Observation and Composition Ep 3: How viewers actually move through an image

Strong photographs lead the viewer. Composition is about directing visual movement.

In part 3, we look at what draws the eye and how we can use that information to construct photographs that fully engage the viewer.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Well, hello again, and welcome to episode three of this four-part uh journey through observation and composition. And in this episode, I'm going to talk about how viewers move through an image. So, the point about great composition is that they control visual movement. And the outcome of this episode, I hope, is that we'll have a much better understanding of how that works by the end of the next 20 minutes or so. So, before I dive in, please remember to like and subscribe. That helps me. You're welcome to buy me a coffee as well if you think I've earned it. So I want you to think back. Have you ever looked at a photograph and just felt your eye move through it? So without particularly knowing why, it just feels very natural that you're drawn through an image and you go from one aspect of it to another to the subject. And that's the power of correct composition, and that's really what we're going to dive into in this particular um episode. So the first thing I want to think about is how the eye moves. So remember, we tend to be drawn first of all to brightness, we're drawn to contrast, and we're drawn to line. So if you've got those three written down, this is a really good starting point to start starting to make deliberate compositions that are designed to take the viewer's eye and take them on a journey. But the thing that overrides them all is faces. And um I'm remember, I'm sort of mindful of something, actually, I think it was the 70s. Uh I think it might have been a Viking, it was one of the Russian uh American um uh spacecraft going to Mars. But there was this picture of a face on Mars, and for quite a long time, I think it was probably decades actually, before another spacecraft came along with much better camera. This looked like looked like a face. In fact, it wasn't, it was a mountain. Uh, but because of the low resolution of the camera, it was uh not a particularly clear image, and also and because our brains are pre-wired to recognize faces, even when there isn't a face there, um, it created quite a uh controversy at the time. So remember, these are the things that we are hardwired to respond to, so we can use these in our composition. So basically, there are three types of image. We've got calm images, and these have a particular emotional feel to them. So the calm image, the eye finds the subject quickly and it settles. Movement through the photograph, through the frame is minimal, it might be circular, and visually it's the image is pretty evenly balanced. You're likely to have the horizontal lines, symmetry, or some sort of strong centering, something that draws you straight to the center of the uh of the image. And at the edges, there's very little visual uh pressure at the edges, so that'll be very neutral. So, what does that film like feel like to the um the viewer? So a calm image feels stable, it feels quiet, it feels resolved, it feels maybe um something they they can contemplate, uh very, very restful. So it's a very calming composition, and that's definitely beneficial when uh the subject itself benefits from stillness, clarity, or emphasis. And then we move on to the next type of image, which is tense images. So this is where we're starting to up the emotional ante a little bit. So here the viewer's eye is pulled in more than one direction. The visual weighting of the image is intentionally unbalanced, so the viewer is drawn straight away to one part of the image. If you think rule of thirds and putting your subject off center, that's the sort of thing you get. You're looking at diagonals, type framing, or edge proximity, in other words, having the subject close to the edge or important elements close to the edge, which create pressure. So the bottom line is the frame itself feels slightly unresolved. So there's something um unbalanced about it. So how does that feel to the viewer? Well, it might feel a little bit uneasy, it can feel uh anticipatory, so something's about to happen. It might feel quite intimate, but you feel like you're on the verge of movement or change. And tension works where there's uncertainty, closeness, or emotional friction, that being part of the story. Now, a good example of this, and I've alluded to this before in previous episodes, is where I was talking about having a subject, maybe a headshot on say the right-hand side of the frame, and that person is looking out to the right, but in the background, you can see a doorway or something that's behind them. So that's also using space, and that fits the tense definition. And part of that is that because you're aware of this other element, the door in this instance, it creates the suggestion, nothing more than that, but the suggestion that something may be about to happen through that door, and that potentially is a threat to the subject. So this is a whole story. So remember the visual storyteller thing. This is how these stories work and how we can create them, or at least create the groundwork for the viewer to compose their own story by just looking at the image. And then we have dynamic images. So this is where the eye is moving continuously through the frame. You want to have a clear entry point and a guided path through the frame towards the subject. You're looking at lines, curves, repetition, and rhythm controlling movement, and I'm going to expand on those. And basically you've got energy but without confusion. So it's energy, but it's a guided energy. And what that feels like to the viewer is energetic, it's engaging, it's live, it might be directional. And dynamic compositions