Repetition and Rhythm in Photography
Saturday, November 21st, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Usually, subjects are preferred to be in contrast with the background. This allows the subject to have well defined edges that make it stand out from the rest of the picture. But not all photos have to be the same. Sometimes it is good to have all the elements inside a composition in rhythm with each others. Using this technique will make the observer travel through the whole photo very smoothly.
Think of poetry or songs and the role rhymes play in both of them. Patterns must exist inside the photograph to allow smooth transitions between the objects . These patterns can be due to repetition in shapes, colors, or even positions of objects. This adds interest all around your photo making the observer look at it over and over.
Patterns are everywhere, and they can be created easily too. Rows of street light posts, trees in forests, leaves on trees, the possibilities are quite endless. A lot more patterns can be created out of similarities in colors, shapes, or even arrangement of any kind of objects. Look closer (literally) and you will find even more patterns. This is because many solid objects at very close range will show some sort of repeated textures on their surfaces.
While patterns are good compositional tools, they don’t always seem as good in simple compositions. So, breaking a pattern is sometimes desired too. This will create some degree of imperfection in the rhythm introducing tension to the image. Another usage of patterns is to fill the background, only to be broken by the subject in the foreground. In this case, rhythm throughout the photo is sacrificed for setting the focal point on the subject, while the background still gives some sort of uniformity to the picture.
Colors are also used for creating a sort of rhythm in photographs. Related color tones or harmonic colors can be employed instead of strong contrasting colors.All this grabs the different elements of the whole photo together.
Another type of pattern is that due to objects’ positions or arrangement. For instance, the position of an object can relate to the subject of the image, or that different objects may be arranged in a way that they form a pattern. Both situations create some sort of comfort to the observer’s eyes.
Creating rhythmic photos is not an easy job, because it requires a totally new approach to photography that most people are not used to. However, one thing is for sure that after understanding the process, you will begin to find more patterns around you.
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