Negative Space An interesting element in Black & White photography

Negative Space at its most basic is the space around a subject

Dramatic use of Negative Space This photograph is dominated by negative space If this area had more happening in it the image would loose its graphic strength Arnold Newman

Sometimes Shapes are added to highlight the Negative Space

The piano is actually a b Flat symbol

The negative space provided by the wall accentuates the rectangular shapes in the image

Silhouettes are a Great Example of Negative Space

Some Simple Steps Choose a strong subject Turn off the flash Get your light right Frame your image Make silhouetted shapes distinct and uncluttered Use Manual Mode

Choose a Strong Subject Choose something with a strong and recognizable shape that will be interesting enough in its two dimensional form Silhouettes can’t draw on the colors, textures and tones of subjects to make them appealing – so the shape needs to be distinct.

Turn off the Flash You want as little light on the front of your subject as possible – so the flash has to go

Get Your Light Right light the back of your subject rather than the front. The perfect light for this is placing your subject in front of a sunset or sunrise – but really any bright light will be able to do the trick.

Frame Your Image Frame your shot so you are shooting with your subject in front of a nice plain, but bright background. You want to position the brightest light source behind your subject

Make Silhouetted Shapes Distinct When framing you’ll probably want to photograph silhouetted people as profiles rather than looking straight on. This means that more of their features (nose, mouth, eyes) are outlined and they are more likely to be recognized.

Camera Settings Small Aperture (large number so that all is in focus) – F8 or higher Light Background Focus halfway on the light source and then re-compose the shot

A Silhouette as Negative Space Negative space in photography can have a reverse form as well When you darken the subject and highlight it’s shape by having a light background you get a silhouette A silhouette is in essence an experiment in negative space

The cane & hat help to tell the story of this silhouette

Why Incorporate Negative Space Negative space is a way not just to define the main subject but also emphasize it. When you use negative space in your photography there is no doubt about where a viewer should look