suit action, they suit interaction, and moments defined by emotion. Um going to happen. So just to summarize, these different categories, the calm, tense, and dynamic, they're not styles as such, but they're outcomes. So we're what is the outcome? What's the energy you want to impart to the viewer of the subject? And they're defined by how the viewer's eye is allowed to move through the frame. So they're each very different, and they each lead to a different emotional connection. And strong photographs choose the emotional state deliberately. So this is why using these compositional techniques can lead to a much higher connection with the image. So the strongest images are the ones where we get an emotional connection to them. So, how do we how do we do that? What are the elements we can talk about? Well, I'm going to talk briefly about leading lines because they're one of the easiest and most powerful things we can use. So a leading line essentially just takes the viewer's eye, usually from the edge of the frame in towards the center. And the kind of things that will physically be a leading line could be a road, a fence, could be shadows, rivers, body angles, gazes, repeating edges, even. So anybody who's been on a workshop with me where I've spoken about composition, you'll see some of the examples I've given. So the key thing about leading lines is that they can also be implied, they can be curved, and they can in many ways actually feel uh more natural than a straight leading line, because obviously in nature we don't get too many straight lines, but we get a lot of curved lines. So that can be quite a nice leading line to choose. So the the fact about leading lines is that once you start thinking about them, you begin to see them everywhere. And then when you're setting up your subject, you can it's very easy generally to find something that will deliver some degree of leading line to um uh support the subject. The big mistake to make is to have leading lines that lead the viewer's eye out of the frame. That's what we don't want, okay? Right. Um the next thing is to think about shapes, balance, and visual weight. So remember, we tend to be drawn to bright rather than dark, we tend to be drawn to sharp rather than soft. I mean, that's the whole point of depth of field. We tend to be drawn to warm rather than cool, and faces outweigh everything. So, understanding this, a balanced image doesn't necessarily have to be centered, but will be using these predispositions that we have to basically first of all draw the viewer's eye to the subject and also get the background to support the subject in some way. Now, one of the powerful ways to use this, particularly if you're looking at a fairly asymmetrical picture where everything's on one side, is the use of space. And again, I've said it before, um, it's often referred to as negative space. I don't like that term because to me, negative implies it's not really contributing. In some way, it might even be taking away, and that's not how it works at all. Um space within an image is really, really powerful. And that example of having that um close-up with somebody looking out of frame and the space behind them, that creates a huge opportunity for anybody looking at that image to create their own story, and really that's what you uh what you're looking for. The more you can get somebody to buy into the image and start building up their own uh story, then the more hooked they are. And that's a great definition that I use a lot, and um and I forget who said it, so I apologize for that. But basically, they were saying the definite one definition of a good photograph is that the longer somebody spends looking at it, the better. Um, and that's in terms of looking at it and being taken on that journey through the image and maybe seeing more and more as they go through. Now, the next thing I want you to think about is a thing called flow and versus traps. So, in other words, this is about keeping the eye inside the frame. So the idea behind this is that a strong composition doesn't only just guide the eye to the subject, but it actually keeps the eye inside the photograph. Basically, when the viewer's eye escapes the frame, if something usually on the edges draws them away from the center, then the image feels unfinished. It's there's a lack of integrity to it, and it doesn't matter at that point how strong the subject is. The viewers kind of disconnected from the subject because you've guided them out of the frame. So what flow looks like is when the eye enters the frame, it enters it naturally, it's guided towards the subject, it'll circulate or settle without being pushed out. So, in other words, it will follow leading lines or other elements you've put in there. And the visual elements in the image support one another and they don't compete. So flow will create a sense of completeness, it creates a sense of intention in how the photograph has been put together. Okay, the things that will break flow are bright edges at the corner because we're drawn to bright edges. So bright edges pull the attention more strongly than uh than intended, and a bright corner can even outweigh the subject subconsciously, so we keep getting drawn back to that bright corner, so we've been pulled out of frame. The fix for this, if you're noticing you've got that situation as you're setting a shot up, is to obviously reframe is the first step. Just see if you can reframe all shift position so that you eliminate that bright element. It may be that you have to wait for the light to shift. So you might be in a situation which I often am with wildlife where I can't actually do too much about my position. I can zoom in, zoom out, um, but it's kind of limited. So maybe it's a question of waiting for the light to shift. Now, another thing to think about, another thing that will tend to detract from the image are outward