Space Photography

Today I'm going to discuss space photography . No I am not talking about the dark black area above us that we see at night. I am talking about the space of the photograph within the borders of the photo. You see there are various areas that you can use the space in your photograph. If you know how to use the space in your photo right you can take much better shots. If you don't use the space right you can end up with photos that just seem off and are not visually pleasing.

First off, there are two different types of space when it comes to photography.

Negative Space

This type of space is the space that is in relation to the object of importance of the image but not the object itself. The negative space is the are on the photo that does not include the object or focal point of interest. For example, the negative space of a picture of a soccer ball with a white background is the white background.

Positive Space

I am really sure that you can guess what positive space is now that you know negative space. Yes, it is the space that comprises of the object or focal point of interest in the photograph. This area is where you are going to want your viewer to pay the most attention to.



Many photographers only pay attention to the positive space but in reality the negative space plays a major role in the photo as well. Knowing how to master the use of negative space can make the positive space that much more appealing. The amount of this negative area that you use can make your photo either look trapped and lacking in space or like its liberated and open.

The background of the subject can have a very large role in the picture. The background is the negative space and usually does one of two things in photography. It either is neutral and blank or it is filled with things that contribute to the object of importance.

The use of the space in your photograph is what can really make your photo work or feel as if it is missing something. Experiment with this and do not be afraid to try different things out.

Digital photography has lots of different components to it. There are the technical parts and the compositional parts. And in these compositional parts there is another part...the space. Space is something that can make or break a photo when used. You can use it to take much better shots. This article will show you digital photography tips for using space right.

What are these different types of space?
There is, first off, negative space. This basically is all the space that is around the subject you are taking a picture of. All of your photos have negative space. Many people think of the space around the subject as unimportant but this is wrong. Using the negative properly can make for much more interesting shots.
For example, most people take shots and isolate the subject to a blank background. This makes the shot simple and more compositionally sound. However, a blank background does nothing to add more meaning to the photo. It in no way helps define the message and concept of the photo.

Using negative space properly can make for much better shots. Proper use of this space can make your photos much more powerful and captivating. For example, if you have a photo of a person praying behind a blank background it'll look fine. However, put the subject behind a war field or a church and the surrounding space adds more meaning.

Positive space is also important. This is the space that comprises of the subject of interest. You can use lots of this space or a little. Using a photo that is mostly positively spaced will make the subject look much closer and intimate. A shot with little positive space will make the subject look less important and less powerful.

Space photography is very important. The space of your photo is very strong and will be the matter of getting the right pictures. Practice and you will start seeing that this is true.