1.9 Elements & Principles

​Agenda

By Alyssa Stangl

1. Monday Mood (Check in)

2. 1.9 Elements & Principles of Photography

3. Knowledge Check

1.9 Elements & Principles of Photography

Today we will...

• identify the elements of photography used in photos

• distinguish between dark and light colors in a photo to understand the contrast

• label the elements of art used in photography

Vocabulary: aesthetics, depth, elements of art, negative space, positive space, saturation

Understanding Aesthetics in Photography

Aesthetics is a set of ideas and principles used to appreciate beauty, emotion, and meaning in art—like paintings, sculptures, or photographs. When you pay attention to how things like color, shape, and texture make you feel or help tell a story, you're exploring the aesthetics of an image.

This helps you better understand the artist’s message and see how art can influence people and the world around us.

Today, you’ll learn how photographers use the elements and principles of photography—like line, value, texture, and balance—to create powerful compositions that express a mood or tell a story.

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Composition in Photography

​🖼️ What Is Composition?

Composition is how a photograph is arranged within the frame or viewfinder.

It’s the way a photographer organizes visual elements to express a message, tell a story, or create a mood.

Composition in Photography

Composition Techniques

Composition techniques are tried-and-true methods that help make photos more visually appealing. These techniques guide the viewer’s eye, add balance, and make your images more powerful and engaging.

Composition in Photography

Types of compositions:

• rule of thirds

• leading lines

• fill the frame

• framing

• simplicity

Composition in Photography

​🔥 Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds divides the image frame into thirds both vertically and horizontally. Try to place points of interest or your subject along those lines or at the intersections of those lines.

Composition in Photography

🔥 Leading Lines

Leading lines are lines from elements or the environment that lead the viewer's eyes to the main subject.

Composition in Photography

🔥 Fill the Frame

Fill the frame captures only the subject, leaving no room for other elements. When you fill the frame, the edges of the subject often extend beyond the image frame.

Composition in Photography

🔥 Framing

Framing uses a border around the subject. Frames can be man-made, like a window or door, or natural, like an arch or tree branches.

*this photo includes leading lines within the frame

Composition in Photography

🔥 Simplicity

Simplicity removes of all distracting elements within an image frame that might draw attention from the main subject. The position of the photographer or the angle of the shot can help achieve simplicity.

Multiple Choice

Notice the faint diagonal lines in the background that lead the viewer's eye towards the boy, who is the main subject.

What type of compositional technique is this an example of?

• leading lines

• rule of thirds

• fill the frame

Overview of How the Elements & Principles of Photography Create a Strong Photo

​In photography, composition is how all the visual parts of a photo are arranged to create meaning, mood, and impact. Photographers use elements and principles of design to guide how a photo looks and feels.

🔥 These are the building blocks of the principles and compositional techniques of photography:
Line, Shape, Color, Value, Texture, Space, Form, and Pattern*

Elements of Composition

Elements of Composition

🔥 These are the building blocks of the principles and compositional techniques of photography:

• Line – guides the viewer’s eye and creates movement

• Shape – defines objects and adds structure

• Color – sets mood and draws attention

• Value – shows lightness and darkness to create contrast

Elements of Composition

🔥 These are the building blocks of the principles and compositional techniques of photography:

• Texture – adds detail and realism

• Space – gives depth and balance

• Form - photographers use light and shadows to show the 3-D quality of form giving it depth

• Pattern - repeating elements in a photo adds interest, organization, or surprise when something breaks a pattern

🔥 These are the rules for organizing the elements:
Balance, Contrast, Emphasis, Unity Rhythm and Movement

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​Principles of Composition

🔥 These are the rules for organizing the elements:
-Balance – makes the photo feel stable or dynamic

-Contrast – highlights differences to create interest

-Emphasis – draws attention to the main subject

-Unity – makes all parts of the photo feel connected

-Rhythm – creates a visual flow or pattern

-Movement – leads the viewer’s eye through the image

​Principles of Composition

🔥 When photographers combine these elements and principles thoughtfully, they create strong compositions that:

• Tell a story

• Show emotion

• Capture attention

• Communicate a message

Putting It All Together

Elements of Photography

Remember that compositions are created by the arrangement of elements and principles within the frame to create a balanced, dynamic, and unified image.

