Design Principles

ORGANIZE & BEAUTIFY YOUR PICTURES THROUGH DESIGN

In photography, design is the organization of the visual parts of a scene in an effort to produce the effect the photographer wants.

Good design is achieved when the organization of visual elements in a photograph enables the viewer to grasp what the photographer wanted to communicate. If this is done with a sense of artistry, all the better.

PHOTOGRAPHS SEND A MESSAGE

A photograph is intended to communicate something to a viewer. The message can be simple or quite complex. It might be no more than “Here is a picture of our new home.” Or, it could be an intricate mixture of feeling, insight, intuitive cognition and information that expresses with great clarity a message that would otherwise be difficult to put into words. A single still photograph can often convey an important message more clearly and quickly than an entire chapter in a book.

The design of a photograph is important in getting the photographer's message across. Two photographers given the same basic elements and asked to deliver the same message will likely produce two different images. The odds are good that one image will get the message across more clearly and will look more pleasing because that photographer's design is better.

IMPROVE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGH DESIGN

Your pictures will improve as your sense of design becomes developed and you consciously apply it when composing your images.

Keep good composition in mind when taking pictures, and don't be afraid to experiment with different techniques and unusual arrangements of the elements in scenes you photograph. When you review your finished images, you will likely notice that one conveys your message better than the others. Trial and error is an effective learning method, and leads to the expression of your own individual design style.

IGNORE THE SUBJECT

We won’t often advise you to ignore the subject of a photograph, but if you would like to try an exercise that can improve your sense of design when composing images, then do just that. Ignore the subject and its meaning by viewing a scene purely from a graphical perspective. Look at every element’s size and shape, or perhaps its texture and tonal value, then arrange your composition so that the elements are placed in accordance with their graphic merits, regardless of the subject. It’s not only fun to do, but the results can surprise you and will help you to think of composition when taking any picture.

Want another incentive to help you to think creatively in designing your photography compositions? This next exercise will get your creative juices flowing.

A DESIGN EXERCISE FOR YOU TO TRY

If you wish to test your sense of design and creativity, here is a fun exercise you can try with your camera.

Choose a common, brightly-colored object, like the "Uni-Driver" screwdriver shown here. It can be a pencil, a flower, a bright fabric, a hat or a kitchen pot - anything simple and colorful. Then, pick a well-lit, neutral, relatively plain setting in which to place your object so it will stand out. In the case of our screwdriver, we selected a gray shelving unit that was in bright sunshine.

Now, here is the challenge: See how many different ways you can arrange and photograph the object in its setting so that each picture you take is a pleasant and interesting composition. For an example, have a look at our efforts with the screwdriver here or click on the "Design exercise" link below.