Composition And Vision Of The Photographer In Visual Design

Only focusing on the features of camera and equipments would not make effective images. The images which asks for attention from the viewers and resonate some feeling to the viewers would be called as an effective image. For creating an effective image, it demands experience, practice, experimentation, and research. Learning and understanding various visual design elements would also be equally important to improve the composition. The success does not follow by just following the rules. It also depends on the viewers or the audience. Photographer is expected to understand the response from viewers and also different visual compositions. Learning from artworks and actively implementing into photography would yield great results.

Line and Shape

Line is one of the main key factor to show some motion or direction or position. Line can vary from, curved lines to straight lines. There can also be certain placing of the elements in the frame that suggests some imaginary line. The type of lines can also evoke certain feelings. For instance Robert Berdan explains the feelings that each type of line could suggest, “Horizontal lines imply tranquility and rest, whereas vertical lines imply power and strength. Oblique lines imply movement, action and change. Curved lines or S shaped lines imply quiet, calm and sensual feelings. ” Lines also work as a great tool to give an illusion of the depth and distance of three dimensional world in a two dimensional photograph. It creates a perspective. Closed lines forms a shape which is another element of visual design. However, shapes can also be seen with color patch, without lines. Shapes and forms indicate space. In an image, the area in which the shapes and forms are present is called positive space and the empty space around or within the positive space is called negative space.

Light and Shadows

Without light, photography would not be possible. Light enhances the from i. e. three dimensional object. Light creates a necessary contrast between light and dark (shadow) area to suggest volume in a photograph. The direction and type of light would be important to capture the feeling. The light coming from the back side of the subject could lead to a dark silhouette without any details. But if that is the feeling to be conveyed then its perfect. Also, it is widely accepted that capturing nature during the time of early sunrise and and sunset enhances the texture and creates long shadows which looks quite dramatic for any photograph.

Colour and Texture

There are thousands of research and proofs bu scientists that colours affect our mood and emotional state. Certain researches also show that the response to colours is different for male and female. Different colours excites different emotions. Learning about colours is one important aspect to convey certain feelings. For instance, analogous colours suggests being harmonious, they often have a soothing effect. Complementary colours shows contrast and are placed opposite to each other in the colour wheel. These colours create strong imposing visuals. Warm colours like yellow, red and orange make you feel warm. Contrastingly, cool colours like blue, violet and green makes you feel cool. This is happened because we usually associate warm colour with sun, fire and blood, and cool colours with something cold like snow and ice. Photographer can use this contrasting attributes of colours at an advantage to create dramatic images with strong contrast and also provide depth in the image. Colours are just evoke visual sense but texture is much more stronger. It works with both visual and touch sense. Texture makes us feel the surface if it is rough, soft or sharp etc. Capturing texture in oblique lighting enhances the image drastically. Texture is real and tactile. Photographer usually experiences it. Some or every element of the visual design now has to be captured within a frame and create a have to complement each other. That is why we use guidelines of composition. They are not ultimate rules. Photographers are invited to experiment.

Composition

Michael O’Brien have defined composition as follows,“Composition is the arrangement of visual elements within the frame of a photograph. ” Framing a good composition in the viewfinder is much more difficult. A painter can imagine and create his own composition by placing elements like he wish, whereas photographer has to search and compose the visual design elements within screen or the viewfinder of a camera. Of course, photographer can arrange some objects but in nature or in public places, it is difficult and also it is much appreciated if the balance between the placement on visual element in the frame and to leave certain disorder of nature. The vision of photographer provides him a power of decision- making. The decision totally depends on the vision and the interest of the photographer. Seeing depends on what is he interested in, what he is looking for and what his mind prepare him to see.