Photo Boost | Day Two | Positive Negatives

Day Two | Positives in the negative

Today it’s time to look at another compositional tool (hey composition is important) that might seem at first to be in contrast to day one.  I want you to embrace space in your photo and consider not always putting your subject in the middle.  Make use of what photographers and artists call “negative space”.  I love using negative space in my photography.  It’s a tool that adds real interest to your images and helps them stand out in the crowd.

Negative space is, quite simply, the space that surrounds a subject in an image. It’s as important as the subject itself and helps to bring balance to a composition.  It can sometimes be a little tricky to get right, so the key here is to practice and experiment until you get the right feel.  Don’t be afraid to get in wrong, the old adage practice makes perfect has stood the test of time for good reason.

The good old “rule of thirds” has also stood the test of time and can help you with working out where to place your subject in the frame when you first start experimenting with negative space.  You’ve probably even seen this grid on your phone or camera before, the idea is that you place the subject roughly on the area where the lines intersect.  And just like that your image has better balance and you look like a creative superstar!