One of the first things that you come across in photography is the F-stop. F-stops, as a measurement of the lens, is an essential part of exposure. You should also know about the T-Stop.
Let’s take a look at T-stop vs f-stop and find out the differences.
What Does F-Stop Mean?
The f-stop is a value of the entrance pupil of the lens, where the iris is.
The f-stop value is a ratio, the focal length divided by the diameter of the entrance pupil. So, if your focal length is 50mm, and the diameter is 25mm, you’ve got an f/2 lens. If you close the aperture down, that diameter narrows, and less light can pass. The f-stop marked on your lens is the highest value.
But, there’s a lot more to light transmittance than the f-stops ratio. There are many factors: the quality of glass, the number of lens elements, the amount of reflection inside the barrel. They all influence how much light reaches the sensor.
In consequence, the f-stop is only proportional to the amount of light passing. It’s not an absolute value.
What Does T-Stop Mean?
This is where the T-stop comes in handy. It is the f-stop corrected by the actual ratio light transmittance.
You can calculate it by dividing the f-stop of the lens by the square root of light transmittance. So, let’s suppose we have a lens with a maximum aperture of 2.8, and 90% of the light goes through. We divide 2.8 by √0.90. The resulting value is 2.953, which we can round up to T/3.0.
How Can We Determine the Exact Transmittance?
There is, unfortunately, no formula that tells us the exact transmittance. If we want to know the precise amount of light getting through, we have to measure it.
But it’s not something you can do at home. It’s a meticulous process, requiring a lot of testing and investment.
Some studios do light transmittance measuring themselves, but it’s generally not 100% accurate. Take a look at DXOmark’s database to compare lenses based on their T-stop.
Which Lenses Have the Highest Transmittance?
The more elements there are in a lens, the lower the transmittance it has. Every lens element decreases it a little bit.
So, for example, zoom lenses have lower transmittance than primes.
Much depends on the quality of glass and build as well. Cheaper lenses usually have worse quality glass in them. That means (among other things) that they let less light pass than more expensive optics.
There are exceptions, of course. For example, Rokinon’s manual focus lenses are not only of very high quality, but they even have their cinema lens counterparts.
Build quality inside the lens counts, as well. With better treatment for internal reflections, less light will get lost.
What Is the Purpose of T-stops?
There are many reasons why you don’t see T-stops in your everyday photography.
One reason is that it is expensive to measure accurately. So, companies don’t even test their cheaper lenses for transmittance.
The other is that in photography, f-stops are more practical. Today, every digital camera has built-in metering and high ISO performance. So you hardly notice the difference between a T3.2 and T2.9 lens (if both F/2.8), because your camera corrects for that.
The field where T-stops are much more usable is video production.
Using T-Stop to Avoid Exposure Differences With Cinema Lenses
When you are always switching angles, it is crucial to avoid exposure differences between them. The easiest way to achieve this is by using lenses with the same T-stop.
Cinema lenses are marked with their T-stop instead of an f-stop. Cinema lens lines also share the same casing and weight. This feature makes balancing and fitting accessories on them easier for cinematographers. Also, they feature pullable focusing and zoom rings.
The optics inside these cinema lenses do not differ much from photography lenses. Take a look at Canon’s 50mm f/1.2 and 50mm t1.3 lenses – they have very similar optics in two different barrels.
If you never had to bother with T-stops, you will likely not use them from now on either. But, it is useful to know about T-stops to avoid misconceptions.
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Thursday, October 24, 2019
20 Beautiful Pictures of Japan to Inspire Your Travel Photography
Japan is one of the most breathtaking countries in the world. It’s filled with bustling cities and nature. Both appeal to a wide variety of photographers.
If you’re on the fence about visiting Japan, this is the article for you. These 20 pictures of Japan will inspire your travel photography.
20. Improve Your Nighttime Photography Skills in Minato
You can use Minato’s vibrant cityscape to improve your long exposure photography skills, too.
