Positive Space

Last month I wrote about negative space in art and photography.

This month’s article is about positive space. My image demonstrates how the negative space of the background wall sets the scene for the positive space of the painting and the viewer.

It is really about composition and juxtaposition of the elements within the frame. If I had cropped tight around the main subject (the positive space), it would have removed the sense of place which is important in the photograph as the painting sits within an exterior doorframe which is unusual. I’m sure that the artist chose the colours to contrast with the surrounding wall, which in my mind gives a neapolitan ice cream vibe. The muted coloured top worn by the viewer blends well with the background, her circular wicker bag adds curves to the straight horizontal and vertical lines beyond.

I positioned myself so that the staring eyes of the painted figure appear to be looking directly into the camera. The viewer, as in most of my street photography, remains anonymous as the photograph is not intended as a portrait, it’s not about her, the main star is the painting and the unique space that it occupies within an urban environment. The viewer simply helps to set the scene and to introduce humanity with her interaction with the painted figure. Colour photographs can work well when the palette is muted. A strong colour here would dominate the image.

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