Gestalt Theory
Lesson 32 from: Mastering Photographic Composition and Visual StorytellingChris Weston
Gestalt Theory
Lesson 32 from: Mastering Photographic Composition and Visual StorytellingChris Weston
Lessons
Your 10,001st Photograph
03:24 2Camera Gear
03:03 3Piece of Gear We Always Forget
03:47 4Be a Storyteller
03:09 5Finding Ideas For Photography - Know Your Subject
06:59 6Cae Study - Why Are Zebras Black and White Striped
01:30 7Photograph What You Love
02:00 8See the Extraordinary in Ordinary Things
01:31Have an Opinion
01:46 10See With a Child’s Eyes
02:34 11Tell Your Story
08:46 12Find a Needle in the Haystack
01:38 13Lions Hunting Under Star Trails
04:21 14Ansel Adams and Visualisation in Practice
03:20 15Keeping an Open Mind and Thinking on Your Feet
02:47 16Case Study - The Maternal Bond
02:42 17Don’t Tell the Same Old Story
02:38 18Relevance
01:06 19#1 Reason Photographs Fail
02:57 20Getting Rid of Clutter
03:59 21Post Capture Cropping
02:04 22The Elements of Design
02:31 23Elements of Design
01:38 24Elements of Design - Shape
02:21 25Case Study - Shape
02:11 26Elements of Design - Color
01:55 27Case Study - Color
01:50 28Color in Camera
01:42 29Pattern
01:54 30Texture
02:24 31Seeing The Elements of Design
08:52 32Gestalt Theory
05:10 33Case Study - Cove
01:36 34Case Study - Hat
02:09 35Light and Contrast
01:54 36Light and Form
01:26 37Light and Depth
03:48 38Perspective
02:28 39Lenses and Perspective
02:47 40Rule of Thirds
02:48 41Centre of Frame
01:36 42Case Study - Positioning the Subject
01:48 43Positioning the Subject - Dynamic Symmetry
03:20 44The Horizon Line
02:52 45Should the Horizon Line Always be Straight and Level
02:13 46Other Lines
04:57 47Rhythm, Balance, and Visual Weight
02:59 48Negative Space
02:29 49The Two Most Important Controls on Your Camera
03:41 50Training the Mind
04:26Lesson Info
Gestalt Theory
on its own. A musical note is just a sound. Lots of notes is a noise, but when you bring those individual parts together in a coherent way, they create an ensemble that elicits an emotional do. In other words, when you hear a piece of music played, you're hearing a collection of individual notes that, when put together in a coherent way, produce a harmonic hole. What was noise becomes a symphony. This observation is more formally described in gestalt theory and is equally true. A photographic composition guest Out is a German word for form. On refers to a psychology based hypothesis that attempts to explain how our brain works to interpret in a meaningful way the myriad bits of data picked up by our senses. It helps to inform us how best to compose, for example, a piece of music or, in our case, a photograph. So it elicits an emotional response, which, at the end of the day is surely the main purpose of photography. The five principles of gestalt theory are similarity, continuation, pr...
oximity, figure and ground and closure, and I'll explain each of these in turn, starting with a bunch of roses, a dozen red roses are perceived as one bunch at a single white rose, however, and it becomes a solitary flower against a background of red. Now, in visual terms, we group objects, it appears similar and see them as one entity, which creates unity. However, when an object sits outside this whole it shared dissimilarity draws our attention away from the bunch, emphasising instead, the individual continuation occurs when the I is compelled to move between one object on the next. In this image, which is full of mystery, the principle of continuance lead you where I want you to go. The bright tree on the left first draws your eye. You then continue from trunk to trunk until you get to the gap that leads deep into the forest on the unknown Beyond. Continuity then ensures the viewer is taken on an orderly journey through the picture space. It brings structure to an image in much the same way bars bring structure to music or using another analogy. Chapters bring structure toe a book. Next is proximity visual elements in proximity of perceived as a group, while distant objects have seen in separate the four women in this photograph of the main subject of the image and formed the group due to their proximity. The tram and the people waiting for the tram, on the other hand, being separate from the four women form the background. Separation gives an image a three dimensional appearance because it creates a sense of depth on so long as there is a relationship that links the subject and the background, the image retains its overall structure. Moving on our mind differentiates between object and area objects such as forms or shapes or Sina's figures, while the surrounding areas that perceived is either foreground or background. And this is where the figure and ground principle comes from. The simplest example of figure and ground is a dark object against a light background, or vice versa. And we can clearly see this here, where the oca colored leaf, which forms the figure, is defined against the backdrop of snow, which forms the ground in a more complex example. In this image, the figure ground relationship is more subjective, seen one way, the waterfalls and the oxbow, with the figures and the land and peak form the foreground and background. Seen another way, however, the peak forms of figure on the river and sky form the ground. In other words, the story is opened individual interpretation in both cases, objective or subjective. A clear separation between figure and ground brings visual clarity that will improve your compositions. And that brings me to the final principle of gestalt theory, which aptly is closure. Closure refers to our minds natural tendency to fill in the blanks. For example, As you look at this, your mind fills the spaces with the correct letters to complete the word just out now in photography, closure may be used to encourage fewer interaction by leaving gaps in the information provided the viewer's imagination fully engages with the image involving them in the process of completing the story. In this image, you don't see half a tiger. Instead, your imagination fills in the blank you're now engaged in. My story has become. Our story on the photographic experience has become a shared adventure. No
Ratings and Reviews
Edmund Cheung
Perhaps the style of presentation and simple, short, and direct messaging does not "jive" with some; but others may really love this. Yes the production of each episode is stylized and perhaps a bit formal (like a TV Show?), but there is something to be said about it. Perhaps this is not meant for professional photographers? I think of myself as decent amateur / high level photographer. I found lots of great nuggets of wisdom and inspiration from this. Especially when I an in a rut for creativity. Yes I have heard all these concepts and ideas before. BUT it is always great to hear and see a different way of presentation and voice. Please do NOT take the naysayer reviews as the end all. You should judge for yourself and watch a few episodes. If the style and content click for you, I would highly recommend this course.
Abdullah Alahmari
Thanks a lot to mr. Chris Weston This course is great and It is a 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 course for me. Beside the other course ( mastering the art of photography ) both courses are Complementing to each other and highly recommended.
Kai Atherton
While I am perhaps more advanced in my photography then this course. It is always great to be able to go back to fundamentals and remind ourselves of the basic principles, and even camera function. I thoroughly enjoyed this course and Chris's other. It is a great motivational jumpstart when lacking fresh creative idea's.
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