P52 Week 7: Negative Space (Feb 12 - Feb 18)

[kenoh]

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Today a lot of finches were flying around: love season I guess.
Does this photo count as negative space? Are the branches justified or not in a negative space photo?

P.s. Of course are justified to keep the finch up when it's not flying 🙃

Wow! Look at the colours on this little guy! Nature’s colour palette is stunning isn’t it?

Do YOU think there is negative space in it is the question. IMHO there could be an image with more sky in it - this is NOT a criticism, this is a great picture.

If you look at the images of Ben from @bondr006, you see in the first image, it is a tight crop of Ben with not a lot of the wall showing. The updated image has more wall showing and gives a contrast in texture with Ben’s fur, but it has no detail in it. The two images have different dynamics to them, the one with more of the wall is more interesting as it is more about where Ben was sitting and there is more contextual hints around him as to the location etc (and I am not an expert so please ponder this feel free to ignore me).

So yes, this has negative space. You have moved the Finch off centre and there is context. As a mere suggestion, maybe more sky would add to the feeling of the vast empty space around the little guy But your image, your choice.

 

[fauxtog]

 

[mollyc]

Does this work?

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This is beautiful!

 

[mollyc]

Just got this one of Ben today. Hoping I got the parameters right this time around. View attachment 2160270

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CC welcome

Any closer?

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Nicely done. It gives a different feel when you see it. Ben has room to breathe and changes it from a picture OF Ben to ABOUT Ben.

So, Rob, I really love the photo with the canvas extended! I think @kenoh hit it on the head that the first photo is of Ben and the second is about him. I think the second one is also more relatable to someone with a pet - with the space around him, you could really imagine your own dog or cat snoozing away, but with the close up, you focus on the specific dog.

Neither approaches are better or worse, but I want all of you to consider the story when composing an image. Even though you literally used the exact same image, the change of framing tells changes the story.

Out of curiosity, which version do you prefer? There is no right or wrong answer. 🙂

 

[mollyc]

Negative space by manipulating image.

Stunning as always. I'm curious about the shadowing at the bottom left - was there an obstruction between you and the building so you just burned that area, or is it a heavy in post vignette? I really like the lighting and night feel of this.

 

[mollyc]

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I love this challenge, even if – like the self-portrait challenge – I'm not finding it easy.

This the best effort so far, even though the "negative" space has more figure than the "positive" cityscape.

It's perhaps an interesting point: the more empty space in terms of physicality is actually more positive in terms of visual weight; while by contrast the physically "full" building skyline is (because it's blocked up) visually more empty (and would be even more if I were to 'shop out the pins of window lights and streetlights.)

The sky here is important to the story, even if it's kind of busy. That's just what skies do. Silhouettes by category are a great method of working with negative space as it really brings attention to the shapes in a way that a more traditionally lit image might.

I personally wouldn't recommend cloning out the streetlights; they are part of the night scene story and deserve to be kept in. 🙂

 

[bondr006]

Out of curiosity, which version do you prefer? There is no right or wrong answer. 🙂

I think I like them both equally, but tend to appreciate the closeup more because he's just so darn cute.🥰

Thank you! @mollyc

 

[mollyc]

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well done, and I really like the one stem being on the diagonal; it makes a more dynamic composition.

 

[mollyc]

Above the clouds today

There is something about airplane wing shots that just speak to me. I suppose it's because I don't fly very often so it reminds me of going somewhere exciting. I like the square crop.

 

[mollyc]

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Oh, this is really interesting! I like the vertical composition on this.

 

[mollyc]

Excellent for both. It's interesting that we can have an image like the first one where the negative spaces are different colors/textures, but they still both recede enough visually that we see the shapes of the trees and buildings.

I also appreciate that you left more space for the airplane to visually travel through.

 

[mollyc]

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Great challenge! Never thought that much about negative space.

CC is always welcome to improve myself.

Thanks and have a great weekend!

In terms of this specific challenge, I think the second one works better than the first; while you have clear focus in the first one and the background definitely recedes from the shallow depth of field, the way the trees sort of chop the skyline draws my eye a bit and makes the background a bit busier for a true negative space image. It's a *nice* image, just perhaps not quite as negative space oriented as others.

But you definitely hit the mark on the second one.

 

[mollyc]

... my lady's little Budda ...

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This is a good angle to work with NS as I suspect if you'd composed straight on you would have had "stuff" in the background. Well done.

 

[mollyc]

I took this early Sunday morning, but just realized this is a negative space photo.

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CC is welcome

Yes! Well done!

In contrast with your Ben image, I might actually crop this in more. Visually that extra NS in this particular image isn't serving as much purpose since it's jut all black. I did a quick crop on this just to show you an alternative, but again, your image isn't wrong per se, and it absolutely hit the assignment.

Composition really affects the feel of an image, and it's fine to change the composition in post, especially if you can't quite get there in camera.

That said, your original crop tells a story of loneliness and emptiness, which is maybe what you are going for. My crop is more about the moon....so as the artist, you need to determine what story you want to tell and how best to get that conveyed to your viewers. 🙂

 

[mollyc]

One of the first things I do when I get a camera is turn on the thirds grid. It’s handy to have on and makes me think more about composition.

My Nikons only show grids on the quarter lines, which baffles me. The lines do give me a much better estimate than nothing, but it's always perplexed me.

Which kind of focus do you keep selected with the grid?