Minato is one of the 23 special wards that makes up the most
populated parts of Tokyo. There, you can take edgy photos both day and
night.
At night, the entire city glows. It’s the perfect location for aspiring nighttime photographers. Even the bridge, known as Rainbow Bridge, lights up!
19. Discover Your Inner Food Photographer Everywhere You Go
You can also improve your candid photography skills by taking photos of chefs at work.
If you’re a fan of food photography, you’ll find inspiration in every part of Japan. You can take photos of people cooking or photograph what you eat.
Japan has an impressive reputation when it comes to food. Every order looks like a painting or an adorable cartoon.
You’re bound to find at least some inspiration in Japan’s many cafés and restaurants.
18. Take Adorable Photos of Deer in Nara Park
Some deer will ask you for food by bowing in front of you!
Nara Park, located in the city of Nara, is the place to be if you love animals. You’ll find hundreds of tame deer that symbolise the city. You can feed them crackers and take as many photos as you want.
Nara Park is perfect for those who want to improve their wildlife photography skills. You can even interact with their subjects at the same time.
17. Take Your Landscape Photography Skills to the Next Level in Hakone
The Torii of Peace is connected to the Hakone Shinto Shrine.
Hakone is perfect for both aspiring and experienced landscape photographers. Located in Tokyo, it’s filled with hot springs, a view of Mount Fuji, and a gorgeous lake.
The best thing about Hakone is that it has a rich variety of landscapes.
Even if you spend a few hours in this town, you’ll find many
unforgettable travel pictures.
16. Take Breathtaking Photos of Sakura in Japan’s Parks
Cherry
blossom gardens are ideal for flower, portrait, and landscape
photographers. The sakura’s soft pink colors will give your photos a
dreamy feel.
The cherry blossom season usually takes place from January to April. This depends on which part of Japan you’re visiting.
You don’t need to go to one specific place to experience the beauty of Japan’s sakura trees.
There’s a few parks that overflow with cherry blossoms. These are Mount
Yoshino in Nara Prefecture, The Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto, and Ueno
Park in Tokyo.
15. Visit the Magical Blue Pond in Biei
The
best time of day to photograph the Shirogane pond is during the day, as
there are very few lighting facilities available at night.
The Shirogane Blue pond in Biei, Hokkaido was a fortunate accident.
The lake is an unusual shade of blue. This is because of aluminum. It
seeped into the water during an attempt to control mudslides.
Biei also offers waterfalls, a dam park, flower gardens, and much more.
14. Go on an Exciting Adventure in Kyoto’s Bamboo Grove
You can use bamboos as subjects for your next fine art photoshoot.
One of Kyoto’s most popular attractions is Arashiyama. This bamboo grove is reminiscent of thick forests.
It has a specific atmosphere you can’t describe in words. You have to be there to experience it.
You can sharpen your landscape photography skills. And take cool travel pictures of yourself and your friends.
13. Take Surreal Photos of Japan’s Abandoned Island
Anyone who likes taking surreal and haunting photos will find a lot of inspiration on Hashima Island.
There are hundreds of uninhabited islands surrounding Japan. But they
weren’t always uninhabited. Hashima Island, also known as The Forgotten
World, used to thrive off of coal mining.
When coal became scarce, everyone abandoned the island. Three decades
after that, it became a tourist attraction. It both intrigues and
frightens people.
12. Document the Commercial Side of Japan in Shinjuku
Stunning commercials like this are a result of Japan’s love for anime and vibrant colours.
Like Minato, Shinjuku is one of Tokyo’s special wards.
It has a lot of commercial and administrative buildings. These are ideal for nighttime and street photography.
You can take photos of vibrant ads and busy strangers lit by vibrant neon lights.
11. Or Spend Quality Time in Shinjuku Gyoen Garden
You
can take photos of the buildings from the garden using the foreground
technique. Simply shoot through leaves or flowers to frame your subject
and add a bit of nature to your shots.
