{"id":74274,"date":"2019-01-06T00:33:53","date_gmt":"2019-01-05T15:33:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fujifilmnxtc.wpenginepowered.com\/stories\/using-negative-space\/"},"modified":"2024-05-02T04:25:01","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T19:25:01","slug":"advanced-month-1-composition-4-negative-space","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-us\/stories\/advanced-month-1-composition-4-negative-space\/","title":{"rendered":"Using Negative Space"},"content":{"rendered":"

To fill the frame or not to fill it? That is the question we’ll answer as we look at how photographers can use negative space to their advantage<\/h2>\n

Beginner photographers are often told to \u2018fill the frame\u2019 to avoid subjects appearing too small in their compositions. It\u2019s good advice, too. As the great reportage photographer Robert Capa once said, \u201cIf your pictures aren\u2019t good enough, you\u2019re not close enough.\u201d But, as with all rules in photography, this advice can be ignored for creative effect when the time is right.
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\nPurposely leaving room around your subject, where nothing is happening, is a powerful way to give your photography a more edgy look and feel. Artists call this extra room \u2018negative space.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\"Learn\u00a9 Seth K Hughes<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Photographs that use negative space are often beautiful, because of the simplicity. Negative space can give an impression of calm and serenity, and the viewer may be able to tell there is more to the image than first meets the eye. Negative space can also help give balance to a composition, where two objects are complementing each other. Or indeed help create tension if the composition is deliberately unbalanced.
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\nBut what exactly is negative space? This is a hard question to answer since negative space is defined more by what is absent than what is present. It can be completely blank \u2013\u00a0though it doesn\u2019t have to be. Negative space might also be blurred, or lacking in color, or just a different texture. Things can even be happening in the negative space area, as long as they are not main subjects of the picture.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\"Learn\u00a9 Jonathan Irish<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Composing with negative space requires you to stop for a moment and take a step back \u2013 look at the subject and the area surrounding it. Can you frame the subject so that negative space plays a part in the composition, too? Look for points of view that isolate the subject and give the contrast you need with the background and surroundings. Focus on the spaces between objects and try to balance them more effectively \u2013 the rule of thirds or golden ratio can help you find a natural place to situate a subject so the composition feels balanced and has breathing room.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\"Learn\u00a9 Alison Conklin<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Negative space is a concept that\u2019s been used in art, architecture, and graphic design for hundreds of years, so don\u2019t worry if it takes you a bit of time to master. A great practice exercise is to revisit some images you shot previously and crop them in your favorite image-editing software so that they make more use of negative space. Look for how you could have composed differently when you shot the pictures and make a mental note of this for next time.<\/p>\n

Your Next Steps<\/h3>\n