to bring out details of an object, making it easy to see whether a surface is smooth or soft.

• Color – The most expressive element. Using warm or cool colors help set a mood.

Copy all of this into your journal:

LINES

• They have the power to draw the eye to key focal points in a shot and to impact the ‘feel’ of an image greatly.

• Diagonal, Horizontal, Vertical and Converging lines all impact images differently and should be spotted while framing a shot and then utilized to strengthen it.

LEADING LINES ARE USED TO DRAW THE VIEWER’S EYE THROUGH A PHOTOGRAPH, OFTEN TO A FOCAL

POINT IN THE SHOT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT.

Do any of these photos

contain leading lines?

Any leading lines here?

Different kinds of lines convey

different emotions--straight,

vertical lines like those in a

skyscraper convey power, while

curved lines like those found in the

path of a river are soothing.

Line is one of the most important

photographic elements. Line

draws the viewer's eye into the

image. It gives a photograph a

sense of depth and distance.

SHAPE & FORM

(they're not the same thing)

Shape is two-dimensional,

flat . When you focus on

shape, you are primarily

concerned with the outline of

your subject and its two-

dimensional qualities.

its outline is typically more

important than its depth. .

SHAPES IN PHOTOS:

Can be GEOMETRIC (man-made) ex. Square, triangle, circle, etc.Can be ORGANIC (natural) ex. Leaves, humans, puddles, etc.Shapes are 2-Dimensional and flat. (circle)

FORM• Forms are 3-Dimensional

with height, width and depth. (sphere)

• Used to create a sense of space and substance.

• Is this picture an example of SHAPE or FORM?

• Be ready to be able to explain how each picture you take is an example of a certain element.

SPACE

• Gives the photo a 3-dimensional feeling. (Depth)

Within the space of a photo, you have 3 parts:• Foreground (closest), Middle ground, and Background

(farthest).

Two types of space:

POSITIVE SPACE– the area the objects/subject

takes up.

NEGATIVE SPACE– the area around, under,

through and between all the objects.

• Space can be either positive or negative.

• Negative space is the area that surrounds a shape or form.

THERE CAN BE A FINE LINE BETWEEN FILLING YOUR FRAME WITH YOUR SUBJECT AND ALSO GIVING YOUR SUBJECT SPACE TO BREATH.

SOMETIMES IT IS WHAT YOU LEAVE OUT OF AN IMAGE THAT MAKES IT SPECIAL

NEGATIVE SPACE

POSITIVE SPACE

Sometimes positive

and negative space

can work together

and create a an

interesting balance

of both types of

space

VALUE

VALUE (ALSO KNOWN AS TONE):

BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY IS COMPLETELY DEPENDENT UPON TONE. TONE IS THE VARIOUS AMOUNTS OF LIGHT AND DARK IN A PHOTO.

MORE CONTRAST MEANS MORE TONES.

• Black and White and all the Grays in between

• Dark to Light and vice versa

• Can add drama and impact to composition.

• Can give a sense of timelessness

VALUE, OR TONE, CAN BE VISIBLE IN

BOTH B/W OR COLOR PHOTOS.

TEXTURE:

• The surface quality. Adds interest! Sense of sight and sense of touch involved.

• How an object feels, or how it looks like it feels (Rough, smooth, bumpy, gooey, sharp, etc.).

• For portraits, a textured background such as a worn, rustic barn can make your subject stand out and give you an creative background. Textured skin adds character to interesting people, giving them a story.

• Texture in a macro shot can get really intriguing. When you get REALLY close to a subject, large or small, you can see textures that are not easily seen. You can see every little line, hole, and mark from years of these shells being washed up and down the beach.

COLOR:COLOR IS ONE OF

THE MOST POWERFUL OF

ELEMENTS.

COLOR IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO CREATE MOOD IN PHOTOGRAPHY!

• There are three (3) properties to color. • First is hue, which simply means the name we give to a PURE color

of the rainbow (red, yellow, blue, etc.).

• The second property is intensity, which refers to the strength and vividness of the color. For example, we may describe the color blue as "royal" (bright, rich, vibrant) or "dull" (grayed).

• The third and final property of color is its value, meaning its lightness or darkness. The terms shade (darker) and tint (lighter) are in reference to value changes in colors.

THEORETICALLY ALL HUES CAN BE MIXED FROM THREE BASIC HUES, KNOWN

AS PRIMARIES- RED, BLUE AND YELLOW.

COMBINING PRIMARIES CREATE SECONDARY COLORS: ORANGE, GREEN, AND PURPLE.

