Balance In Photography

Photo By: Katty Wac

Photo By: Inigo Montoya

Center Balance: The photo of the egg in the right taken by Katty Wac is a prefect example of balance in photography. How the egg is placed and framed in the counterpoint of colors combining gives the photo a sense of balance.







Off-Center Balance: The photo in the right of chess is taken with the Queen and pawns, the Queen piece is off center in a rule of thirds point with the asymmetrical pawns in the background on another rule of thirds point.

Rule Of Thirds Examples

Photo By: Jeff Meyer

Photo By: Jeff Meyer

Example 1 Not Using ROT: In the photo on the Left is a plain boring photo because the photographer didn't frame it right not using the rule of thirds.

Example 1 Using ROT: As you can see the second example shows how using the rule of thirds can make a boring subject look interesting by framing the beach chair into one of the 4 points of the third lines.

Photo By: Bryan Peterson

Photo By: Bryan Peterson

Example 2 Not Using ROT: The landscape in the photo on the right of a lone tree in a flower field looks beautiful but it would've looked better if the photographer used rule of thirds by placing the tree and horizon onto the rule of third points and lines.

Example 2 Using ROT: Just by framing the subject the using rule of thirds points and lines Bryan made the photograph 100x better than the example where he didn't care about framing it right.

The Photographer's Eye In Paintings

‘To quote out of context is the essence of the photographer’s craft. His central problem is a simple one: what shall he include, what shall he reject? The line of decision between in and out is the picture’s edge. While the draughtsman starts with the middle of the sheet, the photographer starts with the frame. The photograph’s edge defines content. It isolates unexpected juxtapositions. By surrounding two facts, it creates a relationship. The edge of the photograph dissects familiar forms, and shows their unfamiliar fragment. It creates the shapes that surround objects. The photographer edits the meanings and the patterns of the world through an imaginary frame. This frame is the beginning of his picture’s geometry. It is to the photograph as the cushion is to the billiard table.’

Q. What does John Szarkowski mean when he says that photographers are quoting ‘out of context’ when they make photographic pictures? 

A. When John Szarkowski says that photographers are quoting 'out of context' when they make photographic pictures he means photographers are constantly looking around for subjects and how they want to capture the moment while deciding what to include and exclude.

Q. The frame often ‘dissects familiar forms’. At the end of the last century photography was having a major impact on Art. Impressionist artists such as Degas were influenced by what they saw. Look at these examples of Degas work, which clearly shows the influence of Photography, and explain why the public might have been shocked to see such paintings.

A. I think the public might've been shocked to see Degas' work because he painted each individual in the moment like how you capture a moment in photography. 

Painting By: Georges Seurat

In the painting above by Georges also shows how painting was influenced by Photography caputing the moment at a crowded park.

Frame & Composition

Photo By: Etienne

Fill Your Frame: In these two examples photographer  Etienne sets a good example on how filling your frame  with your subject can make photos more dramatic and
interesting. In the photo on the right a kid lights candles and Etienne removes all surrounding unwanted material
just by filling her frame.

Photo By: Etienne

In the photo on the left the farmer from Asia is working on the field and the frame is also filled with the background out of focus to emphasize the subject. 

Hard Vs Soft Lighting Photography

Hard Lighting: Hard lighting is used when the photographer wants to emphasize tone and physique of their subject. The photo of the fighter on the left is a very good example on how hard lighting can make their subjects tone pop out.

Soft Lighting: Soft lighting is used when the
photographer wants to smoothen out their subjects face and tone for a clean smooth look. The photo on the right is a good example of soft lighting by giving this woman's face soft shadows.