Elements and Principles of Photography

Leading Lines

Lines in a photograph that are used to draw the audience's attention to the focus of the picture.  

This picture has leading lines because the boards are going off into the distance at the back of the picture, leading the audience's eyes to the forest.  This relates to me because I love to run outside, and I often run in a place that looks like this, boards and everything.


Vertical Lines

Lines that are used to show power and strength, as well as growth in some cases.

The vertical lines that are made by the piano keys show the strength of the music that they can play, it reminds me of the music my sister played and how powerful it sounded.


Horizontal Lines

Lines in a picture that convey rest, peacefulness and stability.

Comfort, safety, familiarity, relaxation.x  

The horizontal lines made by the dough give off a peaceful aura, as if the baker has left on a break.  This picture connects to me because my mom, sister, and I often make (find our from mom what they are called)

Diagonal Lines
Lines in a picture that help to move the audiences eyes through the photograph, a sense of movement.

The lines in the web draw the audiences eyes all throughout the picture, I love being outdoors and paying attention to the nature around me.

Curved Lines
Lines that are not linear, they show grace and movement, as well as giving the photograph a flowing and gentle feeling.

The lines created by the edges of the spheres and sidewalk make the photograph feel like it's flowing, these spheres remind me of the ones outside of Target.

Symmetrical Balance
The picture has the same visual weight on both sides of the picture, usually a mirror image.

continuos fashion.

The chairs reflect each other, and they mirror each other.  I like to travel, but I had never considered an airport could be artistic.

Asymmetrical Balance

Both sides of the picture are not equal, and gives the photograph a mismatched look.

This picture isn't equal because the man and the woman are different.  I love the balance in the picture, and it would be a shot well within my reach of resources.

Unity

When the pieces of a photograph work well together as a whole.

This picture has unity because all of the dounuts and pasteries work well together since they are similar.  I could find other food items that are similar and set them up creatively to demonstrate unity.

Variety

Having pieces in your photograph that differ from one another.

The different pieces of the picture (the bike, the door, the window) create interest because they are not all similar.  I have a shed and old boards and bikes so all of these resources I could find at my house.

Movement/Rhythm

The pieces of the picture move the audience's eyes throughout the picture, often the movement will end at the focal point, or off the page.

The blurred lines that the cars make lead the eye to the focal point, which is the city in the background.  I often travel with my family, but any populated area with an extended shutter speed would work.

Emphasis

Some part of the photograph that draws attention to itself, or has attention drawn to it, and so it becomes the focal point.

This picture shows emphasis because the background and foreground are plain, so the cat draws our attention due to it's simply surroundings.  I also have a cat, so maybe I can creatively incorporate her in my pictures if she cooperates.

Proportion/Scale

Proportion is the size of pieces of something in relation to other pieces of the same thing.  Scale is the size of an object in relation to other objects. 

The size of the duck has a different scale from reality.  This is because the duck is so much larger than the humans.

Repetition/Pattern

Replication of an object or other visual aid that help to unify the picture, the replicas can be exact or with variety.

The repetition of the chairs creates interest and rhythm.  I could easily take a picture like this with school chairs. 

Bird's Eye View

The picture is being taken from a point that is elevated above the subject to create the effect that may resemble a bird's perspective.

This is a bird's eye view because the photographer is high above the buildings and is looking down from them.  Even though I don't live near a city, I could recreate this effect from the top of any building.

Worm's Eye View

The picture is being taken from the ground looking up at the subject, this makes it seem as if the picture is being taken from the perspective of a worm.

This picture is being taken from the ground looking up at the cows.  I live close to cows and I was impressed by how interesting subjects they could be, this picture showed me a lot can change due to perspective.

Horizon Line

The horizon line separates the sky and the ground in the picture and is used to convey the perspective the picture was taken from as well as what the picture is trying to emphasize.

The horizon emphasizes the ground more, which brings the audience's attention to the vertical and horizontal lines of the fence.  I live near farms so this is a common landscape that I could take a picture of.

Rule of Thirds

The subject of the picture is placed on the intersecting third lines that divide the picture vertically and horizontally.

The dog is placed strategically in an intersection of vertical and horizontal guidelines.  I have a dog so if I wanted to take a more interesting picture of him, I should place him more strategically in the picture.

Framing

The subject is singled out from the rest of the photograph so that the focus is on it.

I loved the simplicity of this photograph, anyone could so easily take this picture, yet it is really beautiful.  The person's hand frames the sun, which is the subject.

Simplicity

Making sure that the picture doesn't look too busy, which usually means having a plain background, maybe in a neutral color.

The color of the frog and the background match, making the picture extremely simple, since the only objects are the frog and the stick.  I could use this idea with a bug or possibly small creature, but I think finding a bug is more likely. 

Texture

When a certain texture is the focus of the picture, and the feeling of the subject is accurately conveyed.

The texture of this backpack is the focus of the picture, and I could easily use everyday textures like my backpack.