Color is often combined with another

element to make make the photo really

pop. What other elements help make this

an artistic photo?

VISUAL DICTIONARY PART 11. Using GOOGLE, find 3 photos online that match each one of the

elements you just learned.

1. Open a WORD document and type your heading:

1. Name, date , class and period.

2. Title the Page ELEMENTS of ART in PHOTOGRAPHY.

3. Type each element and then copy and paste 3 different

examples. See my example for formatting.

4. Type the definition below the line of photos.

5. Here is the list of photos you must find:

1. Line – various types

2. Shape – need both organic and geometric

3. Form

4. Space - both negative and positive

5. Value/Tone - both BW and color tones

6. Texture

7. Color photos that show full range of vivid colors

8. THIS IS DUE BY NEXT CLASS and will be posted on your blog.

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGNIN PHOTOGRPAHY

• The principles of design describe the ways that artists use the elements of art in a composition.

• The way in which these principles are applied affects the message of the work.

• In order to have successful composition, you must have an understanding of how these principles work together with the elements.

PROFESSIONALLY THERE OVER 50 PRINCIPLES OF ART, I WILL FOCUS ON 7 OF THE MOST IMPORTANT

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN: • Emphasis & Focal Point• Balance & Symmetry (3 types)• Perspective• Contrast• Movement • Pattern & Repetition• Scale & Proportion

• COPY all 7 terms in your journal and leave lots of space for the definitions to be added later (the definitions will be in blue on each page)

EMPHASISAND

FOCAL POINT

Emphasis in a composition refers to developing a point of interest to pull the viewer's eye to an important part of the body of the work.

There are no rules about an image being limited to a single focal point.

Think about it as a way to attract the viewer’s eye and then direct the eye through the scene.

EMPHASIS EXAMPLES

BALANCE/ SYMMETRYBalance is a sense of stability in the body of work.

Balance is a compositional technique in photography that juxtaposes images within a frame so that the objects are of equal visual weight. There are 3 types to learn.

When different parts of a photo command your attention equally, perfect balance is achieved.

TYPES OF BALANCE

In photography, there

are 3 main types of

balance you should be

aware of:

Symmetrical balance

1. Formal balance can

be defined as

symmetrical balance;

equally balanced on

either side of the

composition.

2. ASYMMETRICAL OR INFORMAL BALANCE

2. Informal balance (also known as asymmetrical)

occurs when dissimilar elements balance each other

out on each side of the frame, having an equal visual

weight. Its more difficult to achieve.

A 3RD TYPE OF BALANCE IS CALLED RADIAL BALANCE

The definition of radial balance is when all elements go out from a

center point. The elements radiate out in a circular pattern.

Radial balance leads your eye towards the center

PERSPECTIVE

Perspective in photography

is defined as the sense of

depth or spatial relationship

between objects in a photo.

By changing perspective,

subjects can appear much

smaller or larger than normal,

lines can converge

differently, and much more.

Changing your angle

allows you to see and

show the world from

different perspectives.

There are things you can

do to change the

perspective of an image.

By moving around your

setting, you can gain a

better viewpoint than

your usual eye level.

FORCED PERSPECTIVE

OR FLYING HIGH ABOVE THE GROUND….LOOKING DOWN

Sitting on the ground looking

up…….

CONTRASTContrast refers to a set of opposites and/or differences in the work that create a balanced look.

Contrast is a tool that photographers use to direct viewers' attention to their subject(s).

You can have a contrast in texture, or color, or tones.

TYPES OF CONTRAST EXAMPLES:

TONAL CONTRAST (BLACK AND WHITE) AND COLOR CONTRAST

CONTRAST OR EMPHASIS?

MOVEMENT

Movement adds excitement to your work by directing the viewers eye throughout the picture plane.

When photographers talk about movement in an image, they often refer to the rhythmic effect of some visual element that repeats itself – for example, people standing in a line, a row of birds sitting on a tree branch.

Recurring elements create a sense of momentum and continuation, much like notes on a page of music. Your eye flows from one, to another, to another. It’s a visual beat.

MOVEMENT

MOVEMENT OR

CONTRAST?

PATTERN/REPETITION• An element that occurs over and over again in a

composition. You can create a pattern with any kind of repeated element.

• By finding a pattern in lines, shapes or colors you can easily add rhythm to your photographs that the human eye will easily follow.

SCALE AND PROPORTION• Proportion refers to the relative

size and scale of the various elements in a design.

• Proportion and perspective is used in photography to give the illusion that something is different in size, but still makes the photo fit together.

