COMPOSITION - negative space

Darkness is mysterious with unknown spaces. The image (1) reveals two light sources, a moon lit window and a door ajar, but the darkness offers no visual information as to what may be lurking there. So here the negative space is a mystery and possibly disturbing. With the image of the two people (b), in Riomaggiorie, Italy, the negative space is full of ever changing shapes, any or all of which could be inside the minds eye of the two people. It could be a metaphor for their mental-scape or it could be yours. The viewer is drawn to the two people and the space equally.  So when you see a scene that has negative space, find out where you might place it in relation to other elements within your composition. Either move the frame to allow for it, or darken the space that is there anyway to make it negative.

All photography and text © Jon Davison 2022.


BACK TO MAIN MENU