Method of focus doesn't really have much to do with the grids. I guess maybe it does if you are using a tracking mode, but for your still life images that you often post, single point and then toggling it would serve you well. I actually rarely use a tracking mode, except sometimes for my son's lacrosse games. In general I find it much easier to use single point and then track the subject with my own body. I took over 700 images this weekend of my kids' swim teams and just used single point and then followed the swimmers with one point and rotated my body as they went up and down the lanes. Most of my images will be center composed right off the bat, but I will just crop in post as it's easier to not mess with changing FP positions during fast action. When the kids were small and not very fast I had more chances to toggle as they swam. But there is one boy on my son's team who is literally an Olympic contender and high school boys make a lot of froth that can confuse even the best AF systems. I just lock my FP and keep it covering my subject. I don't miss focus very often.

Using a tracking mode can be a lot faster, but you have to really learn the system before you get a lot of keepers with tracking, IMO.

 

[mollyc]

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Teapot story 🙂

I love that you practice a lot during the week. It's the best way to learn, IMO. I briefly saw your other version on my phone but see you've deleted it now. I like this version.

 

[mollyc]

View attachment 2160961
Today a lot of finches were flying around: love season I guess.
Does this photo count as negative space? Are the branches justified or not in a negative space photo?

P.s. Of course are justified to keep the finch up when it's not flying 🙃

Yes, you have less than a third of the image being taken up with "subject" and this is a perfect example of negative space.

 

[mollyc]

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Italian restaurant

I really like the contrast of the green and amber. Do you have one that is more square on to the wall taken at the height of the light? I think maybe a straight on angle would be a strong image

I agree with Ken on getting a more squared composition. Here is a quick play for you - I know sometimes you just can't get the right angle in camera because there is stuff or people in the way. I cropped off the dark triangle on the right and then cloned out that bit of tin moulding at the top. Then I skewed the left side of the image a bit to straighten out the rod holding the light fixture. I think maybe the paint line got a bit skewed also, but hopefully you get the general idea. Now the story is about the light against the wall and is much more graphical and minimalist. This composition has removed any extra distractions.

 

[mollyc]

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Another contender for the monochromatic thread, just saying! 😉

I really like this, and it's a good example of how the negative space doesn't have to be devoid of texture.

 

[mollyc]

I think I like them both equally, but tend to appreciate the closeup more because he's just so darn cute.🥰

Thank you! @mollyc

That is a completely valid opinion. He's your dog and you want to showcase him; there is nothing wrong with that. I just want people to think about different techniques throughout the year and push themselves, even temporarily, into trying new stuff. ❤️ So thanks for doing that each week!

 

[mollyc]

Also, a very special thank you to @kenoh and @Darmok N Jalad for filling in with some answers and suggestions while I was unavailable.

I believe that learning and CC are a collaborative effort, and any of you, even newer photographers, have likes and preferences and should feel free to offer comments (in a polite and constructive manner) as a way of opening dialogue with your fellow photographers. 🙂

 

[katbel]

Still from yesterday, two different shots: as you can imagine I've never consciously used a rule of thirds , so it has been some work to learn it + the negative space and move from old habits..
Probably from what 💗 @mollyc wrote about keeping "less than a third of the image being taken up with "subject""
those should be ok.🤞

 

[thirsty_monk]

Probably more of a portrait shot, but here is my attempt

CC are welcome.

Canon 80D + Canon EF 50mm 1.4, ISO 100, 1/40s@f1.8

 

[katbel]

Wow! Look at the colours on this little guy! Nature’s colour palette is stunning isn’t it?

Do YOU think there is negative space in it is the question. IMHO there could be an image with more sky in it - this is NOT a criticism, this is a great picture.
..snip snip
So yes, this has negative space. You have moved the Finch off centre and there is context. As a mere suggestion, maybe more sky would add to the feeling of the vast empty space around the little guy But your image, your choice.

Thanks for your input!
The purple finch is a "sparrow dipped in raspberry juice" as someone said. And of course being the mating season they get more attractive with the red color.
“The male house finch is a very good father; they contribute about half of the effort to raising offspring,” They are so good that it enables the house finches to breed faster. A single pair will have about 3-4 nests of young in a breeding season.”

The purple finch is perching on a tree with a wisteria climbed all around: I was very lucky to find a spot where you can see some open space, and I already cropped some branches (in the photo)that my neighbor doesn't
And now I've added some sky as suggested 😉

 

[mollyc]

View attachment 2161211 View attachment 2161210 Still from yesterday, two different shots: as you can imagine I've never consciously used a rule of thirds , so it has been some work to learn it + the negative space and move from old habits..
Probably from what 💗 @mollyc wrote about keeping "less than a third of the image being taken up with "subject""
those should be ok.🤞

Thanks for your input!
The purple finch is a "sparrow dipped in raspberry juice" as someone said. And of course being the mating season they get more attractive with the red color.
“The male house finch is a very good father; they contribute about half of the effort to raising offspring,” They are so good that it enables the house finches to breed faster. A single pair will have about 3-4 nests of young in a breeding season.”

The purple finch is perching on a tree with a wisteria climbed all around: I was very lucky to find a spot where you can see some open space, and I already cropped some branches (in the photo)that my neighbor doesn't
And now I've added some sky as suggested 😉
View attachment 2161296

Kat, I really love the recrop of the finch! It makes a huge difference. I actually didn't mind your original crop but love that you took Ken's suggestion and extended the canvas.

And good for trying your roses on the ROT. It is hard to break old habits, but I am so impressed how you keep working with the feedback you are getting and trying new things. ❤️