{"id":33249,"date":"2017-01-17T12:00:47","date_gmt":"2017-01-17T20:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=33249"},"modified":"2017-01-16T22:06:47","modified_gmt":"2017-01-17T06:06:47","slug":"what-is-the-visual-anchor-in-your-photo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/01\/17\/what-is-the-visual-anchor-in-your-photo\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Visual Anchor\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in Your Photo?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Santa
Santa Monica, 2009<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Imagine a boat at sea, that is swaying in the ocean. Without an anchor\u00e2\u20ac\u201d it would float away (and possibly be captured by pirates).<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What is your \u00e2\u20ac\u0153visual anchor\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in your frame?<\/h2>\n
\"Seoul,
Seoul, 2009<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Treat the same metaphor to your photos; your viewer is looking at your image. What is the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153visual anchor\u00e2\u20ac\u009d which keeps their attention from swaying? What is the one thing you want your viewer to focus on in your image? If you make your photos too complicated, your viewer will become frustrated, and move on.<\/p>\n

You want one central visual anchor for your viewer\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eyes to settle on \u00e2\u20ac\u201d to keep their intrigue. That can be a single eye, a single hand-gesture, a single color, or a single subject.<\/p>\n

If you look at paintings, there tends to be \u00e2\u20ac\u0153visual hierarchies\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in terms of subjects. Generally the subject in a painting that is biggest and closest to the viewer is #1 (in the foreground). Then someone in the mid-ground who is a little smaller is #2 in terms of the visual hierarchy. Then someone in the background (the smallest person) is #3 in terms of the visual hierarchy. I generally find that having 3 subjects is the ideal number of subjects in a frame, to have enough interest, without having too much complexity in a photo.<\/p>\n

Creating a visual-hierarchy<\/h2>\n
\"Santa
Santa Monica, 2010<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How would you create a visual hierarchy in your photos?<\/p>\n

I generally recommend having a primary subject in your photos. To identify your primary subject, ask yourself:<\/p>\n