بحثاً عن الإيقاع والخطوط .. العناصر الأساسية للصورة .. كتاب التصوير الضوئي

In Search of Rhythm and Lines .. The Basic Elements of the Image .. The Book of Photography

In Search of Rhythm and Lines

Rhythm is an important issue in photography because it strengthens the effect of color by forming the components of the image to make it a more beautiful group. It creates harmony from chaos. The repetition of a single subject strengthens the effect and pleases the eye. When some lines seem beautiful to us, we tend to repeat them: this is true even for irregular lines because there is a certain strength and unity that stems from repetition, especially if the subjects have the same general shape, the same dimensions and colors, but in an irregular environment. The homogeneity of a colored subject can be given by the presence of discordant colors such as bright green and red. The addition of contrasting colors such as these is often intentional, especially in abstract art or to decorate fabrics.

Rhythm breaks the monotony of an empty space or emphasizes the superficiality of a space: the eye relaxes with it and then searches further, leading with another pictorial element such as perspective lines, for example, or the adjacent volume.

The photographer has every opportunity to explore the world of lines and to pay attention to the set of details that surround us and that usually pass us by without us noticing them. You will find rhythm in the row of houses and in the branches of trees. The autumn leaves spread on the surface of the swamp draw a situated subject, you will find this rhythm in a wall made of bricks and in a facade full of bottles or on the lightning cables where swallows gather.

Presenting a situated subject, whether man-made or natural, requires a careful choice of the angle of taking the picture and suitable lighting. To increase the value of your image, consider the function of the main subject and find the best way to show it. A small part of the subject can be more influential than the whole subject: determine what the main element is and give it the largest place in the picture.

The lighting should follow the chosen section of the subject: if you have chosen a subject with two dimensions, it is better for the lighting to be directed from the front and distributed evenly to avoid showing minor surface or compositional errors. But if the subject is a building or part of it, you can get a sense of depth by side lighting and by emphasizing volume and structure, and thus take a more balanced picture.

The aim of every photograph is to explain a visual feeling, not just to record an image. The leading idea is to interpret the subject: therefore, you should not take a photograph by chance, but rather you should strive to convey something that affects you through a photograph; something that you want others to share with you.

Emphasis on lines

The geometric ground drawing here flattens an image that could have had more depth. The man appears to be sitting outside the room rather than inside it. The vertical daylight illuminates the subject. The architectural details reinforce the importance of a classic image.
Hasselblad wide angle lens 1/15 sec aperture 22 Kodak Tri-x.

Pre-existing rhythm

When looking from the bottom up at this spiral staircase, rhythm and lines take precedence over architectural volume. When you like a scene like this, explore all the possibilities of translating it into your images. In this image I turned all my attention to the drawing and rhythm of the composition. The lighting was strong and the camera was mounted on a tripod.
Rolliflex 1 minute aperture 22 was
Kodak Tri-x.

Using irregular lines

This is an example of a very confused drawing in which objects lose their identity and become elements of a group. A close examination is required to identify the objects. Hasselblad Wide Angle Lens I Aperture 8 Kodak Tri-X

Depth Destroyed by Lines

The cloudy sky would have given great light to this carefully arranged stone path, arranged in lines and geometric surfaces. If this path had been lit from the side by a strong sun, it might have given more importance to the size of the stones, but at the expense of the longitudinal composition and location.
It is the frontal light that eliminates a large part of the
sense of depth.

Hasselblad Wide Angle Lens 20 sec
Aperture 32 Panatomic-X

The rhythm revealed by the light

The strong sunlight and the point chosen to take the picture from reveal the compositional weight of the image, where light and shadow are strongly contrasted on the surfaces of the factories. The use of a long-focal lens compresses the perspective and emphasizes the drawing. A great variety of similar subjects can be discovered in the urban environment, especially when the sun is very low towards the horizon.
Leica Flex 1/500 sec 16mm Kodak Tri-X Telephoto Lens.