Negative Space

Negative space is a way to emphasize a subject and create an interesting mood to a somewhat "plain" or "boring" photograph. A simple row of trees along a canal up close is pretty boring, but placing them at the bottom of the frame and adding lots of negative space really draws the eye to the trees.

If this shot was zoomed in to fill the frame with the bird, it would be just another picture of a bird. Moving the subject more towards the extremes and leaving the frame "empty" adds a dark feel to this image. 

The next shot is one of my favorites. It seems to show the hardships of a struggling musician. 

More examples of negative space.

Stop filling the frame and try to add a little negative space to your photos. You may like what you end up with.

Back To Film

I have recently picked up a Canon AE-1 SLR to give "old school" film a try. To my surprise I have not even picked up my digital camera since. The feel of the AE-1 is awesome, and it just looks cool whether its in my hands or just sitting on the shelf. 

The AE-1 has basically two modes, full auto and shutter priority. I like shutter priority because it gives you a little more control of what you can produce but nothing like a DSLR.

I was never much a fan of adding grain when editing but the grain from film I like. 

The old canon has no auto focus which may steer some away but I liked it. More time was spent composing and not just snapping away like I would normally with my digital camera. Film is expensive (for a broke college kid) so getting it right the first time was a must.