Not into street photography, or you want to take a break from all the busyness? You can still enjoy Shinjuku by visiting its massive garden.
The garden is full of trails, trees, and resting spots that are photogenic all year round.
This is the perfect place for taking family photos and appreciating nature.
10. Take Charming Photos of Monkeys in Jigokudani Monkey Park
You won’t find it difficult to take photos of monkeys in this park.
It’s not always possible to take photos of monkeys. But Yamanouchi has a park filled with lots of somewhat tame monkeys.
You can use this as an opportunity to add more wildlife photos to your travel collection.
Wildlife photography will teach you how to be patient. Especially when it involves curious monkeys.
The more photos you take of these creatures, the easier it will be for you to take candid photos of anyone.
9. Add the Fushimi Inari Shrine to Your Itinerary
The torii gates are donated by people. You can find their names and donation dates at the back of every gate.
The Fushimi Inari Shrine in Tokyo has thousands of torii gates that
lead to Mount Inari. Both the mountain trails and the tunnels will make
your travel pictures stand out.
The tunnels are ideal for those who enjoy taking hikes. You’ll improve your composition skills, and get to know Japan’s spiritual side.
8. Take Photos of Majestic Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan. It’s a famous tourist
attraction. And it’s the ideal subject for budding landscape
photographers.
Taking photos of Mount Fuji will make your photography portfolio stand out. It will also teach you how to take unique photos of a popular photography subject.
7. Photograph Kyoto’s Beautiful Temples
Kyoto is full of impressive temples. Each stands out in their own way. There are over 1,500 shrines and temples in Kyoto alone!
You’ll improve your architecture photography skills. And you’ll get to know more about Japan’s rich history. There’s a lot of inspiration in this city.
6. Don’t Forget One of Its Most Popular Temples
One of Kyoto’s most stunning temples, Kinkakuji, is covered in gold.
It’s almost impossible to look at it when the sun is shining!
The temple sits next to a forest and a pond. It’s ideal for stunning landscape and architecture photos.
5. Find Photography Inspiration in Nikko
Because Nikko is small, you’ll find it easy to take photos of all of its attractions without losing a lot of time.
Nikko is a small city in Japan. That doesn’t mean it’s not full of photogenic subjects.
The city has a gorgeous bridge, a waterfall, a decorated shrine, a hot
spring, and more. Photographers of all kinds will find inspiration in
this humble little city.
4. Experience Japan’s Spiritual Side in Kōya-San
If you’re looking for peace and spirituality, you’ll find it in Kōya-San. This is a mountain located in southern Osaka.
Mount Kōya represents a Buddhist sect. You can spend a night in one of
its hotels. You’ll get to know more about monks, eat healthy food, and
be a part of their morning prayers.
This is a great way to refresh your mind and find inspiration in simplicity.
3. Fall in Love With Architecture in Osaka Castle
Osaka Castle is reminiscent of Ghibli films. These are feature films created by Hayao Miyazaki.
The castle has beautiful pastel colours and intricate details. It’s the ultimate source of inspiration for fans of architecture.
If you visit Japan in the spring, you’ll be able to enjoy the view of the castle. You can take photos of the stunning cherry blossoms in Osaka Castle Park.
2. Find Inner Peace in Sankeien Garden
Once owned by a silk merchant, Sankeien is a peaceful garden located in Yokohama.
You can visit the silk merchant’s house. You’ll be able to enjoy all the bridges, trails, and flowers around.
1. Take Photos of the Impressive Aso Volcano in Kyushu
Located in Kyushu, Mount Aso is a volcano
with one of the largest calderas in the world. A caldera is a
crater-like hole in a volcano. Landscape and drone photographers will
enjoy spending time here.
You can visit the volcano, and photograph the surrounding slopes. These
are often inhabited by farm animals. Or you can visit the Aso Shrine.
