1. Balance Vocabulary
For this vocabulary exercise you will be breaking into groups of 5. Each student will be selecting on of the following terms to create a Verbal Visual Word Association(VVWA).
Once you have completed your card share out with your group so that you all have a good understanding of all of the words. These vocabulary words are really the building blocks for the rest of the term.
- Balance
- Symmetry
- Asymmetry
- Counterbalance
- Equilibrium
- Center Diamond - The Word
- Top Left - Definition of the Word
- Top Right - Image that reminds you of the definition
- Bottom Left - Analogy/ personal association
- Bottom Right - How it is used in photography
Once you have completed your card share out with your group so that you all have a good understanding of all of the words. These vocabulary words are really the building blocks for the rest of the term.
Symmetry and the Super Centered Composition
Wes Anderson is my favorite movie director. His movies are exquisitely composed, lit, stylized, and written. He maintains complete control over all aspects of the film's vision. He is the ultimate "Hipster" director, back before the "Hipsters". The following short video is a quick compilation of many of his movies that emphasis his use of symmetry as a composition technique. The Rule of Thirds told us that placing the subject dead center in a composition was boring, Wes Anderson breaks this rule over and over again and proves that a super centered composition can be powerful and engaging.
2. Balance Questions
Go to the following website and answer the questions below.
https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/five-kinds-photography-balance-you-need-to-understand/
1. What is another term for symmetrical balance?
2. Why would the asymmetrical landscape photo not work without the rocks in the foreground?
3. What is tonal balance?
4. In color balance, why does it take so much less red to feel balanced?
5. In what ways can conceptual balance add another layer of meaning to the photograph?
https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/five-kinds-photography-balance-you-need-to-understand/
1. What is another term for symmetrical balance?
2. Why would the asymmetrical landscape photo not work without the rocks in the foreground?
3. What is tonal balance?
4. In color balance, why does it take so much less red to feel balanced?
5. In what ways can conceptual balance add another layer of meaning to the photograph?
3. Balance Inspiration Gallery
You will be creating 2 separate galleries for this assignment: one symmetrical and one for asymmetrical. Collect 5 images of each type of symmetry. Once you have collected and posted the 10 images with the web links, take them into Photoshop to annotate. For symmetrical balance, create a horizontal or vertical line that indicates the division of the symmetry. For the asymmetrical balance, draw a shape around the elements that create the main subject and its counter balance. Put the annotated images after each of the original images in your galleries.
Symmetrical Balance |
Asymmetrical Balance |
4. Balance Shooting Assignment
For this shooting assignment you will taking 20 images, 10 of symmetrical balance and 10 images of asymmetrical balance. Post your images into 2 separate galleries and label them with a title at the top. Be creative. Apply the techniques you have learned before; try different angles, move in close, think about how to use conceptual balance.