Visual Elements & Visual Structure

Visual Elements

a) Value / Tone (Tonal Value)
b) Line / Implied Line
c) Shape / Form - Negative Space, Implied Shape
d) Color - Hue, Value, Saturation, Complimentary
e) Texture

Visual Structure

a) Space
b) Emphasis
c) Balance - Symmetrical, Asymmetrical
d) Movement
e) Repetition - Rhythm, Patter
f) Unity

VISUAL ELEMENTS

a) Value / Tone (Tonal Value)

• light is essential
• cannot make a picture without light
• brightness or darkness that we see (tone)
• value is apparent in all photographs
• necessary for us to recognize objects and space in photographs
• black and white photographs pay attention to tonal value
• in color photographs we pay attention to tonal value and hue

b) Line / Implied Line

• if we see value in all photographs, we see line in ALMOST ALL photographs (EX. a blue sky with no clouds)
• line is a moving point
• infinite variety
• describe shape or imply shape
• describe action

Line Characteristics

• measure
• direction
• type [organic (EX. wavy, jagged, angular) or geometric lines]
• character, emotion

Implied Line

• not and actual line in the photograph
• controlling a mental connection the viewer makes
• visual attraction in the photograph
• close proximity or by similar shape
• movement
• similarity of subject matter

c) Shape / Form

Shape

• an area created by a defining of an edge with changes in color or value
• or an area enclosed by a line
• shape or line can be geometric

Form

• is three dimensional shape
• as photographers we can only express three dimensions
• illusion can be created by shading, modelling or distortion of line the surface of an object

Implied Shape

• if implied lines enclose and area, we create and implied shape
• has an impact

Negative Space

• the space in and around shape (EX. Sky)
• also referred to as negative shape

d) Color

• changes the way we view images
• in black and white photographs we tend to see shape and form first, in a color photograph we see color first

Hue - name given to a pure color of the spectrum (EX. orange, yellow, green)

Value - is the lightness or darkness of a hue

Saturation - is the intensity or purity of a hue

Complimentary Colors

• red, green
• yellow, violet (purple)
• orange, blue
• use complimentary colors together, pleasing to the eye
• red, yellow, orange are warm colors
• blue, violet, green are cool colors
• cool colors recede, warm colors advance

e) Texture

• the surface quality of an object
• experience through touch or sight
• impression or illusion of texture (visual texture)

2. VISUAL STRUCTURE

What we create with our camera

a)Space

• depth, three dimensionality
• creating the illusion of depth
• area that is between and around shapes or forms
• we can achieve this by:
• 1. overlapping shapes or forms
• 2. varied positions and therefore different sizes of objects
• 3. decreasing detail / shallow depth of field
• 4. perspective; linear (EX. two rows of trees) or atmospheric (EX. haze in a distance), atmospheric being coverage of a part, less detail, not out of focus

b) Emphasis

• highlighting of a certain area of an image to create interest

1. Focal Point - one small area significantly different from the rest of the composition

2. Contrast - use of strong variation within an area

3. Surface placement

i) Rule of thirds

ii) Horizon Placement - place in either of the lines of thirds, never in the exact middle of the picture

iii) Natural Framing - is framed by other objects in the photograph

iv) Unusual Viewpoint

v) Filling the Frame - fill the frame with your subject, and that's all the viewer sees

c) Balance

• visual weight of a photograph
• implies a sense of equilibrium in an image
• within balance, there is either symmetrical or asymmetrical

Symmetrical / Formal Balance

• a symmetrical image with equal distribution of elements on either side of a central axis

Asymmetrical / Informal Balance

• balance is achieved with dissimilar objects that have equal visual weight on either side of the central axis

d) Movement

• illusion of movement
• frozen motion
• depiction motion through blur
• object leading the frame (leaving or coming into the frame)
• strong diagonal lines

e) Repetition

• repeating lines and shapes in a photograph
• static subject in both rhythm and pattern (EX. shapes, line or color)

Rhythm

• creates movement of design
• irregular or simple

Pattern

• a repetition of shapes, line or color, but creates a static design

Static Subject Matter

• our eyes settle

f) Unity

• implies harmony or coherence, and a sense of order among the subjects of the composition