So many Elements from Elija’s ‘Artist Palette’
Elija is a photographer living in Croatia. He recently took my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” class with the BPSOP and submitted this photo to show how he used several Elements of Visual Design and Composition that are on his new ‘Artist Palette’ to create this wonderful photograph. He composed this photo with these in mind: Line, Pattern, Texture, Negative Space, Perspective, Shape, Color, and Visual Tension.
The man was in the middle of the frame, and I made a suggestion to Elija to move him to the edge, and this is where the Visual Tension comes in. Now, I know that some of you were taught to always have your subject walking into the frame (The Leading in rule), but when you do that, the viewer will already know where he’s walking. I want the viewer to wonder where he’s walking to next by implying content outside the frame. By placing him close to the edge of the frame, and minimizing the Negative Space, it’s creates Tension.Not the garden variety that comes from emotional or mental strain, but visual Tension that occurs when forces act in opposition to one another; as in the person and the edge of the frame…BTW, that’s a stupid rule!!!
By the way, I wrote a post about the Leading in Rule, and why I thought it was a DUMB. Check it out!
After a four week course, Elija is able to see these elements before he composes his idea. With his imagination working in tandem with the Elements on his ‘Artist Palette‘, the results are what you’re looking at now. A very well done photograph, one that will surely be remembered.
Great shot!
Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com and follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/barabanjoe. Check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime.
JoeB
