We often think of photo composition in an additive way, including an increasing numbers of elements in the frame to balance each other out, until the shot feels relatively full and satisfying. However, thinking about how you can leave things out of the image can often be a great way to reduce distractions and bring your viewer's attention back to the subject. This great video tutorial discusses negative space and how to use it in your images.
Coming to you from Mike Smith, this excellent video tutorial discusses the use of negative space in photos. Negative space simply refers to empty space around the subject that is relatively uniform, making it feel somewhat "empty" compared to the rest of the frame. While that might sound like a bad thing, when used with careful thought, it can accentuate your subject by reducing the visual competition in the frame. As Smith shows, negative space does not actually have to be empty; sometimes, if you are careful about reading the light and setting your exposure, you can create it in the image by intentionally over- or underexposing different parts of the photo. It is a fantastic compositional tool worth exploring. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Smith.