Understanding what works and what doesn't in a composition or photo helps you, as the artist, continually improve your skills.

Although photography is subjective (personal taste), it requires technical skills, such as following rules concerning exposure, focus, and basic composition. The elements of photography are the building blocks of a composition & principles of photography.

Elements of Photography

Remember that compositions are created by the arrangement of elements and principles within the frame to create a balanced, dynamic, and unified image.

Understanding what works and what doesn't in a composition or photo helps you, as the artist, continually improve your skills.

Although photography is subjective (personal taste), it requires technical skills, such as following rules concerning exposure, focus, and basic composition. The elements of photography are the building blocks of a composition & principles of photography.

In photography, color can be used to emphasize the main subject, evoke emotion, or create visual interest.

Photographers use color to evoke emotions, create contrast, and guide the viewer’s attention.

Color can be bold and vibrant, soft and muted, or even absent (in black and white photography), and it plays a key role in storytelling and composition.

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🔥 Color

​In this image, the contrast of the bright pink donut intertube draws attention not only to the donut but also to the little girl inside the donut's hole.

Line in photography refers to the visual paths that guide the viewer’s eye through an image.

Lines can be straight, curved, diagonal, or even implied, and they help organize a photo’s composition.

Photographers use lines to lead attention to the subject, create movement, add depth, and evoke emotion. Common examples include roads, fences, shadows, or the edges of buildings.

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🔥 Line

In this image, the thick, wavy lines made by the balcony and the balcony's shadow create visual movement much like waves, and they create a pattern.

Value in photography refers to the range of lightness and darkness in an image. Value helps create contrast, depth, and mood.

High-value areas are lighter (like bright highlights), while low-value areas are darker (like deep shadows).

Photographers use value to guide the viewer’s eye, emphasize subjects, and add drama or softness to a photo.

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🔥 Value

Notice how the horse's face is emphasized because it is the brightest area of the image.

Shape in photography refers to the two-dimensional outline or silhouette of objects within a photo.

Shapes are created by light, shadows, contrast, and framing, and they help guide the viewer’s eye, create mood, and add structure to a composition.

Photographers use shape to emphasize subjects, create visual interest, and communicate ideas or emotions.

🔥 Shape

Notice how the shape of the plane is emphasized against the lighter sky background

Form is what makes things look three-dimensional in a photo — like they have depth, not just flat shapes.

Imagine you're looking at a ball. You can see it's round, not just a circle. That’s form!

Photographers use light and shadows to show form. When light hits an object from the side, it creates shadows that help us see its shape better.

🔥 Form

Notice the shadow of the ball as the light hits the side of it.

​Easy Way to Remember: Shape = flat (like a drawing of a circle)
Form = 3D (like a real ball)

🔥 Pattern

Notice the pattern in the feathers of the peacock.

Pattern in photography refers to the repetition of shapes, lines, colors, or textures within an image.

Patterns can be found in both natural and man-made environments—like rows of windows, waves in the ocean, or tiles on a floor.

Photographers use patterns to create rhythm, visual interest, and structure. Breaking a pattern (with a unique object or change) can also make a photo more dynamic and draw attention to the subject.

🔥 Space

Quick Tip:

If a photo feels peaceful or simple, it probably has lots of negative space. If it feels busy or full, it has lots of positive space.

Space in photography is about how things are arranged in a picture — and how much room there is between them.

There are two main types:

• Positive space: the stuff you can see, physical objects like people, animals, or buildings.

• Negative space: the empty areas around those things (like the sky, a blank wall, or open ground).

Photographers use space to make pictures feel calm, crowded, balanced, or dramatic. It helps guide your eyes and makes the photo more interesting!

Poll

Select the elements used in this image to help bring the viewer's attention to the boy, who is the main subject.

• Light

• Color

• Lines

• Space

• Pattern

Understanding Shape in Photography

In photography, help make a photo look more interesting, organized, and visually powerful. Shapes can be used to guide the viewer’s eye, create balance, and add meaning to a composition.

Understanding Shape in Photography

🔷 Geometric Shapes

• These are regular, structured shapes with clear lines, points, and curves.

• Examples include squares, circles, triangles, and pentagons.

• Geometric shapes are often found in buildings, signs, and other man-made objects.

Understanding Shape in Photography

🍃 Organic Shapes

• Organic shapes are freeform, natural shapes that don’t follow strict rules.

