Balance and Symmetry

CompositionThere are 5 areas of balance and symmetry which help produce more balanced and compelling photographs or designs:

•Symmetrical balance•Asymmetrical balance•Radial balance•Rule of thirds•Visual centre

These may also be combined.

Symmetrical Balance

Each half like a mirror

image of the other side

Symmetrical Balance

Centrally aligned elements

Logo, source: openclipart.org

Symmetrical Balance

Sides mirrored

Symmetrical Balance

Often suited to formal, traditional or old subjects

Symmetrical Balance

Can be plain or boring, but also reliable and consistent

Asymmetrical Balance

Main subject often placed to one side rather than centre

Asymmetrical Balance

Sides are no longer “mirrored”

Asymmetrical Balance

Asymmetrical balance can be achieved by dividing up the composition into areas which are different, but

equally interesting

Asymmetrical Balance

Elements placed to one side, then counterbalanced by different elements on other side

Asymmetrical Balance

This is also known as equally distributing visual weight

Larger element is shifted nearer to the centre and smaller element further to the side

Asymmetrical Balance

The dominant but SMALLER area of BRIGHTER red (dress) to the left of centre is counterweighted by the DULLER but LARGER area of pink (dress) to the right of

Asymmetrical Balance

A dominant shape with a low value contrast to the background will demand our attention as much as a small shape with a strong value/colour contrast to the background.

A larger area of lighter colour is needed to balance the smaller area of the denser colour

Asymmetrical Balance

Which weighs more, a pound of cotton balls or a pound of gold?

They are equal in weight, but very different in appearance

Asymmetrical Balance

Sometimes subjects can be balanced by “white space”, or empty space, or just a plain simple background

Asymmetrical Balance

Asymmetrical balance – different sides but equally interesting or weighted

Asymmetrical Balance

Radial Balance

With radial balance, circular patterns can radiate out from a point, or patterns can swirl around in a circular or spiral path.

Radial Balance

Perspective lines leading to a vanishing point - these images are from Tallinn

Radial Balance

Lines leading to a point

Radial Balance

First Channel of Soviet television logoSource: openclipart.org

Rule of Thirds

Rule of thirds uses a 3*3 grid to help you create balanced layouts. For example, important elements can be placed at intersections of the grid lines, or along lines

Rule of Thirds

Some digital cameras allow a 3rds grid to be placed in the view finder

Rule of Thirds

This example shows elements, i.e. faces, filling the rectangles of the grid spatially

Rule of Thirds

A few more examples …

Visual Centre

The visual centre is considered to be to the right and above the geometric centre of a page or composition

Visual Centre

The focal or dominant point in the picture lies in the visual centre

geometric centre

Visual Centre

Visual Centre