

Sometimes, elements in the background and foreground are distracting. Related article: 40 best Ansel Adams quotes about photography and nature Experiment with the depth of fieldĪ deep depth of field provides a sharp focus throughout the frame.

A sense of scale helps a viewer formulate a story. In other words, more negative space can make your subject appear smaller. If your subject takes up most of the frame, they’ll appear larger than if they took up less of the frame. Use surrounding elements, such as buildings, trees, mountains, and other objects to provide context to the size of your subject. Negative space is what surrounds your subject. Provide a sense of scale The person is small compared to the grand mountains, which are the negative space. To use negative space well, make sure it draws a viewer’s eyes to the main focus. If an element in the frame doesn’t align with the story, adjust your position to eliminate it. If anything in the frame takes the attention away from the subject, remove it.Īdditionally, every image tells a story. It’s there to enhance and keep the focus on the subject, which means it doesn’t command attention.īefore you press the shutter, check the background and foreground for distracting elements. Negative space is everything else that makes up an image aside from the main subject. The following are excellent composition techniques to use:īy keeping composition in mind when using negative space, your photos will be compelling and eye-pleasing. It guides a viewer’s eyes, makes an image pleasing to the eye, and evokes certain emotions.Ĭombine composition techniques with purposeful negative space to enhance your images. Related article: Candid photography tips and examples Combine with composition techniquesĬomposition affects the way an image is perceived. Take the following steps to become a better photographer by properly using negative space to enhance the main focus.
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Since negative space has a dramatic impact, it’s essential to learn how to use it. It’s the key to capturing beautiful photos. The proper use of negative space can take your images from decent to incredible. Related article: Email marketing for photographers How to use negative space in photography Contrasting colors ensure the subject stands out from the negative space. It can make an image look cohesive or distracting. The negative space explains where a subject is, what they might be doing, and influences the overall feel. The proper use of negative space leads to an emphasized and clear subject because it draws a viewer’s eyes to the main focus.Īdditionally, it’ll evoke emotions and tell a story. With less negative space comes feelings of emptiness, or it shows the surrounding environment to tell a story. If there’s not much negative space, the image may feel crowded and as if something’s off. However, there’s negative space in almost every photograph.

Often, negative space is associated with minimalistic photography where there may be a person surrounded by darkness or an empty room. So, the negative space is everything else in the frame. The main subject of a photo is the positive space. Related article: What are midtones in photography? How negative space affects an image When used properly, the negative space looks aesthetic and enhances the main subject. The goal of negative space isn’t to take away attention from the subject. Negative space is used to achieve balance in a photograph.Īdditionally, it helps you create the right effects and tell a story through your image. The main subject and focus are known as the positive space. It includes the background and foreground. In photography, negative space refers to the area surrounding the main focus. Learn everything you need to know about negative space, why it’s important, how to use it, and get inspired by examples of it. It helps you achieve the perfect balance and tell a story through a still image.

Negative space is one of the aspects of a photograph that quietly plays an important role. To capture an aesthetic image, you need to use the proper camera settings, compositional techniques, and lighting.