PROPORTION CAN BE AN

ILLUSION IF YOU CHANGE YOUR

PERSPECTIVE

Review of Principles of Design Vocab

1. Emphasis & Focal Point

• Emphasis in a composition refers to developing a point of interest to pull the viewer's eye to an important part of the body of the work.

2. Balance & Symmetry (3 types)

• Balance is a compositional technique in photography that juxtaposes images within a frame so that the objects are of equal visual weight. There are 3 types to learn

• symmetrical balance means equally balanced on either side of the composition.

• asymmetrical balance occurs when dissimilar elements balance each other out on each side of the frame, having an equal visual weight

• radial balance is when all elements go out from a center point. The elements radiate out in a circular pattern.

3. Perspective

• Perspective in photography is defined as the sense of depth or spatial relationship between objects in a photo (changing your angle changes your perspective)

4. Contrast

• Contrast refers to a set of opposites and/or differences in the work that create a balanced look.

5. Movement

• Movement adds excitement to your work by directing the viewers eye throughout the picture plane. Recurring elements create a sense of momentum and continuation, much like notes on a page of music.

6. Pattern & Repetition

• An element that occurs over and over again in a composition. You can create a pattern with any kind of repeated element.

7. Scale & Proportion

• Proportion refers to the relative size and scale of the various elements in a design.

VISUAL DICTIONARY PART 2COLLECTING EXAMPLES OF PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

• You will have 1 class period to complete this 2nd part of this project.• Online Collect 3 examples for each principle of design. Do not pick the

first images that pop up on Google!! Be different with your selections.

•

• Organize these photos and their definitions onto a WORD DOCUMENT for printing and posting. Copy and paste the BLUE definitions from each page.

• Copy and paste each photo, making sure to keep the appropriate proportions. Get all 3 photos on the same line, making each photo small. This will save you ink and paper when you print these.

• Your grade will be determined how well each example matches the word you paired it with AND how well you can explain the how each one is an example of that specific element or principal.

• Be prepared to explain the reasoning for reach photo when you blog these photos later on.

Turn in this assignment on your Photo 1 Q 1 page, titled PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN IN PHOTOGRPAHY

Example of assignment:

EXAMPLE: WHICH ELEMENTS ARE MOST EVIDENT IN THESE PHOTOS?

WHICH PRINCIPLES MAKE IT WORK?

• Example 2: What principle of design is this an example of? Why? What elements are at work in this photo?

ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES PART 2:

WE NOW BEGIN SHOOTING OUR OWN EXAMPLES!

You will each be given 2 class periods to complete this portion of the project.

Once I walk you through the basic parts of the camera, we will venture outside to

shoot pictures around campus.

You must take 5 good examples for each element and 3 for each Principle.

You will earn participation points while outside shooting with your camera, so be

on task at all times.

FIRST TIME GOING OUTSIDE!!!!

• Once you have completed both the Elements and Principles Word Doc, be ready to go outside and take your own photos of each vocab word.

• Take a photo of your list of elements and principles of design. Youillneed to refer to this list as you are outside working. Its important you understand each term in order to take the right photo.

• When shooting, frame each photo, zooming in when needed. Leave a little extra space for cropping .

• Be sure to have each photo in focus (no blurry pictures will be accepted) and make sure the element you are working on; focus on ONE MAJOR element or principle at a time.

WHICH ELEMENTDOMINATES THE COMPOSITION?

DEPENDING HOW YOU CROP THIS, YOU COULD USE IT FOR A FEW DIFFERENT

EXAMPLES…. CAN YOU NAME A FEW?

Positive or negative space? You

need to shoot both and

understand how both is used.

STUDENT

EXAMPLES

ALWAYS TRY AND TAKE CREATIVE, UNIQUE PHOTOS FOR

EVERY ASSIGNMENT. THE HIGHEST GRADES COME FROM

THOSE PHOTOS THAT STAND OUT FROM THE REST, YET STILL

FOLLOW THE RUBRIC.

CROPPING IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND. IT CAN MAKE OR

BREAK A COMPOSITION.

PART 3: TRANSFERRING, CROPPING AND EDITING AND POSTING ONLINE.

• This is the most important part of tis entire unit. This is where you will learn to transfer all photos from SD card to your own USB and into a specific folder.

• You will some minor edits (crop and make slight color adjustments) in photoshop.

• You will create a large blog to turn in all the finished photos.

• Every day you will have a set of typed directions to follow. You will be graded on how well you follow these directions.