7 Principles
lines
Horizontal lines can suggest calmness or restfulness.
Vertical lines can suggest strength.
Converging lines draw draw attention to a particular part of the image.
Curved lines can be relaxing and jagged lines can be uncomfortable or chaotic.
Converging Lines
vertical lines
Horizontal Lines
Shapes
When we talk about shape in an image we are taking about 2 dimensional shapes. The is most easily demonstrated using silhouettes but it can be represented in other ways.
Square
Circle
form
Form is concerned with the 3D shape in an image. Photographs work on a 2 dimensional plane but with careful consideration of subject and lighting we can represent 3D subjects in an image.
texture
Texture concerns itself with the surface of a subject. Images which focus on texture should encourage you to think about how the subject would feel when touched. Careful consideration of directional light will help emphasize texture in an image. When photographing texture try to avoid distractions in the image which will draw attention away from the texture.
Patterns
Patterns are shapes or textures that are organised in a rhythmic way. These can be both man made or natural.
colour
black and white photography help us to focus on form, shape and texture but sometimes we want colour to be the subject of the image. It is important that we understand how some colours are considered to be 'warm and lively' and some are considered 'cool and calm'. Colour combination also plays and important role when choosing colour in an image. Colour theory can help us choose colour combinations in an image.
space
Sometimes we need to give our subject 'room to breath' in an image. By using negative space around our subject we can add context and draw attention to our subject. Removing clutter or distraction from our image also add a sense of calm to the image. It is important that we take time to find the right balance between the negative and positive (the subject) space in an image.
