8 abstractions on composition in photography

I seem to abstract a lot. And with a little help, I have found a few of those you can apply to the art of photography. Abstractions serves as keys for unlocking reality. These will help you unlock that which is in your visual field. If you master these 8 abstract elements, you will be in greater control of your image.

All photos are taken by me.

1: All material is in relation to the frame.
   What is outside is unseen, but still an element of the image. If someone in a picture is pointing, either with her eyes or hand, whatever that is will get the attention. Will you leave it a mystery, or reveal it? Also, square objects tend to create a frame within a frame effect, and round objects stick out a bit.

2: Lines lead the eye.
   Outlines, bent or straight, guide the eyes through the image. Edge to edge lines are dividers. Internally closed lines are focus points. Lines that end within images are arrows. Direct your attention well.

In this image the white mountain points to the horisontal divider, and the two lines of the power mast takes the eyes into the sky.




3: Colour creates mood.

   Different colors clash differently, and often transcend lines frivolously. Leaving out color gives focus to light levels and line- structure.

This image is unaltered. The sun just peeked over the mountain, fiery yellow. because the sun was so low, only the school was illuminated, giving a great focus to the school, although the water and sky is packed with detail.

4:Bright areas get attention first.
   Light colours appears to be in front of dark colours  Objects can subtly be hidden in penumbras

Although focus helps us here, it is the whiteness of the cotton grass that first draws our eye.

5: Gravty imposes
   We code images into and internal landscape. Expectations of reality include depth, and gravity. Heavy characteristics appear natural when they are at the bottom of the image. These include, heavy detail, deeper shadows, horisontal lines.

6: The linear density of complexity
    Detailed areas require much attention to comprehend. Undetailed areas appear simple and pleasant. The two can be balanced or unbalanced, but if they are opposed, their divide will create a line.

Although most of the detail is hazy in this picture, we still get the feeling that the straws are pointing up to the left.

 

7: Intetionality matters
   We intellectually try to interpret the thoughts of others. We interpret them automatically in relation to ourself. Humans involuntarily or voluntarily express their inner self. Where they look, we look. If their eyes are closed, we feel more inclined to study them. If they are sad, we try to find the reason.

These guys are looking out for competition at the World Championship of Beards and Mustaches.

8: The photograph is a story
   The photograph is a movie of one frame. Instead of moving "on a point" through time, we are moving through a plane. When the travel is through, the image is "used up". The pictures length is at best the time it takes to read two paragraphs.

If the relationships within the frame are linear, then this is how long it will take for the picture to die. But if the image is structured like a poem, so that the end gives a key to the beginning, and then the reinterpretation reveals a new key at the end, the image can hold attention for considerably longer. This is achieved through deception, multiple paths, hidden images outside the frame, symbolism, metaphor and so on.