Japan is a unique country that cherishes the past and embraces the
future. This is evident in its diverse cities. They offer all kinds of
photography opportunities.
No matter what kind of photography you’re into, you’ll find a lot of inspiration in Japan and its travel pictures.
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16 Shocking Horror Photography Examples to Inspire You
Horror photography
is something we want to see, yet at the same time, wish we hadn’t. Most
of us have experienced nightmares that feel real enough to leave us in a
cold sweat. We watch horror films, wanting to be shocked, even if it ends with laughter. Surreal horror photography covers all sorts of photography processes, techniques, and concepts. Hopefully, you’ll be able to sleep after seeing our examples.
What Is Horror Photography?
Horror photography is a sub-genre of fantasy photography and surreal photography.
The horror photography version aims at creating scenes of tension. It
makes the viewers cower away, yet at the same time, look on with shock,
horror, and disgust.
There are many ways to create great horror photographs. Black and white
serve well as a colour choice, as it reminds us of a former time. The
Victorian era is where horror photography finds its roots. People used
it to photograph the dead, for example.
The process of the images is also essential. A clean image makes the
scene look more realistic and closer to our daily lives. A great way to
add tension is to add a horror element to something that the viewers can
understand.
A blurry, out-of-focus treatment adds mysticism, making the image
otherworldly. Some photographers go all out and create images from
scratch. Photographic manipulation adds a surreal nature to a realistic
scene, making them look like the stuff of nightmares.
Images such as these are created to shock you. They could be documentary, art or designed to carry across an idea.
Horror Photography Examples
16. Untitled by Anonymous
This image serves well as a horror photograph. It is creepy on so
many different levels. The scratchy, black and white image is
reminiscent of a former time. It evokes the Victorian era, where
mysticism was rampant.
The woman seems to be screaming out in a blurred pose, making it look
as if she is moving around in agony. The worst part is the skulls in
her stomach area. Did she eat them? Or are they unborn children.
These attributes make this one of the creepiest pictures on the internet. We hope that is it photographic manipulation.
15. Untitled by Rosie Hardy
Rosie Hardy is no stranger to conceptual images.
This Manchurian candidate captures images in a fantasy-esque style. The
images cross the blurred lines into surreal and horror photography.
Here, a self-portrait
is surrounded by hands aiming to grab her. Are they shadows of massive
arms, or are they from another world? Either way, the image causes
tension for me. The subject doesn’t mind, which builds the tension. Is it a planned act? She isn’t cowering away, suggesting she wants to be whisked away to another plane of existence.
14. Untitled by Kim Kim
This scene by Kim Kim is a horror photography image without going
over the top. It’s so realistic that it adds to the tension and
creepiness.
What we see in this scene is an image of a woman with her hand in her
hair. Her hand is stretching her face and creating distortion. It looks
very unnatural.
What does it say to us? Perhaps she isn’t human at all. Is she a
monster in human clothing? Do we want to know? That little hint of
unnatural makes our minds wander, searching through every visual image
of every scary film we ever saw.
13. Untitled by Roberto De Mitri
Capturing a scene for horror photography isn’t easy. There is a thin line between scary pictures and an overly worked image that looks fake and comical.
The
image below is one of the strongest for the horror genre without being
over the top. In fact, due to it’s under processing, it comes across as
more realistic and creepier.
We see a contrasted image of a woman wearing Victorian-era clothing,
which is creepy enough. On top of that, her identity is missing,
scratched away. Something is unnerving about not being able to see a
person’s face.
Why is it missing? Someone doesn’t want us to know what she looks
like. That way, the tension is repeated over and over again, until you
realise she is standing right behind you!
12. Untitled by Kaveh Hosseini
There are many ways to create excellent horror photography. You can
use the black and white colour scheme. This scheme gives it that creepy
vintage and realistic edge. You can use unnatural content, either with
the subject’s expressions or through hair and makeup.