pointing diagonals. So strong diagonals create movement, but when they point out of the frame, they're basically drawing the viewer's eye away from the subject and out of the frame. So the common culprits for this are the things that I've mentioned earlier: roads, fences, shadows, body angles, that they will often do that. So the important thing is to just be very conscious of it and if necessary, reposition yourself so that the diagonals lead inward, or even let the diagonals loop back towards the subject. Or you can use a counter element just to keep the eye engaged within the image and not exit. Um, now one of the one of the areas where this can happen that I've already spoken about is um where the subject is gazing out of the frame, or you've got implied motion there. So viewers will instinctively follow where the subject's looking or moving. And when that is going out of frame, that can become a problem. So there needs to be a counterbalance, something to draw them back again. And it can potentially make the subject feel disconnected from the frame. Where it can work is if you're intentionally suggesting space, if you're suggesting openness or some sort of continuation. In other words, something is happening out of frame, and maybe that's where we're going to next, or at least that's where the subject is going to next, and that's the story. So the exit would support the story. So some suggestions for you, just some practical things to um consider before you press the shutter button, are just to look at where does the eye enter, where does it want to leave, and have you given it a reason to stay? So these things are important in working with flow. So the idea of flow that it keeps the uh viewer engaged, it traps sorry, traps break the visual journey, and strong compositions either contain the eye or you release it on purpose. So hopefully this is making sense. Now, the final thing I want to talk about here is rhythm repetition and breaks. So rhythm is essentially where you have repeating elements, and they give the eye path to follow. So these might be shapes, there might be tones, colours, spacing, even gestures. So you might be looking at a row of trees or posts, it might be uh windows, repeating windows or arches, similar body positions or animals, animal shapes, alternate in light and shadow. So, for example, the zebra crossing uh is a good example of repetition. The reason that this is um very attractive to viewers is that it actually reduces the cognitive load so the viewer can understand the scene much more quickly. So, repetition smooths eye movement, it establishes a visual order and it sets the emotional um tone. So often that will be calm or steady. Then we put the break in, and the reason that that's important is that without a break, repetitions repetition becomes decorative, and the break is what the viewer will remember. So the break will usually be the subject. So the repetition forms the background, it's the supporting elements to the subject, but it's not the purpose of the image, usually. So examples of breaks could be one figure facing in a different direction. So I'm thinking zebras. Um, if they're all lined up facing one way and you've got one facing the other, that gives you a break. Uh, one subject might be in light amongst shadow. There might be one colour interrupting a neutral pattern. So um, in fact, if you were looking, if you watch Schindler's List as a movie, that was a black and white movie, but there were certain elements from time to time that were in colour and they really drew the eye, and they're the things that you tend to remember. So that was a powerful use of that. Um, it could be a gesture where there's stillness. So basically, the thing to remember here is that repetition sets the stage and the break tells the story. So the way to use this intentionally is that strong compositions, it's not just about noticing patterns, but they actually wait, they set up the interruption, and timing can often be the difference between a nice pattern and a photograph. So it's really important to be aware of that. Maybe again, all of these things it's always good to practice. Okay, so um practical exercise. So um trace your eye path. So the purpose of this is to trace the entry. So look at an image, pauses, exits, identify intention versus accidents. So the way to do this is to identify three of your own images. Don't analyze them at this time, just look at them and use your finger or a cursor if they're on the screen or a pencil, and just slowly trace where your eye moves naturally. And the things to observe here are where does your eye into the frame, where does it pause or slow down, and where does it want to exit? So the way to interpret this is if the path feels smooth and contained, and the in that instance, composition is lightly intentional. If the eye jumps or it stalls, or you very quickly leave the image, you're quickly out to the side, then something is wrong. There's some competing element there that's undermining um the image. And the question to you to ask are did I plan this path or did it happen by accident? So the key point to remember about this is simply that you don't need to diagnose this, your eye already knows. I mean, this is just what we do naturally. So, this is more a question of learning how to listen to your eye if you can do such a thing and become more in tune with the way you would naturally look at um images. So I hope that's um been useful to you. Now, the final part is coming on Friday, and once you understand how the eye moves, the final part of this arc is to use that knowledge deliberately. And we're going to combine all of the elements or aspects of what I've covered already in the next episode to build a photograph from start to finish. So remember, a good composition shows you something, a great one shows you how to look. Speak to you next week. Bye for now.