Creating Balanced Photos : 5 Secrets To Creating Visual Balance

one of the attributes to a really successful photo is balance.  when you create a photo that has balance, you are allowing your viewer to feel a sense of balance and you are giving off a sense of visual harmony.  it is what makes your photo work.  creating balanced photos is really easy, you just need to be mindful about what you are photographing and how you are composing your image.  by keeping these 5 secrets in mind, you will be able to create more balanced images.

another visually pleasing element in photographs is bokeh.  check out some easy tips for creating bokeh in just seconds!

Creating Balanced Photos : 5 Secrets To Creating Visual Balance

when you create visual balance for your viewer, you are allowing your viewer to feel comfortable and harmonious with your image.  when your viewer is comfortable, they tend to look at your image longer.  when your image does not have balance, it creates discomfort with the viewer and they tend to glance away quicker.

1.  Balance Your Tones

there is such a thing as too bright and too dark, you need some balance.  if you have a completely white room, balance it out with some color.  it doesn’t need to be a harsh contrast, but a contrast in any form.  in the photo above, the setting was fairly bright and all the surroundings were very pale and neutral.  by placing the puppy in the frame, i am balancing out all of the bright white and pale blue bedspread with a contrasting color, as a way of creating balance.  the contrast in tones also allows my viewer to immediately notice my subject and know where in the frame their eye should be placed.

2. Incorporate Reflections

reflections are a wonderful secret for creating balanced photos.  reflections are mirror images of an object and can be found in mirrors, on glass surfaces, on windows, in water, etc.  in the photo above, i could have composed the image higher and only included the plant within the frame.  instead, i decided to take a step back and get lower, allowing the reflection of the plant on the glass surface to enter the frame and create balance.

3.  Look For Repetition

repetition is a really fun way to create balance.  repetition is something that is comfortable for the viewer to see because they know what to expect, removing any sense of unknowing.  photographing items that repeat is a wonderful secret for creating balanced photos and can make for a very intriguing image.

4.  Use Negative Space

have a frame that is full of information can be very overwhelming to your viewer.  using negative space means that you are purposefully allowing part of your photo to be blank.  this makes for a really strong photo because you are creating balance by allowing the blank space to balance out the part of your image that contains all the information.  in the image above, i demonstrate negative space in the bottom of my frame.  using negative space in this image allows the viewer to keep their eye on the subject, without any other elements competing for attention.  don’t overlook the power of having blank space within the frame.

5. Utilize The Rule of Thirds

creating balanced photos is most commonly done by using the rule of thirds.  more importantly, placing your subject on the right side of the frame makes your photo more successful because our audience views an image like they would read a book, from left to right.  by placing your subject on the right side of the frame, you are allowing your viewer to end on your subject instead of on blank space.  and we always want our subject to be the last thing our viewer sees, it helps to create a lasting impression.

creating balanced photos is really easy and, by keeping these 5 things in mind your photos are bound to contain more visual balance.  using the rule of thirds, properly using negative space, looking for repetition, incorporating reflections and being aware of contrasting tones are all elements that will help you in creating balanced photos.  and remember, when you have a visually balanced photo, your viewer will want to look at your photo longer.

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