1. Balance in Photography

Balance is a very vital part of a good picture. You can know all about how your camera works with shutter speed, aperture, and ISO and still have a picture you’re not satisfied with. Balance is a big influence on how well your picture turns out, and mainly affects the composition of your photo. Composition is how the elements of your picture are laid out within your photo. The two types of balance in photography are symmetrical and asymmetrical.

Symmetrical Balance

Symmetry in photography is exactly what you would think. It is when two sides of your picture are almost or exactly the same. This technique provides balance and a sense of peace when looking at these pictures. It is a very calming effect and also very easy to achieve. Symmetry is all around us, all you need to do is look around and you can find multiple examples anywhere. A big part of photography is taking time to stop and be aware of your surroundings. It gives you the opportunity to appreciate the world and the beauty hidden around you.

Asymmetrical Balance (Rule of Thirds)

Asymmetrical balance in photography is a little more complicated than symmetry. The easiest way to describe it is called the Rule of Thirds. This is the idea that your photo is divided into sections, or thirds, by lines like pictured below.

These lines dividing the image give the photographer a loose outline to follow when lining up an image. The horizontal and vertical lines are usually aligned by something parallel to the line. For example, in the picture above, the horizon is close to the bottom line. The tree is also lined up with the line on the right to create even more balance. On the other hand, the points at which the lines intersect are where points of interest should be placed. In this photo the sun and the tree are located at the bottom two intersections, allowing the eye to be drawn to this area naturally. These lines are usually improvised by photographers, as they aren’t typically on cameras, but there is a setting in your iPhone cameras that will display these lines if you wish to experiment.

In conclusion, if you feel like your pictures are a little off, try adding one of these techniques. Either of these concepts can change an average picture into something you could be proud of.

Citations

Person, and ProfilePage. “Brandon Woelfel on Instagram: ‘Light Me up and Let Me Burn Before & After Coming Soon..”.” Instagram, www.instagram.com/p/BpgOJEXD0BM/.

Depositphotos. “10 Photography Tips to Step Up Your Instagram Game — Depositphotos — Medium.” Medium.com, Medium, 26 Jan. 2017, medium.com/@Depositphotos/10-photography-tips-to-step-up-your-instagram-game-cf2e6d828654.

“Rule of Thirds.” PictureCorrect, www.picturecorrect.com/tips/rule-of-thirds/.

https://www.phototraces.com/definition-of-rule-of-thirds-in-photography/