1. The Elements of Art and Principles of Design
Photography
The Elements of Art and Principles of Design

2. Elements of Art The Basic Building Blocks
Line
Shape
Form
Space
Value
Texture
Color

3. LINE A mark made by a moving point. Has greater length than width.
Directs the eye – horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curvy, zig-zag, etc.
Can be actual obvious lines or the borders or edges of shapes.
Line can be real or implied

4. LINE

5. LINE

6. LINE
Andy Goldsworthy

7. Matisse, from the series “Jazz”
Shape
Shape is an enclosed space defined by other elements of art. Shape is 2-Dimensional
Shape can be:
Geometric: Angular, man-made concept: circle, triangle, square
Organic: curvilinear - found in nature
Fernana Leger, The City
Matisse, from the series “Jazz”

8. SHAPE

9. FORM

10. SPACE
Positive space (occupied space) – the area the objects/subject takes up.
Negative space (unoccupied space) – the area around, under, through and between.
Gives the photo a 3-dimensional feeling - Depth of Field
Foreground (closest) bottom
Middle ground – middle
Background (farthest) – top
Can be open, crowded, near, far, etc.

11. Positive and Negative Space

12. Space
Positive space is filled by a shape or form. Negative space surrounds a shape or form.

13. SPACE Atmospheric Perspective One point perspective
Objects close = detailed, bright, sharp
Objects far = blurred, dull/gray
One point perspective
One vanishing point
2 point perspective
2 vanishing points

14. Atmospheric Perspective

15. SPACE

16. SPACE – linear perspective

17. VALUE Black and White and all the Grays in between Dark to Light
Can add drama and impact to composition.
Adds contrast
Creates 3D form

18. Value is an especially important element in works of art
An element of art that refers to luminance or luminosity – the lightness or darkness of a color.
Value is an especially important element in works of art
when color is absent. This is particularly likely with drawings, printmaking, and photographs
Kathe Kollwitz,
Self portrait

19. Value Chuck Close (made w/ thumbprints!) Edward Weston, Pepper
(photograph)

20. VALUE

21. TEXTURE The surface quality.
How an object feels, or how it looks like it feels.
Rough, smooth, bumpy, gooey, sharp, etc.
Adds interest! Sense of sight and sense of touch involved.

22. TEXTURE

25. COLOR Artistic term is HUE Need light to see color.
Primary, Secondary, Intermediates.
Use color schemes to enhance appeal or make an impact.
Cool
Warm
Color schemes: Analagous, Complementary, monochromatic

26. Warm Colors
Colors that are often described as being higher in temperature
Reds, oranges, yellows
Associated with fire and sun
Optically, appear to advance
Stimulating and passionate

27. Ex. Warm

28. Cool Colors that are often described as being lower in temperature
Greens, Blues, and Violet
Associated with water, sky, and spring
Optically, they appear to recede
Calming and depressing

29. Ex. Cool

30. COLOR
Analagous - Warm
Monochromatic - Cool

31. COLOR

32. COLOR
Complementary

33. Principles of Design
The different arrangements – or compositions - of the ELEMENTS of design to create artistic, interesting, more visually powerful photographs.

34. Principles of Design Emphasis / Focal Point Balance Unity Contrast
Movement/ Rhythm
Pattern/Repetition
Economy

35. BALANCE
Balance is a sense of stability in the body of work. Balance can be created by repeating same shapes and by creating a feeling of equal weight.
Symmetrical
Asymmetrical

36. BALANCE - Symmetrical

37. BALANCE - Asymmetrical

38. Symmetrical/Formal Balance
Diane Arbus, Twins

39. BALANCE

40. BALANCE

41. VARIETY Variety is all of the different elements in the photograph
Variety adds interest to the work and keeps the viewer’s eyes moving around the piece
You can achieve variety by using different elements in your work,
such as:
Shapes
Textures
Colors
Values 

42. VARIETY

43. VARIeTEY – too much?

44. MOVEMENT / RHYTHM
Movement  adds excitement to your work by showing action and directing the viewers eye throughout the picture plane.
Rhythm is a type of movement in an artistic composition. It is seen in repeating of shapes and colors. Alternating lights and darks also give a sense of rhythm. 

45. MOVEMENT / RHYTHM

46. MOVEMENT

47. EMPHASIS / FOCAL POINT
Emphasis in a composition refers to developing points of interest to pull the viewer's eye to important parts of the body of the work.
Size, shape, color, placement, contrast, etc.

48. EMPHASIS / FOCAL POINT

50. PATTERN / REPETITION
An element that occurs over and over again in a composition.
Can repeat the element in a consistent pattern.
Can repeat the element in a variation of the pattern.

51. PATTERN / REPETITION

52. PATTERN / REPETITION

54. CONTRAST Contrast refers to the opposites and differences in the work.
It creates interest, draws the viewer’s eye, and creates impact in the work.
You can create contrast through different elements in your work
such as contrast in:
Shapes (organic vs. geometric)
Textures (rough vs. smooth)
Colors (complements)
Values (light vs. dark)
-- Lines (straight vs. wavy, thin vs. thick)
-- and many more

55. CONTRAST

56. CONTRAST

57. ECONOMY Economy takes into account that less is more.
Using minimal visual information to convey the concept. 

58. ECONOMY

59. UNITY Unity is seen in a composition when all the parts equal a whole.
Ways to achieve unity:
-Repeat elements: line, shapes, forms, colors.
-Use a color scheme: analagous, complementary, triad, etc.
-Overlap forms, lines, shapes.

61. UNITY