The other way is to follow in the footsteps of Kaveh Hosseini and use
photographic manipulation. Here, he captured the landscape he wanted
and then added the other elements by using post-production editing
software.
For something like this, you need a clear idea of what you want to
achieve, so you can start building up the scene. In this horror
photography scene, we see a ladder reaching to the sky that is dark and
aggressive, and coming our way.
The headless man at the desk adds tension, as we ask the question
‘why?’. This image points us to our nightmares and how we feel when we
have them.
11. Untitled by Anonymous
It is scenes like this that make us wonder how the photographer and
subject managed to pull it off. What we see is a woman’s decapitated
head being held up by her hair.
The texture
on the foreground makes it look like blood, making the scene that
little more realistic. What adds to the tension is we are not exactly
sure what we are looking at. Is it a bathtub, or a mirror, reflecting
the wall behind us.
If it is a mirror, the sink is possibly underneath. Due to the blood
splatter, this means she managed to cut off her head and hang it.
Perhaps she thought about it first and wrapped her hair before the
terrible act.
10. Untitled by Anonymous
This image isn’t a horror photography scene. However, the expression
of the man in the centre of the frame makes it a powerful, scary
picture. His face is twisted and contorted out of pain and uncertainty.
From reading about this image, we know that this man has a mental
health condition in a hospital. The physician on the right is applying
electricity to his face through the metal rods, in facial muscle
experimentation.
It looks setup, and it is to a point. The subject’s expression is
real, and he is staring right through us, pleading for help. The tension
makes it a powerfully creepy image.
9. Untitled by Heitor Magno
Double or multiple exposures
are a great way to show disturbing pictures or horror photography.
Through this process, we can add layers and play around with aspects of
the image to make it seem strange and unrealistic.
The photographer, Heitor Magno, used double exposure to create the
movement within the subject. This movement stops us from seeing the
person, leaving ideas of our brain to fill in the gaps. There is no
explanation, so we have to find one for our own sanity.
Here, the subject looks unnatural. The dark eyes show no pupils, and
her mouth seems to be closed shut. The movement then feels like the
person is transforming into a skeleton or other beast we would rather
not see. The idea is enough.
8. Untitled by Anonymous
The concept of someone screaming is known to us all. They are in
immediate danger. The scream is a potent device when it comes to visual
arts, as it doesn’t attribute its self to pain, but rather fear.
Horror photography uses the fear of people, turning an idea into a physical entity or emotion. When someone screams, those in earshot also feel the same fear and it spreads like a yawn.
In this image, we see the scream, but we are robbed of the most
crucial aspect – the sound. That makes the scene unnerving. On top of
that, the area is smokey, which connects to a supernatural world.
We can’t see the reason why she is screaming, meaning we get the full-brunt of the tension she is feeling.
7. Untitled by Trevor Henderson
It isn’t apparent at first glance what makes this image creepy. The scene is a very realistic image of someone’s living room. And then we see the creature in the window. That fact that we can’t fully make out the creature adds to the tension.
Many times, I find myself double-checking a crack in the curtains to
make sure there is no one there watching what we are doing. I’m not
looking for people, but creatures of the unnatural world. No idea why I
would want to see that. I should shut the curtains.
This idea is something installed into us from popular films and TV
shows. A creature spies on us in the comfort of our own home before
attacking. That way, the beast can get their food extra-scared.
6. Untitled by Federico Chiesa and Carolina Trotta
There are certain situations from our collective past that make us
feel uncomfortable. For example, spiders, the idea of falling, or the
sensation of tin foil in the mouth. Most of us feel the same way.
The same feeling goes to creepy ideas and concepts used in mainstream
entertainment. The twins in The Shining are a good example. That horror
film is synonymous for being creepy and scary on many levels.
Here, we see the twins grown up, and out of their usual setting. The
Shining was set in a hotel, a plane far away from our reality. Here,
however, they stand in a supermarket aisle – something we often see.
