The 6 formal elements of

design
What to consider when using them in
photography

LINE
Horizontal lines in a photo tend to
cast a feeling of restfulness,
permanency, and stability. If you
want to further accentuate the
restful, stable feeling of a
horizontal line in an image, a good
way is to use horizontal framing
rather than vertical.
Layers of multiple horizontal lines
in an image can create drama and
rhythm, and can become the main
interest of the image all by
themselves. Horizontal lines can
include horizons, seas, laying
people, street sides, and almost
anything that expands horizontally.
Diagonal lines work well to guide
the viewers' attention towards the
main subject of your photo. They
can convey a sense of action and
render photos as dynamic and
interesting. Diagonal lines can be

SHAPE

The second most fundamental element of design is shape,

because shape is the principal element of identification. The most
important thing to keep in mind when shape is the essential
element in an image is that it is best defined when the subject is
frontlit or backlit. For that shape to be successfully identifiable, it
needs to be in strong contrast with its surroundings so that it is
detached from the clutter around it.

FORM
Form is basically a three-dimensional
shape, and is best accentuated by side
lighting since it casts soft elegant
shadows, and the difference between
light and shadows gives a better
illustration of the depth of an object and
amplifies the sensual understanding of
its meaning and message.

TEXTURE
No design element is more capable of moving
your deep emotions than texture. The challenge
of seeing and capturing texture is mostly based
on one element - light. Texture can be
accentuated by the side light of early sunny
mornings or early evenings, or by overhead
light when the sun is vertical and high in the
sky.

PATTERN

Life is full of patterns. It is all part of our

cosmic existence, for without patterns our
lives would be utter chaos. Most patterns we
don't recognize or we overlook because of
our busy, routine-driven, daily lives.
Two techniques come into practice while
working with patterns; you can emphasise
the pattern, or you can break it:
Emphasisinga pattern can accentuate a
sense of size and expansion. The idea is to
zoom in onto the pattern and fill the frame
with it. Emphasized pattern can include faces
amongst a crowd, a line of homogenous
plants, bricks of a wall, etc
Breakinga pattern is all about finding an
object that disrupts the continuous flow of a
pattern. It can be an object that is in clear
contrast with the rest of the objects; be it in
shape, color, or even texture. You might
need to handle your composition with extra

COLOUR
Colour is characterized by attributes such as value, hue, and saturation.
Colours, and how they're arranged, can either make or break a shot.
Different colours can send out different messages, and they indeed have an
important visual weight and impact on a photo.
Vibrant colours are energetic, interesting, and active. So are reds and
yellows. Blues and greens are comforting and soothing. The path towards
creating creative photos benefits from a high understanding of colours and
their impact on an image, as well as a high awareness of colours
surrounding you.

Eugene
Atget
What formal elements
are present here?

Which do you feel is the

most dominant?
JUSTIFY your answer!