What is emphasis in composition

There are times though when placing a subject elsewhere in the frame will work better, such as the center. It all depends on what is in frame and your artistic intent. Further reading: Using positive space in photography composition. Humans are curious, so the contrast of rough on smooth texture, or vice versa, will draw the eye purely, because of the difference.

When using texture for emphasis, bear in mind that a textured surface carries more visual weight than a smooth surface. To balance out these areas, make the textured area a smaller part of the photo than the smooth area. The shallow depth of field further serves to create emphasis on the model as our eyes are drawn to in focus objects and it also separates her from the background. If your aim is imbalance, then by all means, allow the textured surface to dominate, with a smaller smooth area.

Further reading: How texture in photography composition adds interest. The difference between shape and form is simply light. When you light a subject it appears more three dimensional, because of the contrast of light and shade on the subject. Without shading a subject is purely two dimensional in appearance, and is therefore a shape. Silhouettes are a great example of using shape in photography.

Aside from the novelty factor of a silhouette, the contrast of a very dark shape against a brighter background draws in the eye. Further reading: Using shape in photography composition. However, to make the image enjoyable to view, one of the areas should be more dominant than the other so that the viewer is not confused. With careful composition the journey back and forth between the dominant areas could be very engaging.

If you have any questions about using emphasis in photography composition, let us know in the comments. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Richard Nordquist. English and Rhetoric Professor. Richard Nordquist is professor emeritus of rhetoric and English at Georgia Southern University and the author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks.

Updated February 12, Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. Nordquist, Richard. Take the painting below by John Singer Sargent for example. The focus of the painting is clearly the Parisian beggar girl. Notice how Sargent used emphasis for the girl's extended hand; hard edges and that burst of red around her forearm draw your attention towards this area. Her face, on the other hand, is left vague and ambiguous. This works in favor of Sargent's big idea for the painting—her begging hand is more important than her identity.

Below are some more examples of emphasis in art, starting with Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet. Your attention is drawn towards the vivid orange sunset, which stands out from the weak blues, greens, and grays in the background.

Monet used color saturation in this case to emphasize the sunset. If you want to learn more about landscape painting, make sure to grab my free Landscape Painting Starter Kit. In the painting below, Giovanni Boldini used thick paint and saturated color to emphasize the flowers in the vase.

Notice how the background is nothing but a thin stain of color. In Valentin Serov's painting below, the woman looking out over the ocean breaks up the tapered line created by the crashing shore. This interruption of the line makes a powerful statement and emphasizes the position of the woman. In George Inness' moody tonalist painting, the sunset over the sea is emphasized by the increased color saturation and the warm colors. Light is obviously the main source of emphasis in the painting below, with most of the painting being in shadow and just a few areas being illuminated by the lamp.

In Monet's high-key landscape, Poppies , the foreground is emphasized by the presence of the figures and the relatively vibrant red poppies, which stand out against the surrounding greens and blues. In Berthe Morisot's painting below, the two figures are emphasized by their strong position in the painting around the center.

There is also a stark contrast between the deep black of the woman and the white dress of the child.