Page 25 - Australian Photography Dec 2020

ABOVE: Vietnamese Girls at a Temple. Bright, white subjects read strongly against a dark background and therefore the image has an instant visual appeal. Nikon D800, 24-70mm f/2.8 lens
@ 48mm. 1/200s @ f4, ISO 400.
RIGHT: Novice Monk and White Temple. The monk has many shadows with only a few highlights, and therefore reads clearly against a mostly white background consistent in tone and pattern. Nikon D800, 24-85mm f/2.8-4 lens @ 35mm. 1/640s @ f13, ISO 400.
in balance. If the figure is dark and the background is light, but the figure overlaps with something that is also dark in the background, this could potentially be a problem as the idea is to have the figure as unobstructed as possible from anything behind them.
Other approaches to implementing the figure-to- ground concept can be achieved through blur and depth of field. A blurry background against an in-focus subject helps us to separate the two, and is useful in close up and mid-shot portraiture. Another is with colour con- trast, where the figure and background feature different colours, visually helping us to separate them.
The overall thinking when photographing a scene with people is to be aware who the focal point is – do they stand out clearly from the background, and are they positioned well in the composition that will make the image aesthetically pleasing, for example using the rule of thirds, or not being too close to the edge of the frame.
| 25 | DECEMBER 2020 | AUSTRALIANPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
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