

The photo feels cluttered at first but then we begin to see the leading lines of the rows of houses that begin to bring some order to the chaos. This is a difficult technique to get right without drowning the picture in too many details, but in this case the totality of the positive space in the image is the precise point of the photo.
#Negative space image full
The entire picture is full of details and points of interest, all of which classify as positive space. This picture of the rooftops of the beach town of Mijas in Spain is a classic example of the extreme use of positive space in photography. The photographer has used the natural leading lines of the statue towering into the sky to draw the viewer’s eyes up into the negative space of the sky in the background.Įxample of Extreme Use of Positive Space: Beach Town of Mijas, Spain. The negative space behind the statue draws the eye towards the center of the statue onto the face of Queen Victoria. The negative space in this image is the sky in the background and the positive space is the statue reaching up towards it. In this powerful photograph of a statue of Queen Victoria in the United Kingdom the photographer has used the negative space to emphasize the feelings of authority and dominance that the statue portrays to the viewer. In order to understand the interplay between the positive and negative spaces in images we can study some examples of the two in use in some powerful and effective photographs.Įxample of Positive and Negative Space: Statue of Queen Victoria. Studying the Relationship Between Positive and Negative Space in Photography. If you get this wrong then the photo just ‘won’t work’ but if you get it right you can create the real magic that great photography is made of! The negative space in the photo builds up atmosphere and a more powerful subconscious or emotional response from your audience which will help to make the image more memorable, striking and unique.Įqual attention should be paid to both positive and negative space and particularly the interplay between the two. The negative space helps to define the subject of the photo and provides a context that is essential to create a strong narrative within the image. However, despite being less immediately noticeable than the positive space, the negative space in a photo plays an extremely important role in the overall composition. The parts of the image that surround the subject are part of the negative space in the photo which would usually include the background and other empty spaces.

The negative space in a photograph are the parts of the image that are not the subject of focus and don’t draw the eye of the viewer. This can be an area of detail, the person in a portrait and generally speaking, the main subject of the photo regardless of what it is. In almost all cases, the positive space is the subject of the image and is what jumps out at the audience. In a photograph the positive space is made up of the elements in the image that attract the viewer’s eye.
#Negative space image how to
The concepts can be difficult to understand at first although once you see it then it becomes more obvious how to use it. In any photo there is a mixture of positive and negative space. So what is the difference between positive and negative space in photography?
#Negative space image iso
Of course a clear composition, good use of the camera’s tools such as the aperture, ISO and shutter speed settings are all important to produce a great photo, but so are far more abstract concepts such as the ‘use of space’. Thank you for visiting my site.Īs you improve as a photographer and spend more time studying the methods, techniques and underlying principles, the more you also realise that the impact of great photos is largely based on the raw emotional and unspoken content of the image that speaks not only to the conscious mind but also the subconscious mind. Please subscribe to my channel and share my videos. YouTube: I have a YouTube Channel (Hari PHL) where I post videos once a week. From the gallery, you will be able to add the images to the shopping cart and checkout. Gallery: Please visit the gallery to view images in full size.
