For anyone new to this blog, I teach online classes with the BPSOP, and I also conduct my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” classes everywhere on the semi-round Earth.
In those classes and workshops, I show photographers how to incorporate the elements of Visual Design into their imagery; one of them is Balance.
An image is balanced when subject areas command a viewer’s attention equally. Balance is about visual weight. A balanced photo is what we as photographers try to achieve because it makes for visually inviting images. A balanced photo gives the viewer a feeling of stability. We all are more comfortable when the environment around us is feels firm and steady. Balance helps to guide the viewer’s image around the image without resting too heavily on any one particular part, creating a sense of satisfaction.
Take care to think about the distance of each object from the center of the frame — even objects that do not normally draw attention will appear obvious if they are near the edge of your photo. Placing the subject (S) close to the edge of the frame is one of the ways to create visual tension.
When I’m composing, I’m looking for harmony between the various shapes, colors, and one of the most visually powerful compositions is the balance between the Positive and Negative Space; important in creating either symmetrical or asymmetrical balance. There is positive space, that area that has mass (visual weight), and the negative space that is everything else. Paying close attention and you’ll provide a way to pull the viewer throughout the frame, creating a feeling of balance. The balance occurs when the viewer’s ‘eye’ moves in a steady flow without one single area stopping it or bogging it down.
To keep your photo balanced, it’s important to counter-weight an element with another object with a similar mass. This can be done with different degrees of contrast, different colors, and different areas of light and shadows.
BTW, if you’re in doubt, just turn the camera upside down and look at your photo. If it doesn’t look right, it’s probably not balanced.
Visit my website at www.joebaraban.com, and check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime.
JoeB
