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Negative or Positive?

Can a Negative Space be Positive?

Observational drawing can throw 
some light on this ~
try drawing negative spaces,
the areas around, or the gaps inside of a subject.
 Sometimes these shapes can become more
 interesting than the subject itself,
often more clearly defining
the compositional aesthetic,
 even changing places
and
 becoming the positive!
It's the same with photography, 
as with drawing,
negative space is very important.
 I stumbled upon something
that fascinated me recently, silhouettes.
I wasn't sure why I was so allured by them?
I'd always considered them to be empty voids -
forms without internal reference points,
I suppose lifeless in a way,
but,
they were compelling, why?

 In reality silhouettes are positive forms,
surrounded by negative light
which reveals and aids recognition to shape.
Our instinctive recognition to
these positive shapes can be very powerful,
even triggering the emotions!
Sometimes the mind can feel like 
a negative space
with
few positive reference points,
but this can also change
when the light is switched on!
It's the way you see it!

Comments

Unknown said…
good morning, we seem to be blogging at the same time. :)

i've been fascinated with silhouettes for a very long time. for me, they seem to suggest infiniteness.
i've experimented with drawings and photography but never achieved something that made me smile.
Miss Robyn said…
I have never even considered silhouettes in photography. love yours here!

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