Principles of Art: CONTRAST in Photography

Описание: This video demonstrates how CONTRAST is used in photography. One of the seven PRINCIPLES OF ART. Demonstrates art vocabulary & concepts using student-created photography. Short, succinct, and school-appropriate. Principles of Art Playlist: https://bit.ly/3hrJ6t9

TRANSCRIPT:
Contrast refers to differences in elements of art.

Value contrast is when darker values are placed next to lighter values, white and black being the most common. Here we have dark blue contrasting with light blue, and a blue hue inside contrasting the black and white tones outside.

Shape contrast occurs when geometric shapes are placed in an organic environment or vice versa. The geometric diamond shapes of the fence contrast with the free-flowing lines of the dog. And the geometric circles of the onions contrast with the organic shape of Frankenstein’s creature.

Textural contrast can be rough textures contrasting with smooth ones, such as the smooth texture of a baseball contrasted with crunchy textures in the wood and leaves, or the texture of the dog and its blankie contrasted with the wood floor, or the texture of the water contrasting with the textures of the grass.

Balance Contrast, or asymmetrical balance, is when the visual weight of the two sides of a picture plane is different. Cutting this image in half, the right side with the bird of paradise is visually heavier than the left. And the amount of bright lines on the left contrasts with the emptiness of the dark negative space on the right side.

Color contrast can be the contrast of complementary colors, or colors opposite one another on the color wheel, such as warm reds with cool greens, or the strong red hue of the boat contrasted with the subdued tones of the buildings.

Intensity Contrast can be achieved through the use of intense lighting of an object placed on a darker or more plain background.

Focal contrast can be created by blurring out areas of space in an image. The blurred leaves in the background contrast with the sharp focus of the sculpture creating a clear focal point. Photographers can use shallow depth-of-field to achieve this contrast.

You can also contrast subject matter through Real objects vs. Illusions such as a real object reflected in a puddle, or a digitally manipulated photo adding faux objects to a real situation.

Contrast creates visual excitement and adds a new level of interest. So think about different ways that you can add contrast to your images.