EX89 Closure with circles and ovals

The Gestalt design principle of closure states that when we look at a complex arrangement of visual elements, we tend to look for a single, recognizable pattern.

My interpretation of this is that we complete visual shapes in compositions despite not being able to see them fully. A good example is how my diagonal line in the photograph bellow extends right to each of the corners in the mind of the viewer.

Notice how the diagonal line of the tree branch extends to both corners. This is our brains filling in the missing elements for us.

The best way to use this is when we are paying attention to the edges of a composition and we want to take the viewers eye right to the edge, and even out of the image area and bring it back into the photograph because we are creating a circular shape that extends beyond the image.

I use this concept regularly when I am choosing the edge of my photographs. I want to consider am I taking the viewer away from my photograph or intentionally bringing them back in with the suggestion of a continued shape.

This is really worth working on and figuring out how to do.

So this week play with circles or ovals and see if you can suggest them to the viewer, and take the viewers eye out of the photograph and bring it back in with the shape.

We will be discussing this exercise with the examples you post next Friday. Post your photographs in the relevant post in the forum.

In this photograph I am attempting to create a circular shape between the darker rocks. One that extends beyond the picture frame.

In this photograph I am attempting to create a circular shape mostly within the picture frame.