Composition and Negative Space

Mark Webster · Issue 48, May/Jun 2009 · pp. 38–43

Products mentioned: Nikon D200, Subal ND20, 105mm micro, Inon wet lens, Inon Quad flash, Nikon F90X, Sea & Sea YS120, Sea & Sea YS50, Nikon D300, 60mm micro, Nikon D100, Light & Motion Titan housing, 10.5mm FE, Subtronic Minis, Nikon F801, 16mm fish eye

I am sure that we have all seen the results of a competition or perhaps an image in a prestigious publication and thought to yourself “I have a picture just like that”. When you examine your own image you may find that it is every bit as good as that winner, but more often than not you will pick out small differences and nuances that add that little extra to the published image. That little extra will almost certainly be due to composition which when planned and applied correctly can make even a common subject stunning. Looking at published images is often a good way to learn the art of composition. By mimicking the style of an appealing image you will probably be applying some of the basic rules of composition, albeit subconsciously in some cases. But if we understand a little of how these rules work it will help you deconstruct a successful image and perhaps see how they can work for y…