Visual Literacy Concepts

Composition, Tone and Light

Make the photograph interesting

Composition Balance Subject Placement Pattern

Tone Light

Direction Quality

Composition

Composition is

the arrangement of items in an image

where the subject is, in relation to the borders of the image

the key to successful images

Composition is Balance

Symmetry Asymmetry

Subject Placement Leading Lines Framing Rule of Thirds

Pattern Radial Design Repetition

Balance

Make the photograph interesting

Be Sure to Balance Symmetrical Asymmetrical

Balance

Equal weight on the left & right sides of the image

Balance

Symmetry Both sides of an imaginary

central line are the same (like a mirror image)

Asymmetry Both sides of an imaginary

central line ARE NOT the same

Symmetry

Both sides of an imaginary central line are the same (like a mirror image)

• Karl Blossfeldt

Asymmetry

Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT the same

• Karl Blossfeldt

Symmetry

Both sides of an imaginary central line are the same (like a mirror image)

• Diane Arbus

Asymmetry

Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT the same

• Diane Arbus

Symmetry

Both sides of an imaginary central line are the same (like a mirror image)

• Walker Evans

Asymmetry

Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT the same

• Walker Evans

Which? Symmetry or Asymmetry?

Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT the same

• Ansel Adams

Which? Symmetry or Asymmetry?

Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT the same

• Bill Brandt

Which? Symmetry or Asymmetry?

Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT the same

• Jerry Uelsmann

????? Question ?????

If a photograph has an asymmetrical composition,

is it balanced?

????? Answer ?????

YES!

Balance

Equal weight on the left & right sides of the image

Balance

Symmetry Both sides of an imaginary

central line are the same (like a mirror image)

Asymmetry Both sides of an imaginary

central line ARE NOT the same

Balance

Symmetry Both sides of an imaginary

central line are the same (like a mirror image)

Asymmetry Both sides of an imaginary

central line ARE NOT the same

Balance

Symmetry Both sides of an imaginary

central line are the same (like a mirror image)

Asymmetry Both sides of an imaginary

central line ARE NOT the same

????? Question ?????

Is a photograph of a human face always

symmetrically balanced?

????? Answer ?????

NO!

Will Smith William Bailey

Is a photograph of a human face always symmetrically balanced?

This photo IS

symmetrical (basically)

Is a photograph of a human face always symmetrically balanced?

Leonard DiCaprio 1994 Greg Gorman

This photo is NOT

symmetrical

Is a photograph of a human face always symmetrically balanced?

Gloria SwansonEdward Steichen

This photo IS

symmetrical

Is a photograph of a human face always symmetrically balanced?

Michael JacksonGreg Gorman

This photo is

NOT symmetric

al

Balance

Symmetry Both sides of an imaginary

central line are the same (like a mirror image)

Asymmetry Both sides of an imaginary

central line ARE NOT the same

Composition is Balance

Symmetry Asymmetry

Subject Placement Leading Lines Framing Rule of Thirds

Pattern Radial Design Repetition

Subject Placement

Make the photograph interesting

Draw Attention to Your Subject Leading Lines

Framing

Rule of Thirds

Leading Lines

Draw Attention to Your Subject

Leading Lines Lines that lead

in a path to the subject

• Ansel Adams

Lines that lead in a path to the subject

• Lewis Hine

Leading Lines

Leading Lines

Lines that lead in a path to the subject

• Dorothea Lange

Make the photograph interesting

Draw Attention to Your Subject Leading Lines

Framing

Rule of Thirds

Framing

Draw attention to the subject

Framing Objects within the

borders of the image frame the subject

• Arnold Newman

Framing

Objects within the borders of the image frame the subject

• Manuel Alvarez-Bravo

Framing

Objects within the borders of the image frame the subject

• Anne Geddes

Make the photograph interesting

Draw Attention to Your Subject Leading Lines

Framing

Rule of Thirds Rule of Thirds

Rule of Thirds

Place the subject in ONE junction of an imaginary “tic-tac-toe” grid over the image.

• Dorothea Lange

Rule of Thirds

Place the subject in ONE junction of an imaginary “tic-tac-toe” grid over the image.

• Imogen Cunningham

Rule of Thirds

Place the subject in ONE junction of an imaginary “tic-tac-toe” grid over the image.

• Steve Ludlum

Rule of Thirds

Place the subject in ONE junction of an imaginary “tic-tac-toe” grid over the image.

Composition is Balance

Symmetry Asymmetry

Subject Placement Leading Lines Framing Rule of Thirds

Pattern Radial Design Repetition

Pattern

Make the photograph interesting

Look for patterns Radial Design RepetitionRadial Design

Objects, shapes, lines and/or colors radiate out from a central point in a circular pattern.

• Yuri Bond

Radial Design

Objects, shapes, lines and/or colors radiate out from a central point in a circular pattern.

• Yuri Bond

Radial Design

Make the photograph interesting

Look for patterns Radial Design RepetitionRepetition

Same shape, line, pattern, and/or color is repeated throughout the image.

• Harry Callahan

Repetition

• Margaret Bourke-White

Repetition

Same shape, line, pattern, and/or color is repeated throughout the image.

Elements of Composition

Draw Attention to Your Subject

Make Your Photograph Interesting

Convey a Clear Message

Elements of Composition

Balance Symmetry Asymmetry

Subject Placement Leading Lines Framing Rule of Thirds

Pattern Radial Design Repetition

Name that Composition!

Symmetry Asymmetry Leading Lines Framing Rule of Thirds Radial Design Repetition

Nelson MandelaHoward Bingham

Name that Composition!

Symmetry Asymmetry Leading Lines Framing Rule of Thirds Radial Design Repetition

NYC SkyscrapersBerenice Abbott

Name that Composition!

Symmetry Asymmetry Leading Lines Framing Rule of Thirds Radial Design Repetition

Pablo PicassoArnold Newman

Name that Composition!

Symmetry Asymmetry Leading Lines Framing Rule of Thirds Radial Design Repetition

EisenhowerArnold Newman

Name that Composition!

Symmetry Asymmetry Leading Lines Framing Rule of Thirds Radial Design Repetition

Booty DogElliott Erwitt

Elements of Composition

Balance Symmetry Asymmetry

Subject Placement Leading Lines Framing Rule of Thirds

Pattern Radial Design Repetition

Visual Literacy Concepts

Composition, Tone and Light