1. Visual Elements in Art &
Photography
Introduction
Over the past 2 weeks I have been researching the
visual elements in both art & photography.
Throughout this presentation I will share my
findings and demonstrate with images how I
have incorporated my new found knowledge on
the visual elements

2. Visual Elements
Line Pattern
Shape Texture
Form Tone/Value
Think of these elements as tools, they can help make an amazing
photograph/image.
What makes a good photograph? Combining the above elements
can create depth and feeling to a seemingly flat picture. I will
explain, in detail how each element can effect an image if added in
the correct way.

3. Line: The direction & orientation of a line can produce
different emotions & feelings in an image:
Horizontal Lines evoke
tranquility, peace
and stability
Vertical Lines show strength, power and growth.
This image in particular is an excellent example of portraying
strength and greatness with horizontal lines. The vertical lines
of the rock face creates greatness, strength and power.
The climber puts the size and greatness of the rock into scale.
The horizon in the background portrays a calm peaceful feeling
as discussed in the previous paragraph on HORIZONTAL LINES.
The two put together create a strong but also peaceful image.

4. FORM
Form refers to the shape & depth of an object due to light & dark areas,
giving contrast that creates volume making the object appear to be 3d
Factors that are involved are the direction of light, above, below &
behind.
Placing the light source to the left of
The subject created volume and
Accentuated the tummy. The highlights
& shadows created a beautiful Outline & created
a beautiful contour. This technique is also known
as the Rembrandt lighting technique. One of my
Favorites in maternity shoots as the
highlights/lowlights create shape & form but it
helps add softness to the shadows.

5. SHAPE
Two dimensional objects can be used to create feeling and atmosphere in an image
Triangles are known as a symbol of magic, strength, creativity, whilst squares
& rectangles portray strength.
Circles when unbroken symbolise eternity, wholeness and protection.
Silhouettes are a great way of highlighting your shape in your photograph. In this image
I tried to portray me and my
girls unity and us embracing
the beautiful sunset, I think
capturing this image as a silhouetted
strengthened our shape as being the
main focus

6. Colour
Colour affects humans. I also discovered that men & women respond to colours in different
ways
Colour affects us emotionally, different colours reflect different emotions. In short, colour is
quite capable in affecting our nervous systems. I now make a conscious effort to
manipulate colours to reflect different emotions in my images.
HUE: is primary colours RED, BLUE and GREEN
VALUE: is lightness & darkness (amount of black & white added)
INTENSITY: the saturation (brightness of colour) or purity of colour
I understand that colours can compliment
each other and colours can be
harmonious (ANALOGOUS). They can be
Warm (appearing advanced) or cool
(move to the distance/background)

7. Texture & Pattern
Tactile Texture: 3d, can touch to feel what the given texture is.
Visual Texture: 2d, giving the illusion of what of a texture in something we see.
I learnt that LIGHT is the important factor in how we SEE texture in images and seen as though we
cant feel the texture of an image of a brick wall, as photographers we rely on light the help highlight
the different depths and levels of the objects surface.
PATTERNS are everywhere! Patterns create depth and texture to an object, or if you want to just
highlight the natural pattern of one object, cropped field, be sure not to add a beautiful hilly
background into the scene as this would draw the viewers eye away from the patterns created in the
cropped field. If taken on an overcast day or at night, without LIGHT you would find it difficult to
see the affects of the plough as there is no light to create highlights and shadows.

8. Elements in unison
Having learnt in depth the visual elements, I now have to learn to put them altogether like
one big happy family into an image (or maybe a few, the odd one can be left out, we
all have an uncle *@o$ head don’t we?)
One word that springs to mind is coherence, belonging together in relation to shape,
colour & size etc. Visually this can be done by using analogous colour, tonal colour
and similar shapes, sizes and textures,
Too much of one can lead to boredom leading the viewers eye astray, hence why I said
it’s a must to include at least a few visual elements together.
You can use a particular element to dominate an
image or particular object in the image eg.
The image on left uses colour to dominate the main object
shape and size. Complimentry colours are used to create
Contrast and to add to the size & shape, warm colours are
advancing and cooler distancing.

9. Summary
I have been given a project on self portraits, taking into
account the visual elements. I thought I would add a
twist by doing a collage of symbolic self portraits
instead, I mean, who wants to look at my ugly mush!??

10. Symbolic Self Portrait based on the visual elements