Photography sometimes appears in the form of catching a moment and witnessing history, and sometimes in fictionally planned forms. However, for whatever purpose it is produced, there are certain elements that make the photograph more aesthetic and attractive. Elements such as the color and tones of the space or object in the photograph, the direction and amount of the light used, how the balance and rhythm are created constitute the aesthetic codes of the photograph. At this point, elements such as color, light, rhythm, balance, golden ratio, composition in photography are very effective elements on the aesthetic perception of the photograph. Let’s take a look at these elements together.

 

Color in Photography

 

One of the many different aesthetic elements of photography is color. It was not possible for the photograph to be colored in the first period of its appearance. However, in the historical process, it has been made possible to color photographs with technical methods.

Color, with its most general definition, is the perception of wavelengths in the retina of the eye. As a result of the light hitting the objects, some of the light is absorbed by the objects. The remaining amount is reflected. This provides the formation of color tones and the diversification of colors. When it comes to photography, it is especially important in the context of minimal photography that the colors are suitable for the relevant object or environment.

 

Color, an important element of visual arts, plays a major role in conveying art to the audience and gaining meaning. Colors can evoke different emotions and create different effects according to their brightness, hue and saturation. Differences in the social or visual preference of colors can also differentiate the meaning that the viewer attaches to the photograph. With its most known meaning, red color evokes romance more, while green color represents more peace and nature.

 

The light variable stands out as an important principle in obtaining the desired color. It is seen that light is also used effectively in today’s photography. While the use of light allows the object to see its own color, vice versa. For example, an object can be seen brighter than it is.

 

Light in Photography

 

The light variable stands out with its use in both visual arts and plastic arts. Both the sun as a natural light source, and the flash or white light gain importance as the basic elements of photography. The darkness or lightness created by the light also makes the shadow factor appear. Although shadow is an item that artists may want as an aesthetic element, it can also be a situation that they avoid from time to time.

 

The use of light can also change the emotional meaning of the photograph by making it appear more sad or cheerful. In this context, photographers may prefer that the light be seen or less visible. Photography is the art of writing with light and drawing with light. This art (or occupation) owes its existence to light. For an object to be seen, it must either be a light source or reflect the light falling on it.

Rhythm in Photography

 

Another aesthetic element in photography is rhythm. In photography, rhythm is defined as the repetition of an object to present an aesthetic value. In many photographs, it is observed that some objects repeat from large to small. The rhythm in the photograph can be with a single object or with more than one object. At this point, the current visual conditions determine the rhythm element.

 

Along with the rhythm element, the photography is also given depth. Along with the added depth, the size of the photos also looks aesthetic. The rhythm in the photograph can also become a way of presenting the object more prominently. Rhythm makes the element used in the photograph stand out in terms of presenting the same object in different sizes.

 

The rhythm in the photograph ensures that the image is presented harmoniously. Harmony can be an indispensable element of a work. A kind of thematic harmony can be observed when the colors or objects are opposite or appear like that. Presenting the objects in contrast in a certain plan may cause the work to appear monotonous. However, the main problem here is that the meaning is lost in this monotony rather than being monotonous. Rhythm, on the other hand, can be used as an aesthetic element that serves to present the meaning more clearly.

 

The only reason for rhythmic repetition in photography is not to capture an aesthetic image, but to create semantic concerns. Line density, light-dark differences, relations between large and small elements should be used in a consecutive order to explain the subject. The first prominent principle of the concept of rhythm, which we encounter in all artistic formations, when it comes to photography, is that the object sequences form integrity around a meaning.

 

There are other important elements in photography such as balance, golden ratio, composition and space. 

 

I will handle them in my next blog post. 

 

See you on the next post ☺

 

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