Good Composition - Compositional Connection
I may be the poster child for illustrating how the Principles of Gestalt Theory can help photographers capture the viewer’s attention. Gestalt Theory is a new concept for me. I wrote about it in the blog, Gestalt Theory and Street Photography - Grouping to Simplify, which was published on May 14th of this year. I suspect my ability to simplify was the foundation for my single skill as a young mathematician. I could look at a lot of data and find the outlier. It occurs to me that I could do this because I have an enhanced drive to connect data that is similar and therefore I can reduce large quantities of data to smaller, easier to manage groups. Now quick, before I lose you, let me tell you why that matters to you if you are posting photos that I am going to look at.
If I look at a photo and can see tangible or intangible elements that I can connect, for absolute certain, I will be more drawn to the photo. I will spend more time looking at it. When a photo has elements that can be connected, I will describe it as having “compositional connection”.
Here is the thing. On a subconscious level, all of us look for compositional connection. This is the human’s way to organize the extraordinary amount of visual data that we encounter every day. Our brain’s have the ability to both group and separate parts of an image from one another. Some of the ways we do this is by looking for similarity, repetition, color and patterns. When we find it, we group these things together and treat them as a single unit of data. It is my theory that not only does our brain have a drive to find compositional connection, it rewards us when we do find it. I think this happens through extra electrical activity. I hasten to add, this is just my theory. But that is enough words. Let’s look at how this actually works for me when I look at a photo.
Photo by Bikash Chandra Mandal. Used with permission. You can see Bikash’s gallery on Facebook at Bikash Chandra Mandal.
Probably some of you have seen this photo. I first saw it as a post on Inspired Street Photography (ISP). I then shared it on my page, which I rarely do. When I realized the compositional connection in this image, I was so proud of myself. Then I was so proud of the photographer, Bikash Chandra Mandal, for seeing it and catching it. There are three pairs of women walking down this lane, which is a good repetition. In each pair, they are walking toward each other. This makes the repetition even stronger. The woman at the back of each pair has a basket on her head, which is similarity. The pairs are spaced apart by similar distances, which is a pattern.
Photo by Gianni Zigante. Used with permission. You can see Gianni’s gallery on Facebook at Gianni Zigante and on Instaga @giannizigante.
Here is another example. The photographer, Gianni Zigante, clearly intended to use reflections to get patterns. There is the pattern of trees on the clear screening in the foreground, which is subtly repeated in the background. In addition, he has a repetition of the men in vests. It is incredibly good luck that these vests have a pair of parallel lines printed on them, so there is also repetition of geometry. Finally, there is one man who is different than the others. This break in pattern adds some tension and creates a focal point. It is an example of compositional contrast, which I will talk about in a future blog.
Photo by Antonio Trincone. Used with permission. You can see Antonio’s gallery on Facebook at Antonio Trincone and get more information about him here.
When I want to talk about color in composition, there is only one photographer that I go to, and that is Antonio Trincone. In this beautiful example, he has a repetition of color in the dog, the accordion and the guitar handle. There is a pattern of bricks in the street. There are numerous repetitions of lines. It is a simple composition but one that I spent a long time looking at.
I encourage you to look for compositional connection both in your photos and in the photos of others. You can start by analyzing my photo at the top of the blog on the left for compositional connection. Providing connections for the viewer in your compositions is one of the strongest tools in your composition bucket.