• They have flowing, irregular outlines and are often found in nature, like leaves, clouds, or rocks.

• Organic shapes can make a photo feel more relaxed, emotional, or dynamic.

Geometric Shapes

​​Organic Shapes

A silhouette is a type of shape in photography where the subject appears as a dark outline against a bright background. You can still see the edges and form of the object, person, or scene, but not the details inside it.

Silhouettes are created when the light source is behind the subject—like during a sunset, sunrise, or on a bright winter day. This lighting makes the subject appear dark while the background stays bright.

​What Is a Silhouette in Photography?

Why Use Silhouettes?

• They add drama, mystery, and emotion to your photos.

• They let viewers imagine their own story based on the shape and mood.

• They’re a creative way to focus on form and composition.

​What Is a Silhouette in Photography?

📸 Tips for Capturing Silhouettes

• Shoot against the light (backlighting).

• Use a low ISO and adjust exposure to keep the subject dark.

• Try it during golden hour (sunrise or sunset) for the best results.

​What Is a Silhouette in Photography?

Silhouette

Geometric

Organic

​Shape Examples:

Match

Match each photograph with the correct type of shape it shows.

Geometric

Organic

Silhouette

• Geometric

• Organic

• Silhouette

The Importance of LIGHT, VALUE, & CONTRAST

The Importance of LIGHT, VALUE, & CONTRAST

​A photograph can not be taken without light, which is why it's the most important element of any type of photography. Light can bring attention to a main subject, and shadows are equally important in a composition. If you combine shadow with light, they can change your images in different ways.

🔥 Light and shadow can be used to:
- Emphasize dimensions & depth
- Emphasize focus on subjects
- Create contrast Strengthen compositions

The Importance of LIGHT, VALUE, & CONTRAST

🔥 To Emphasize Dimensions

Light and shadows help separate the subject from the scene around it, which creates depth in a two-dimensional photograph.

The Importance of LIGHT, VALUE, & CONTRAST

​🔥 To Emphasize Focus on a Subject
Light and shadows help in separating the photograph into two distinct areas—the dark and the bright parts. This draws viewers' attention toward the subject, thus creating a stronger image.

The Importance of LIGHT, VALUE, & CONTRAST

🔥 To Create Contrast

Contrast refers to the difference between light and dark areas of an image.

High contrast images have strong differences between light and dark areas that make the details of the subject stand out.

​For instance, the high contrast between the white swan and the dark background makes the swan stand out.

The Importance of LIGHT, VALUE, & CONTRAST

Low Contrast to Create Mood

Images with low contrast have more of a subtle (little) difference between the light and dark areas of an image, which creates a softer look, like the snow scene in this photo.

Using contrast effectively can enhance the mood and depth of your photos.

The Importance of LIGHT, VALUE, & CONTRAST

🔥 To Strengthen Compositions

Correct use of light and shadow in an image can lead the viewers' eyes to what matters and remove what does not.

The Importance of LIGHT, VALUE, & CONTRAST

As an Additional Graphic Element

Light creates an additional element in a photograph by providing shadow to the subject.

Multiple Choice

What is the definition of lights and shadows?

• the area around, under, through, and between the objects and subjects in an image

• the dark and bright area in a photograph

• the area occupied by the objects and the subject

Multiple Select

🔥 Which 2 are examples that demonstrate good lighting & value in a photograph?

Select 2 that apply.

• balanced brightness

• soft focus

• good contrast

PRINCIPLES of PHOTOGRAPHY

​PRINCIPLES of PHOTOGRAPHY

The elements of photography are the ingredients that create the principles of photography and composition.

Using the elements of photography to create principles and strong compositions is a lot like making a cake; if you mix the correct combination of ingredients in the right order and amount, you will have a delicious cake! 🍰 But if you mix the wrong combination of ingredients or an incorrect amount of ingredients, you may have a cake that doesn't taste good.

​PRINCIPLES of PHOTOGRAPHY

🔥 A photograph is considered to have good composition if the following components are present:

• Balance

• Emphasis

• Cropping

• Framing a composition

Balance refers to the balance of elements or objects within an image frame or composition.

This image is not only an example of leading lines, it's also an example of symmetrical balance because it is the same on both sides.

