Understanding composition and how it affects visual communication is empowering. Composition drives mood, meaning and message. It is the arrangement of the elements of art according to the principles of design.
The Elements are: line, shape, form, pattern, space, value & color.
The Principles of Design are: movement, scale, balance, harmony, rhythm and emphasis.
Here, an introduction to positive and negative shape, starting with my front porch door matt. Every time I do a photo shoot, focusing on a specific concept, what begins as simple and obvious grows into a more sophisticated awareness.
Positive & negative with geometric shapes.

Positive & negative with organic shapes.

Positive & negative in the snow and again in the grass.

Extremely unequal positive and negative.

3 with different subjects....



2 that include perspective.


2 from a bird's eye view...


Repetition and layers of positive & negative?


Positive & negative comedy? Perhaps...

Positive & negative, same subject, different viewpoints...



Positive & negative, cropped, unusual angles, geometric.



Positive & negative, cropped, unusual angles
, organic.



Positive & negative from simple and literal to complex, layered and conceptual.


Recap....