inverted subject composition

inverted_subject_composition.jpg
What is inverted subject composition?
I made the term up to describe what I was trying to achieve in the photo above. Here’s what makes up the idea:

  • Light is on the outside portions of the photo
  • Focus is on the outside portions of the photo
  • Darkness in center of photo
  • Bokeh mostly in center of photo

What is the purpose of this?
This has a couple of applications I can think of:

  • The negative space in this circumstance is the draw – if you want to make reference to mystery or anything that is focussed on the unknown, this makes what you can’t see the item of interest.
  • Practically speaking this is not a bad thing to frame typeset against, with the type being in the middle in a column. Lack of focus in the middle provides a smooth unobtrusive backdrop to press details of type against, and darkness in the middle means you can use white type for added punch – this would be killer in a back-lit display, such as what you see on bus stops and airport ceiling-to-floor campaigns, or a website.

That’s all I can think of right now. It is odd that I am a designer but I do not have a design category on this website. Time to change that..

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4 Comments

  1. Who needs a purpose? =) Great shot, Davin. BTW, my gallery now has a much better memory; thanks for the suggestion.
    Also, interesting that your skilltester won’t accept “five” as an answer. 😉 Limiting maxlength to 3 might point out the FAIL afore it happens.

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