How To Use Negative Space to Improve Your Photography

A lot of modern photography is very intricate, multilayered, and complex, with every space in the frame filled by an element that balances other aspects. On the other hand, however, a photo that makes good use of negative space can be equally compelling. This excellent video essay discusses how to use negative space effectively. 

Coming to you from Craig Roberts with e6 Vlogs, this great video essay discusses the use of negative space in photography. I have always admired anyone who can create such photos effectively; the free space leaves a lot of room for the viewer's imagination to fill in aspects of mood and content and thus, allows them to more easily find a basis on which to connect with the photo. For the photographer, however, using negative space can be really challenging. There is a fine line between creating a minimal composition that effectively leverages negative space and one that is overly simplistic, and often, it comes down to things like fine-tuning your crop. Even though it can be quite tricky to get right, it is a fun challenge and a different way to invigorate your creativity, and it is especially satisfying when you get things right. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Roberts.