1.Line—a point moving through space that creates direction or a pathway in an image. Tip: use lines that draw a viewer’s eyes into a composition and point them in the direction of the main subject of the photo—“leading lines”

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2.Shape—created when a line meets itself in an image. A shape can also be implied by the alignment of other shapes in a composition. Tip: the use of triangle shapes in compositions are a very powerful tool in artwork

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3.Form—created when shapes are seen as 3-dimensional in an image. This creates depth and distance in a composition. Tip: correct placement of forms create depth and generates more of an interest in a composition by pulling your viewer into the image

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4.Space—the area of an image taken up by elements (positive space) or the open area around or between elements (negative space) . Tip: use open spaces that have little in them to create more focus and emphasis on the subject of the image—“negative space”

 

 

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5.Texture—surfaces shown in an image that suggest to our perception and memories of touch, taste, and/or smell—this makes a photograph seem more “real” and give a life-like impression/feeling. Tip: good use of texture creates a stronger connection for a viewer to a composition

 

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6.Color—the amount of light in an image in terms of hue (type of color) and saturation (amount of the hue)…black and white has color in terms of shades of gray. Tip: there needs to be the perfect balance of color: not enough and the image is boring, but too much and the image looks unrealistic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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7.Value—the quality of light vs. dark (brightness and shadows) by using bright colors or softer color tones; or the lighting contrast tones in a black and white image…this is the “pop” that an image has to the eye…Tip: always remember that this is the first impression of an image for a viewer, it “wows” the viewer and should be used to capture their attention immediately

 

 

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