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Design in photography #1

As promised here is the first article in the series on using design principles to improve your photography.

The primary concepts you need to think about when designing an image in your mind are:

  1. Balance - symetrical or more pleasing to the eye, asymetrical. All images need to be in balance to work well
  2. Consistency - this applies across a whole range of aspects, whether working on a series of pictures or in the visual treatment of a single image
  3. Contrast - this is a wonderful element to play with and an essential part of design
  4. Proportion - the relative size of objects but also the relative importance of visual elements
  5. Proximity - this is the single most important design concept for creating meaning in an image. Two elements close together will effect each other's meaning in a fundamental way
  6. Simplicity - keep it simple. Single concepts work best. Try to say too much and all messages get lost
  7. Unity - this can apply to the overall colour tone, to the harmony in shapes across the frame or the relationship of elements within the image

The above are some of the most crucial mental building blocks for design. Look through your images and those of other photographers and consider each of the elements above. I've given some clues as to how you may interpret the concepts but there are many more ways to apply them. So get that brain into gear.

But for heavens sake don't try to be thinking of all of this stuff when you take an image. It will just inhibit you. The key is to look, learn and absorb information like this until it becomes intuitive. In the same way as driving a car becomes automatic, you don't have to think about changing gears, the clutch etc, you just do it. However it will sharpen your mind and your ability to be aware of what you are doing so you're really looking where you're going rather than just guessing and driving blind (if I may labour that metaphor one more time).

Plenty more ideas and advice to come. Stay tuned.

Cheers,
Paul

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Comments

David Toyne said…
Excellent article Paul! I really enjoyed the read. I'll take the liberty of adding three more design concepts from a Graphic design/Artistic angle. Some overlap what you've discussed already.
1/. Colour. Balanced use of complimentary colours can make a powerful difference to an image. It can also greatly affect mood and emotion which marries well with the next article you wrote.
2/. Repetition of pattern or motif both in an image or in a series of images. Used extensively and often unconciously by photographers. Repeating patterns or reflected patterns enhance an image. You did kind of cover this in 'balance' also. Used a lot by Joe Cornish this technicque.
3/. Symbolism. Some symbols or objects used deliberately in an image can quite dramatically make or break it.

Do I get a prize for the longest comment ever?
D
Bruce Robbins said…
I'm a bit late in adding this comment but I've just found your blog through David's excellent website.

I have a theory that our photographic eye improves by studying the work of other photographers. I think a kind of pattern recognition occurs the more we look at great work.

In practice, we then automatically recognise those features that impressed us in others' work and use them as the building blocks for our own images. It's not a conscious effort to copy: more a subconscious borrowing of sound photographic principles.

I explored this a bit further on my own blog:
http://pentaxk10dblog.blogspot.com/2007/04/how-to-improve-your-photography.html

That's my theory anyway and I'm sticking to it!

Bruce

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