Bluebird Meadows of Stevensville, Michigan

Photographic Fundamentals #7
Balance

All text and images protected by Copyright 1999 Michael S. Brown
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The human eye generally finds an image more pleasing if it has a sense of balance.  This Fundamental works much like a balance scale - something on one side/area should have an opposite counterpart.  This Fundamental also has a teeter totter element as well - a small object can balance a larger one, but it must be farther from the center of the photo.

EXAMPLES

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This photograph illustrates two aspects of balance.  The most obvious is the balance between the larger lighthouse on the left and the smaller one on the right.  There is a secondary balance on the lights themselves.  One is in the upper left while the smaller light is  in the lower right.

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In this photograph, the lighthouses balance each other as described above, however, the fisherman adds a third point of balance.  If you drew lines from the fisherman to the left lighthouse, then to the smaller light, then back to the fisherman - you would have drawn a triangle which would seem to stand on its point - in perfect Balance!

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In this photograph, the sihoulete of the young child in the lower right is balanced by three elements in the picture.  First is the section of land half way up on the left.  Secondly, the lightest part of the sunset is in a balancing position with the child.  Lastly, a small overhanging branch was included in the upper left to balance the child in the lower right.

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