Knowing they could be there next time I go shopping is enough for me to order takeaway for a month!
5. XXII XV IX III V XIX by Eyes of Lamia
While searching for images to write this post, I came across many
photos that were used to show anxiety, frustration or depression. Some
scenes go on to show feelings and emotions on a physical scale.
We all know how our human feelings and emotions can take physical
hold and how damaging they can be. This image by the eyes of Lamia is no
different. Here, we see hands forcing their way out of a man’s mouth,
tearing the skin as they do.
His emotions or mood is taking a physical hold, and the situation
puts us at unease. We feel his pain, metaphorically or otherwise.
4. Untitled by Anonymous
It isn’t immediate what makes this image creepy. Is it the vintage
black and white toning, the contrast, or the fact that arms are coming
out of the wallpaper and hugging the girl? The idea that a creature we
can’t see shows affection towards the girl is unsettling.
Almost as if the hands belong to a loved one who recently shuffled
off the mortal coil. It is creepy because we can’t see the creature, our
brains try to make sense of what we see. The wallpaper represents
another world, a plane that isn’t natural.
All the other attributes add to the dark tone of the scene.
3. Birth of Evil Series by Laura Makabresku
Laura Makabresku is a Polish photographer. Her work borders on surreal photography
with elements of realism. Her work often includes animals. The
interaction between her subjects is what makes her images horroresque.
They are unnatural.
In her Birth of Evil series, we see a naked woman near a spider/ant
hybrid sort of creature. The title suggests that she is either
fornicating with the otherworldly beast or just gave birth to it.
We get a sense of tension and horror as the woman doesn’t cower away
from its presence. Something here is expected and planned. The subjects
mixed with the decaying locations make for scary pictures.
2. Untitled by Gregory Crewdson
Gregory Crewdson isn’t your typical horror photographer. His scenes show couples and families in situations without a narrative. We are forced to look at his images without any prior knowledge of what is happening.
To me, this is particularly creepy as every setting is realistic, but
something seems to be off. In this image, we see the open door and the
naked woman standing in front of it.
Two people sitting at the table don’t acknowledge her, yet the man on
the left does. Is it a nightmare? Is she expected? The lack of
understanding makes us ask questions we can’t possibly answer.
1. Un Santo Oscuro, LA, 1987 by Joel Peter Witkin
This surreal horror photography image is by Joel Peter Witkin. He is a
photographer that often looks at macabre subjects such as death,
decapitation, and amputation.
Not only does he use real-life subjects in his work, but he also uses
photographic manipulation to turn his scenes into creepy pictures.
What makes this image particularly creepy is that the subject is a
real person. We are unsure where to draw the line between reality and
nightmare.
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Wednesday, October 23, 2019
How to Influence The Way People Look at Your Photos
The way in which we view a photo is heavily dependant upon the photographer’s choice of composition – this leads our eyes along a certain path. The more you understand about how people look at your photos, the better you’ll become at influencing them in the future.
