Photocircle Digest: "Symmetry photography"
In addition to our discussion about the topic of composition in photography, I'd like to talk about how are we going to harness the power of symmetry and from there we will expand the discussion by breaking its rule to come up with a more dynamic photo.
So let's first start learning what basically is symmetry. To understand what is symmetry in photography, just imagine drawing a line at the center of the photo and if both sides are equally identical then we could conclude it as a symmetrical subject / photo. The photo below is a good example of a man made symmetry:
Notice that if we divide the image vertically with a line at the center of it, the elements on each sides are completely identical other than the signage on the pillars.
The idea behind creating a symmetry into your photography is to simplify the image for the viewer since we as a human are drawn to the idea of balance. We get a better feeling looking at a photo that is organized and thus it will look more appealing to us. It is contrary to when we look at a photo that is disorganized or chaotic in a way that there are too many elements within the photo that is fighting against the viewer's attention.
You might tell me that the example is man made and it's quite obvious for us to see, the truth is - symmetry is around us, even in nature. In fact, one of the best examples of symmetry are found in nature, much like the example below.
This image of a conifer is a good example since it is naturally arranged in such a way that it is symmetrical on either vertical or even on its horizontal side.
So now that we know what is the basic concept of symmetry, let's move the discussion to how we can achieve an interesting image out of it. Let start by looking at the obvious subjects which is best to photographed symmetrically to increase the overall impact of the image.
If you live at a city where there are architectural buildings around then it will be an easy photo shoot for you. One of the obvious subjects is a staircase or its modern version which is an escalator.
I'm quite sure that you will agree to me when I say that this image will not be as good when it's shot from either left or right corner of the image. The photo is more pleasing and impact-full when shot in a symmetrical manner.
In the same manner, nature is also filled with symmetry and although it might not be obvious at a first glance, it could be clearly understood when we think of "reflection". In nature, the idea of symmetry could be evident at a smaller scale but it is also suggestive when looking at a bigger picture. One of the good examples is by looking at a landscape view where a body of water is one of the elements of the image.
In this view, the lake has basically turn into a "mirror" and it reflected the landscape and the architectural elements at the background and created a suggestive symmetry. It may not be as perfect as a man-made structure but still it created a balance and has made this shot more interesting than a usual way of shooting a photo.
One would say that symmetry in photography has a tendency to become boring since the elements of the image is basically a half of the whole frame. And so a clever way of breaking the rule of symmetry while maintaining the integrity of it is by adding "dynamics" to it.
It is achieved by simply rotating the view in a angle where lines are drawn from the lower corner to the upper corner of the image and vice versa. In this way, even a simple subject could be elevated and thus create more excitement in to the photo. Let me show you a good example.
It's a photo of a staircase that is tilted and slightly off-centered to make it unpredictably symmetrical which resulted to a photo that will make the viewer think more about it.
As always, the rules in photography serve as a starting point for us to develop the progress of the image when it comes to composition. We are still the sole ruler of our creativity and we should allow ourselves to explore the possibilities of photography.
Let me finish this blog by saying - Keep it simple.
All images: source
Posted from my blog with SteemPress : http://photocircle.repollo.org/2019/03/15/photocircle-digest-symmetry-photography/
Don't tell me I did miss all the fun discussing the most fun part of photography while being sick? 😱
Anyway while taking a rest it was a fun read this post, good writing!
This is THE point in compositions, a human eye is trying to see the simple things. With way to many details in a picture the brain simply skips them while processing, so a person wouldn't notice these details. So always important to bring order to the chaos no matter what composition you use.
The symmetry rule you can also use composition wise even when there is no actual symmetry visible. But you can imagine symmetry also in filling the blanks at the same counter weight although the subjects are totally different. Quick drawing for example
Just like you said here, and that should be the real focus for every picture you try to create. Balanced composition and great light is all what is needed for an awesome picture 😎
Offtopic: Love your picture from lake Bled, what a great colors! Oh shoot just read the sources from your pictures nevermind
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