Negative defining the positive space.
In lesson one Part I of my four week online classes with the BPSOP, we work on the negative and positive space aspects of a composition. From this online class many of my fellow photographers have signed up for one of my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around our planet.
As part of the daily reviews I will invariably talk about achieving the balance between both the negative and positive space and continuing to plant this concept in their minds; because it’s that important.
There are two kinds of space, positive space and negative space. Positive space has mass and is usually the main subject or object, and negative space is everything else…specifically the area bordering the positive space defining it but not a part of it. Since negative space carries its own visual weight, we must be careful not to let it distract in any way from the main subject, although there’s one exception: when the negative space is the subject.
By the way, negative space is not negative. A good photograph will have a good balance (one of the basic elements of visual design) between the positive and negative space. As photographers (artists), it’s easy to think only of the positive space. So easy, we sometimes forget about the part that’s just as important…the negative space in our composition. Training your ‘eye’ to see around the subject will make the practice a powerful compositional tool that can, and will strengthen your photographs. 
To some, this concept can be difficult to understand, yet it is one of the easiest once you can overcome the need to only focus on the positive space (your subject). One way is to concentrate on the space between the subjects and around them. This will put the impetus on giving the viewer a place to rest his eyes; as well as seeing the shapes that are caused by the negative space.
In the above photo, I was sent to D.C. to take environmental portraits of all the partners in a law firm. They wanted these partners in close proximity to one of the monuments. I positioned this man with a keen eye as to keeping some negative space between the Washington monument and the cherry blossoms; while being cognizant of the balance between the three subjects.
In the photo of the church dome in France, once again I moved around until I could get some negative space between the leaves and the top of the dome….so the viewer could rest his eyes.
In the photo of the couple standing on a small hill in Hawaii, I was hovering in a helicopter and was communicating with them by way of a walki-talki in the chopper and one on the man’s belt on the right. The object was to create negative space so all of their arms and legs would be well defined; by directing them with the walki-talkis.
So the next time you’re out shooting pay as much attention to the negative space as you do with the positive space; usually the subject.
Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and check out my 2018 workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime.
This coming July 29th will be my 30th anniversary teaching at the Maine Media Workshop. I’ve always picked this time as it’s the week of the Lobster Festival down the road in Rockland. This ofers a unique set of photo ops, different from the Maine Coast, fishing villages and lighthouses. The Lobster Festival is all about color, design, light, energy, people watchng and environmental portraits everywhere you look; some people are there in costumes and loved to be photographed.
In conjunction with The Santa Fe Workshops, October 2nd I’ll be leading a group in San Miguel de Allende. A beautiful oasis and artist colony, and the entire city is a UNESCO site.
Come join me for a week of fun and photography…what could be better?
JoeB