Looking & Interest
At one time, this was a bit of a mysterious subject matter. Now, however, we have the technology to study how people view photos. And we can use that information to our advantage. It doesn’t tend to matter whether you’re a photographer who’s well used to looking at composition and photographic elements, or a viewer, looking at their very first photo. We all look at photos in the same way. If we’re interested by a photo, we’ll look towards the greatest point of interest and work our way around. The different elements of visual weight are fighting for our attention. There are three main ways in which we look at a photo that change the way we scan it. The first of these is trying to look for something in a photo, for example, a person. Liken this to viewing tagged photos of friends on Facebook and trying to find them in the photo, just glancing over the other people. Without knowing anyone in the photo, you would have seen it in a completely different way. The second way is what happens when there’s a large, dominating visual weight. This provides strong interest at first glance, changing our expectations of the photo and how we look at it. If you saw a photo of a good looking person, you might be immediately drawn to their face. Upon seeing that you like it, you would glance over the rest of their body, leaving the other elements of the photo to wait. These first two ways of observing are for obvious reasons and would be quite hard to create photographic art from. The final way that we tend to view photos has a lot to do with the various visual weights that contribute to them. Without any expectations in a photo, our eyes are left to browse for themselves in what seems like free movement. A good photographer will understand the elements making up the photo. They’ll use them to direct the attention of the viewer to a certain point. This has a lot to do with visual weight. The more you understand about that, the better you’ll be able to direct the viewer. If you’ve not done so already, I suggest going back to read this post. In the photo below, I knew that having the sun on the left hand side of the frame would draw our attention first, before the brightness encouraged the eyes to look elsewhere. The light landing on the rocks in the foreground acts as a welcome and interesting rest for our eyes. Then they work their way diagonally up the frame, ending up at the blanket just as I had intended. Our eyes take this in as an interesting contrast to the rest of the frame. And we start to look closer at the rocks, sounding them in comparison. You can introduce other composition techniques to make this more effective, as I’ve done in the photo below. The photo is of a model but I used a triangle to help the viewer explore the frame. First, you glance over the breakwater, before meeting the model’s eye-line. You see that her body language is leaning into the photo, with the right side of the frame feeling quite uncomfortable. The eye-line takes you back across the photo over to the end of the breakwater in the sea, down the breakwater to the model’s arm and then back up to her face. Our eyes are known to scan from left to right so, when you remove a human subject from the frame, they will glance across the frame much more naturally. Have a look at the photo below and you’ll see that your eyes will glance over the triangular shape of the land on the left briefly, before skipping briefly over the hills in the background, then landing on the boat in the foreground. Your eyes are likely to have skipped the small boat because the boat in the foreground is much more dominant. Once they take it in, the eyes are free to move around again, quite likely going back to the small boat. We’ve seen what our eyes do when there’s a human subject in the frame and when there’s no human subject. But what about when all there is a is a human subject? The first things we look at are the eyes. These tell us the most about the subject: how they’re feeling, where they’re looking, what they’re thinking. We are used to looking straight at a person’s eyes. Next, we’ll look at the mouth. There’s often a lot of emotion in the body language of this. Lastly, our eyes are free to explore the frame, so long as there’s nothing too interesting about the subject. If the subject is conveying strong emotion, or looking away from the camera, that would dictate where our eyes look next. If you want to learn more about composition, I would strongly encourage it; it will make a massive difference to your photography. To help fully understand this tutorial, check out my post on visual weight.
In today’s article, you’ll learn how to use the rule of space to enhance your images.
What Is the Rule of Space?
The rule of space creates motion in an image through the use of negative space.
A minimalist photograph with lots of space around the main subject is not applying the rule of space.
The viewer of the image has to look at the main subject, and then their eyes have to be led into the negative space within the image.
That could be because the main subject is looking in a certain direction. Or there is a moving object that’s heading into that negative space.
In this photo the monk gazes off into the distance, this rule is sometimes called the rule of gaze.
Why Use This Technique?
The key here is that it adds a story to your image.
Your image will grab the attention of the viewer by showing the scale of the scene in front of them. This is achieved by the correct application of negative space.
The viewer will enter your image through the perspective of your main subject.
What the main subject is looking towards will form the narrative of your image. Although your image is static this sense of looking or moving towards somewhere will give your image a dynamic edge.
This will improve the quality of your work.
This photo shows the scale of the location, as the truck drives along the road towards the camera.
Locations That Work Well for Rule of Space Photos
Locations where you can produce minimalism, and leading lines, work well for the rule of space.
Through the correct selection of focal length, it’s possible to produce the negative space needed for this type of photography.
That said, urban locations will be more of a challenge than the countryside.
Coastal locations – These are great for landscape photography, and coasts lend themselves very well to the rule of space. A person gazing out to sea would make a compelling main subject.
