Negative SpaceRenee Caxton

Photo Salon

Caledon Oxbridge University June 13, 2015

Negative Space by Renee Caxton is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.

[slide 1]

Welcome to Photo Salon. I am Renee Caxton and I will be teachingtonight.

Photo Salon is a workshop for people who are interested in im-proving their photographic skills. Anyone is welcome to attend, butto get the most out of it you should be comfortable using the camerato take photographs in Second Life. Oxbridge has an excellent begin-ning photography class if you need help with basic camera controls. TheOxbridge class schedule is posted on the wall here and can also be foundonline at http://www.caledonoxbridge.org/class_schedule.php.

Photo Salon rotates teaching duties among several members of thecommunity. Typically, we have a lecture and practice session one weekand return the next week for sharing and discussion. Please contact meif you have a suggestion for a topic you would like to see covered, if youare interested in leading a session or if you want to join our chat group.

Tonight’s topic is the use of negative space in photography. Afterthe lecture we will take a field trip to practice what we have learned.Next week we will return for sharing and discussion.

What is Negative Space?

● Negative space is the space that surrounds and separates the objects in a photograph

● Examples– An expanse of sky or water

– Soft, blurry background

– Shadows or silhouettes

– Sharp contrast between subject and background

[slide 2]

The term “negative space” refers to the space that surrounds and sep-arates what we normally think of as the objects in a photograph. It isthe quiet part of the picture that does not grab our attention, but whichsupports and enhances the other elements in the photograph. Negativespace is not really “negative” at all! Skillful use of negative space canbe a very positive element in a photograph.

Negative space can be thought of as a kind of blank space, but it doesnot need to be completely featureless. A soft, out-of-focus backgroundmakes a wonderful negative space. An expanse of sky or soft, ripplingwater would certainly qualify as negative space, but angry storm cloudsor massive, crashing waves probably would not. Negative space can beformed by placing a subject against a strongly contrasting background:for example, a bright orange boat against a deep blue ocean. Shadowsand silhouettes can also be used to create negative space.

[slide 3]

Here is an example from the LEA exhibit, “Second Libations.” Thesand, pyramid and sky form a low-contrast negative space that makesthe dark subject in front really stand out. It provides a bit of contextthat tells us we are in a desert, probably in Egypt, but the focus isfirmly fixed on our subject and the pyramid entrance up ahead.

Uses of Negative Space

● Give the eye a place to rest● Reduce clutter● Emphasize the subject● Create a feeling of openness● Create a sense of mystery● Express loneliness

[slide 4]

Depending on context, negative space can perform a variety of func-tions. It can give the eye a place to rest. It can reduce clutter. It canhelp lead the eye to the subject. An expanse of sky, land, or water addsa feeling of openness to a photograph. Dark or hazy regions add a bitof mystery.

[slide 5]

This beach scene in Musiclandia is an example where negative space iscrucial to the composition. Adding any other object to the photographwould draw the eye away from the empty swing set in the foreground.The bleakness of the surrounding landscape helps emphasize the lone-liness of the empty swings.

[slide 6]

Here, negative space emphasizes the vastness of the Noweeta Grassland.

[slide 7]

On the other hand, this photograph of a dark alley in Kowloon getsa bit of mystery and maybe even a touch of danger from the negativespace on the left. The contrasting bright light on the right then drawsour eye from the alley to the subject standing in the doorway.

[slide 8]

This empty, snowy street in 1920s Berlin reminds us of the false quietbefore the war. The light of the street lamp draws our eye to the subject;everything else goes dark. Using a spotlight like this can be a good wayto create negative space, but I am not entirely happy with this image.I wish the car were more brightly lit.

[slide 9]

Silhouettes can make very dramatic photographs, such as this sailboaton the Caledon Firth.

[slide 10]

Here is an example in the Forgotten City where the negative space—the silhouette of the soldier—actually becomes the main subject of thephotograph.

[slide 11]

Here, negative space frames a dramatic cloudscape in Caledon Primver-ness.

[slide 12]

In this image of the Great Wall, the negative space of the sky gives asense of solidity and power to the stone edifice rising into it and providesbalance to the photograph.

[slide 13]

At Botha Prefabs & Landscaping, I took this picture of a palm treewithout having an actual palm tree anywhere in the frame! Is thenegative space the wall or the shadow? I am not sure!

[slide 14]

Finally, I will close with another study of palm-tree shadows. This oneis at Aero Pines park. The only “real” objects in the photograph are theripples in the sand. The true subjects—the palm trees and the ocean—are completely out of the frame, but they dominate the photographthanks to the power of negative space!

Assignment

Take a photograph that uses negative space as an important element of the composition.

[slide 15]

Now let’s practice what we have learned. Your assignment is to takea photograph that uses negative space as an important part of thecomposition.

Field Trip

Flux Sur Mer/128/138/24 (M)

[slide 16]

For our field trip, we are going to a picturesque, French countryside sim,Flux Sur Mer. It has a lot of potential for great pictures! As always,you are free to shoot in another location if you prefer.