Use Of Negative Space
Sometimes, less is more. This can certainly be the case when discussing the use of negative space.
This techinque is more commonly associated with minimilist photography or ‘Fine Art’ imagery (I hate that term!) although you can use negative space in any image if it’s considered and effective, especially in landscapes.
It’s a concept that’s been used in art, design, architecture, and sculpture for hundreds of years.
Negative space defines and emphasises the main subject of a photo, drawing your eye to it. It provides “breathing room”, giving your eyes somewhere to rest and prevents your image from appearing too cluttered with distracting elements. All of this adds up to a more engaging composition when used effectively.
Here are two examples where the main subjects are relatively small in the image - the post on the Jetty and the small island on Derwentwater. Both images use quite a large amount of negative space to draw your eye to the main subject.
When framing your photo, adjust your composition until the positive and negative spaces in the shot feel well balanced against one another. Be generous with the amount of empty space you leave, and don’t feel you have to cram something interesting into every square inch of the frame.
Otterrbield Bay, Derwentwater
(Above right) Mirrored reflections are something many landscape photographers covet, and for good reason - they evoke a feeling of calm and serenity which generally improves our mood. What they also do is make ideal conditions to implement negative space into an image.
Here in this example I’ve focused on using the large colourful sky and the patterns the clouds have created to draw the viewers eye towards the main subject, which is the small island.
Often in scenes such as this the main subject is quite small in the frame, however its visual impact is increased by the lack of competing elements in the wider scene. Focal points can be small yet still have lots of impact when composed correctly.
Seascale Jetty
(Right) Another strategy to maximising the use of negative space is use of a natural ‘vanishing point’ (literally the name of this image). In this example I’ve set out to shoot in misty conditions in order to minimise the distractions of the sea. I’ve then used a 10 stop filter to further remove ripples on the water, turning the scene into something other-worldly. The added element of the mist allows me to place the focal point again quite small in the frame, using a classic leading line to focus the eye on the marker post at the end of the jetty. Note how I’ve left plenty of room all around the subject, increasing it’s impact.