Country roads – These provide natural leading lines in an uncluttered environment. Whether you choose to use a car or cyclist as your subject entering the negative space is up to you.
Deserts – Deserts will work in much the same way as a coastal location, though finding the main subject might prove more of a challenge. A camel herder moving through the dunes would work well.
Subway – Within an urban setting, the subway has lots of minimalism and leading lines that can be used for a photograph that applies the rule of space.
This photo shows camels moving from left to right across the scene, giving the still photo a sense of dynamism.
Use Stationary Subjects to Highlight the Rule of Space
A photo attempting to use space to provide a narrative cannot do so with a stationary main subject. That means lone trees, and lone buildings are not what’s required.
The subject needs to allow the viewer of the photo to follow their gaze or their motion. That means this style of photo is much more of a moment of capture.
In this photo the woman looks off into the distance, her back is turned away from the camera.
The gaze – The gaze of a person or animal will draw the eye towards whatever it is they’re gazing at. An epic piece of scenery such as mountains in the distance, or a cityscape, will work well here. It’s also not necessary to see any faces either. The person can have their back to the camera gazing into the distance.
Objects moving to the side – Whether it’s a ship moving along the horizon, or a car driving along the road, they all make good subjects. The key is to make sure they’re moving into the negative space within your photo, and not away from it.
Objects moving to the camera – Look for objects that are in the distance and are approaching your camera. A cyclist or car approaching you along a stretch of road, a road that curves towards the camera or produces an S-line.
How to Create Space in Your Images With Different Focal Lengths
Focal distance is a vital factor when producing this type of photo. There are times you’ll want to use a long telephoto lens. A wide angle will also allow you to get a greater sense of space within your photo.
When you choose the focal length you’re going to use for your photo, consider the following for wide angle, and longer focal distances.
Wide angle – To avoid a tight crop using a wide angle lens is a good idea. This type of lens will give your scene an epic sense of scale, and it’s easy to produce negative space with this type of lens. You’ll find it most useful in environments that are minimal themselves. These focal lengths also come with a catch though, since you could clutter your image with too many extra elements.
Long focal length – This focal length will work well when you have your main subject in the distance. If the main subject is too close to the camera you won’t be able to compose your photo to produce negative space. The crop will be too tight. The advantage is that you’ll be able to cut away those unwanted elements in the frame and focus on the main subject. You could use compression to allow the viewer to look at a cityscape or mountain in the distance while zooming in on your main subject.
This photo uses a wide angle lens to give the volcanic landscape an epic sense of scale.
Use the Rule of Space With Other Composition Techniques for More Interesting Images
Photography often works best when you apply more than one composition technique to the same photo, or some creative techniques as well.
When creating a photo that follows the rule of space, apply some of these simple composition ideas to your frame.
The rule of thirds – Position your main subject on the left or right third of your image. If they’re on the left, you need to have them looking or moving to the right.
Leading lines – These aren’t always needed for this type of photo, but they’ll strengthen the image if you can use leading lines. You’ll want your main subject to be looking or moving along your leading line. For example, a cyclist moving along a road.
Lines that run through a photo, such as this fence, can add strength to an image.
Minimalism – Compose your photo in such a way that your main subject is small, and the viewer has to look for it within your photo. Then use big empty space in the rest of the photo as an extreme composition technique.
Patterns – Negative space doesn’t mean you have to include an empty sky in your photo. It’s better if the negative space has some level of interest to it, like a pattern. This could be in the form of an intermittent cloudy sky, a brick wall or branches of a tree. As long as the pattern is consistent and leads back to your main subject, this will work in your image.
Techniques like panning show motion from side to side, and this can be used in combination with the rule of space.
Adding motion to your photo through the rule of space will strengthen your images. Whether you’re doing portrait, landscape or street photography, this technique will be useful to you.
Have you used this rule before yourself? Did you find it improved the quality of your work once you started using it? Is this concept new to you?
We’d love to hear your opinions on this topic in the comments.