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🔥 Balance: Symmetrical

🔥 Balance: Asymmetrical

​An asymmetrical balance image is NOT the same on both sides. Most images are asymmetrically balanced.

​This example is an extreme example of asymmetry with only the bridge and the man walking across it visible through the thick fog.

Photographers use elements & principles of photography as well as photography techniques to emphasize the main subject or focal point.

In this image, the contrast of light and color draws the viewer's attention to the main subject or point of interest.

​🔥 Emphasis of the Main Subject

Cropping usually happens after the photo is taken during the editing process.

Cropping is used to eliminate unwanted elements or backgrounds to bring emphasis to the main subject.

​🔥 Cropping

​🔥 Framing a Composition

​Photographers use viewfinders to frame their composition before they take an image.

Framing is how photographers decide what to include in their photos and how to arrange those elements. It's like creating a picture within a picture.

Multiple Choice

What 2 principles of photography were used to remove distracting elements and bring emphasis to the main subject of this image?

• timing and value

• framing and cropping

• asymmetric and symmetric balance

Photography Techniques for Good Composition

In photography, taking images with good composition not only involves understanding how to use the elements and principles of photography, compositional techniques, but also photographic techniques like depth of field, sharp focusing, perspective, and timing.

Photography Techniques for Good Composition

🔥 Important Photography Techniques used to take images with good composition:

1. Depth of Field

2. Focus & Clarity

3. Perspective

4. Timing

For portraits, it's important to have the main subject, whether it's a person or animal, sharply in focus and the background blurred.

Using a shallow depth of field with a wide aperture (f/1.4, f/1.8, or f/2) will keep the main subject in focus and blur the background.

A faster shutter speed will ensure that too much light doesn't reach the sensor.

🔥 Depth of Field: Portraits

For landscapes, it's important to have the entire scene in focus from flowers in the foreground to the mountains in the background.

Using a deep depth of field with a small aperture (f/11, f/16, or f/22) will keep an entire scene in sharply in focus. The shutter speed slower to allow for enough light to reach the sensor.

🔥 ⛰️ Depth of Field: Landscapes

Focus is about making sure the main subject of your photo is sharp and clear.

When something is in focus, it looks crisp and detailed, like the right of the image.

When something is out of focus. it looks fuzzy or blurry and lacks detail like the right side of the image. This is called soft focus.

🔥 Focus & Clarity

​Clarity refers to the overall sharpness and detail of the focus in a photo. Good clarity means that all parts of the photo, especially the important ones, are well-defined and not blurry.

Choosing an interesting perspective can make ordinary objects look unique or extraordinary.

🔥 Perspective in Photography

​For example, this image of the Statue of Liberty was taken at a unique perspective looking up using a worm's eye view of the statue.

Taking a portrait at eye-level means positioning the camera so that it's at the same height as the subject's eyes. This technique creates a strong emotional connection between the subject and the viewer.

🔥 Eye-Level Perspective & Emotion

Here’s why:

Connection: Eye-level portraits make the subject appear more relatable and approachable, creating a sense of intimacy and connection.

Engagement: When the subject's eyes are at the same level as the viewer's, it feels like they are making direct eye contact, which can evoke stronger emotions.

🔥 Eye-Level Perspective & Emotion

​By using eye-level portraits, photographers can capture and convey deeper emotions, making their images more powerful and engaging.

Timing in photography is about capturing the perfect moment. It involves pressing the shutter button at just the right time to get the best shot.


Here are some key points:

Action Shots: For moving subjects, like sports or wildlife, timing is crucial to freeze the action and capture the peak moment.

Expressions and Emotions: In portraits, timing helps capture genuine expressions and emotions, making the photo more impactful.

🔥 Timing in Photography

​By mastering timing, photographers can create dynamic and compelling images that tell a story.

Knowledge Check

Match

Match the following

• Separate the subject from the scene around it. This creates depth in a two-dimensional photograph.

• The balance of the light and brightness.

• The overall style of the photograph.

Lights and shadows

Value

Composition

• Lights and shadows

• Value

• Composition

Dropdown

Which principle of photography should photographers use to create visual symmetry in their pictures, like this photo?

Select answer

Multiple Choice

What principle of photography are photographers applying when they use dark and light colors in the same photograph to make a subject stand out?

• contrast

• emphasis

• balance

Open Ended

What was one thing you remembered from today's lesson?