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
3. 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.
17. 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
18. 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
20. 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
21. 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
22. 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
23. 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
30. 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
36. 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
41. 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
47. Rhythm
• Several similar elements or repeating
elements can create rhythm
• The viewer will continue the rhythm out
of the frame
• Rhythm indicates a directionality
52. 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.
60. 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
62. 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
66. 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
69. 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
75. 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
77. 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
