Design basics

Design Basics Chapter 2:

Composition=Organization

•  Working with composition helps us to understand why certain photographs create the impressions they do

•  Two most fundamental types of design are contrasts and balance

Contrast

•  Contrast stresses the differences between graphic elements

•  The basis for composing an image is contrast between tone, color, form, sensations…

•  Johannes Itten created a theory of composition based on the idea of contrasts.

many one

flat

contrasty

delicate/harsh

soft/hard

More Contrast Examples

Strong/Weak

Diagonal/Circular

Large/Small

Large/Small

Still/Moving

Long/Short

Light/Dark

Sweet/Sour

Gestalt Perception

•  A way of understanding perception •  The mind goes from recognizing the

individual parts of a photo to understanding the whole scene

•  When the viewer understands the image as a whole, it requires less effort for them to understand the picture

Gestalt and Kanisza Triangle

•  Gestalt theory of closure •  Parts of a composition Suggest a shape and this Perceived shape helps to Give structure to the photo

Gestalt

Gestalt Laws

1.  Proximity-the mind groups things according to how close they are together

2.  Similarity-items of similar form or content are grouped together

3.  Closure-elements arranged together are seen to complete a shape

4.  Simplicity-the mind prefers simple visual explanations

Gestalt Laws

5.  Common Fate-grouped elements can be read as one

6.  Good Continuation-the mind continues shape beyond their end

7.  Segregation-in order for an object to be seen, it must be distinguishable from the background

Gestalt Principles

1.  Emergence-negative space pops out 2.  Reification-the mind fills in an area due to

inadequate information(like closure) 3.  Multistability-inversion-you can’t tell what is

the subject and what is the background 4.  Invariance-objects can be recognized

despite orientation

Balance

•  In photography, the mind tries to balance things based on the laws of the physical world – Gravity, weight, levers…

•  Balance is like a weighing scale, you try to even out the weight

Static Balance/Symmetrical

•  Everything is centered •  You can place your object in the very

center or place something on either side of the center

static balance

bilateral symmetry

William Eggleston

Dynamic Balance/Asymmetrical

•  Opposes forces of nature and creates a more dynamic look

•  A large object can be balanced by a small one if it is far enough away from the center of the frame

imbalance

dynamic balance

Dynamic Tension

•  Using diagonals, rhythm…you can create dynamic tension instead of balance

•  It keeps the eye moving outward from the center of the image

•  Leading Lines

dynamic tension

dynamic tension

Figure and Ground

•  As viewers, we assume, all subjects have a setting or background. One thing is important while the other is secondary

•  You can create an ambiguity as to what is figure and what is ground. This adds tension.

•  Think about your negative space

figure and ground

Rhythm

•  Several similar elements or repeating elements can create rhythm

•  The viewer will continue the rhythm out of the frame

•  Rhythm indicates a directionality

rhythm

dynamic rhythm

Pattern, Texture, Many

•  Like rhythm, pattern in built on repetition, but it is not movement based. It is area based

•  Pattern on a large scale takes on the look of texture. Texture is a surface quality.

•  Many has more to do with content and the surprise of seeing so many of something at one time.

many

regular pattern

irregular pattern

breaking pattern

Perspective

•  The appearance of objects in space and their relationship to each other and the viewer.

•  Photography usually inherently shows perspective, so it’s more a matter of the intensity of the impression of perspective

perspective

Linear Perspective

•  This occurs when lines converge. •  In reality we know that parallel lines

never cross, but as they get further from the camera they appear to move towards each other

linear perspective

Diminishing Perspective

•  This is a form of linear perspective •  Objects get successively smaller as

they move a way from the lens

diminishing perspective

Aerial Perspective

•  Atmospheric haze reduces contrast as the scene get further from the camera

•  By not using filters you can maximize atmosphere

•  Telephoto lenses show more aerial perspective than wide angle because they show less of the nearby things that are not hazy

aerial perspective

lack of aerial perspective

Visual Weight

•  Our eyes focus most on what in the frame will give us the most information – Ex: eyes, mouth, hands, writing…

•  Also, things that appeal to our emotions draw us – Ex: cuteness, sexuality, horror…

•  We tend to draw conclusions based on previous knowledge

visual weight

visual weight

visual weight

visual weight

visual weight

Looking and Interest

•  Our eyes move from point of interest to point of interest quickly until we have the whole picture in our mind

•  This can be mapped to show how we take in images

•  We also look based on what we are looking for in the image

intended order

Content, Weak and Strong

•  Content is the subject matter..conctrete or abstract

•  Strong content calls for practical composition

•  With weaker content you can play more with the composition

strong content

James Nachtwey

James Nachtwey

Mainly Form

•  Photo taken with visuals as the focus