Visual Literacy Concepts

1
Visual Literacy Concepts

• Composition, Tone and Light

2
Make the photograph interesting
Composition

• Composition
• Balance
• Subject Placement
• Pattern
• Tone
• Light
• Direction
• Quality

3
Composition is

• the arrangement of items in an image
• where the subject is, in relation to the borders
  of the image
• the key to successful images

4
Composition is
Balance

• Balance
• Symmetry
• Asymmetry
• Subject Placement
• Leading Lines
• Framing
• Rule of Thirds
• Pattern
• Radial Design
• Repetition

5
Make the photograph interesting

• Be Sure to Balance
• Symmetrical
• Asymmetrical

6
Balance

• Equal weight on the left right sides of the
  image

7
Balance

• Symmetry
• Both sides of an imaginary central line are the
  same (like a mirror image)

• Asymmetry
• Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT
  the same

8
Symmetry
Both sides of an imaginary central line are the
same (like a mirror image)

• Karl Blossfeldt

9
Asymmetry
Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT
the same

• Karl Blossfeldt

10
Symmetry
Both sides of an imaginary central line are the
same (like a mirror image)

• Diane Arbus

11
Asymmetry
Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT
the same

• Diane Arbus

12
Symmetry
Both sides of an imaginary central line are the
same (like a mirror image)

• Walker Evans

13
Asymmetry
Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT
the same

• Walker Evans

14
Which? Symmetry or Asymmetry?
Asymmetry
Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT
the same

• Ansel Adams

15
Which? Symmetry or Asymmetry?
Asymmetry
Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT
the same

• Bill Brandt

16
Which? Symmetry or Asymmetry?
Asymmetry
Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT
the same

• Jerry Uelsmann

17
????? Question ?????

• If a photograph has an asymmetrical composition,
  is it balanced?

????? Answer ?????
YES!
18
Balance

• Equal weight on the left right sides of the
  image

19
Balance

• Symmetry
• Both sides of an imaginary central line are the
  same (like a mirror image)

• Asymmetry
• Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT
  the same

20
Balance

• Symmetry
• Both sides of an imaginary central line are the
  same (like a mirror image)

• Asymmetry
• Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT
  the same

21
Balance

• Symmetry
• Both sides of an imaginary central line are the
  same (like a mirror image)

• Asymmetry
• Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT
  the same

22
????? Question ?????

• Is a photograph of a human face always
  symmetrically balanced?

????? Answer ?????
NO!
23
Is a photograph of a human face always
symmetrically balanced?
This photo IS symmetrical (basically)
Will Smith William Bailey
24
Is a photograph of a human face always
symmetrically balanced?
This photo is NOT symmetrical
Leonard DiCaprio 1994 Greg Gorman
25
Is a photograph of a human face always
symmetrically balanced?
This photo IS symmetrical
Gloria Swanson Edward Steichen
26
Is a photograph of a human face always
symmetrically balanced?
This photo is NOT symmetrical
Michael Jackson Greg Gorman
27
Balance

• Symmetry
• Both sides of an imaginary central line are the
  same (like a mirror image)

• Asymmetry
• Both sides of an imaginary central line ARE NOT
  the same

28
Composition is

• Balance
• Symmetry
• Asymmetry
• Subject Placement
• Leading Lines
• Framing
• Rule of Thirds
• Pattern
• Radial Design
• Repetition

Subject Placement
29
Make the photograph interesting

• Draw Attention to Your Subject

• Leading Lines
• Framing
• Rule of Thirds

• Leading Lines

30
Draw Attention to Your Subject

• Leading Lines
• Lines that lead in a path to the subject

• Ansel Adams

31
Leading Lines

• Lines that lead in a path to the subject

• Lewis Hine

32
Leading Lines

• Lines that lead in a path to the subject

• Dorothea Lange

33
Make the photograph interesting

• Draw Attention to Your Subject

• Leading Lines
• Framing
• Rule of Thirds

• Framing

34
Draw attention to the subject

• Framing
• Objects within the borders of the image frame the
  subject

• Arnold Newman

35
Framing

• Objects within the borders of the image frame the
  subject

• Manuel Alvarez-Bravo

36
Framing

• Objects within the borders of the image frame the
  subject

• Anne Geddes

37
Make the photograph interesting

• Draw Attention to Your Subject

• Leading Lines
• Framing
• Rule of Thirds

• Rule of Thirds

38
Rule of Thirds

• Place the subject in ONE junction of an imaginary
  tic-tac-toe grid over the image.

39
Rule of Thirds

• Place the subject in ONE junction of an imaginary
  tic-tac-toe grid over the image.

• Dorothea Lange

40
Rule of Thirds

• Place the subject in ONE junction of an imaginary
  tic-tac-toe grid over the image.

• Imogen Cunningham

41
Rule of Thirds

• Place the subject in ONE junction of an imaginary
  tic-tac-toe grid over the image.

• Steve Ludlum

42
Composition is

• Balance
• Symmetry
• Asymmetry
• Subject Placement
• Leading Lines
• Framing
• Rule of Thirds
• Pattern
• Radial Design
• Repetition

Pattern
43
Make the photograph interesting

• Look for patterns
• Radial Design
• Repetition

Radial Design
44
Radial Design

• Objects, shapes, lines and/or colors radiate out
  from a central point in a circular pattern.

• Yuri Bond

45
Radial Design

• Objects, shapes, lines and/or colors radiate out
  from a central point in a circular pattern.

• Yuri Bond

46
Make the photograph interesting

• Look for patterns
• Radial Design
• Repetition

Repetition
47
Repetition

• Same shape, line, pattern, and/or color is
  repeated throughout the image.

• Harry Callahan

48
Repetition

• Same shape, line, pattern, and/or color is
  repeated throughout the image.

• Margaret Bourke-White

49
Elements of Composition

• Draw Attention to Your Subject

• Convey a Clear Message

• Make Your Photograph Interesting

50
Elements of Composition

• Balance
• Symmetry
• Asymmetry

• Subject Placement
• Leading Lines
• Framing
• Rule of Thirds

• Pattern
• Radial Design
• Repetition

51
Name that Composition!

• Symmetry
• Asymmetry
• Leading Lines
• Framing
• Rule of Thirds
• Radial Design
• Repetition

Nelson Mandela Howard Bingham
52
Name that Composition!

• Symmetry
• Asymmetry
• Leading Lines
• Framing
• Rule of Thirds
• Radial Design
• Repetition

NYC Skyscrapers Berenice Abbott
53
Name that Composition!

• Symmetry
• Asymmetry
• Leading Lines
• Framing
• Rule of Thirds
• Radial Design
• Repetition

Pablo Picasso Arnold Newman
54
Name that Composition!

• Symmetry
• Asymmetry
• Leading Lines
• Framing
• Rule of Thirds
• Radial Design
• Repetition

Eisenhower Arnold Newman
55
Name that Composition!

• Symmetry
• Asymmetry
• Leading Lines
• Framing
• Rule of Thirds
• Radial Design
• Repetition

Booty Dog Elliott Erwitt
56
Elements of Composition

• Balance
• Symmetry
• Asymmetry

• Subject Placement
• Leading Lines
• Framing
• Rule of Thirds

• Pattern
• Radial Design
• Repetition

57
Visual Literacy Concepts

• Composition, Tone and Light