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Project 52 Week 37: “Visual Mass”

I’m obsessed with super sharp focus on eyes and I’m thrilled when I can nail that PERFECT!  This week’s 52 Week Pet Photography Project topic forced me to pull away from that… to attempt something new that might still impact the viewer 🙂

It’s called “Visual Mass”. What is that?  It’s the principle that “certain visual elements attract the eye more than others”.  Meaning, just because I have a dog in the photo with eyes, does NOT necessarily mean that the eyes are the most impacted part of the photo!  As Duchemin mentions in his chapter from the Visual Toolbox, “Visual Mass”, “every element in the frame pulls the eye with greater or lesser force.”

I decided to set up the scene with Kota, not necessarily focusing on her eyes.  Here are some of my results.

Where does your eye go in the first 2 photos?  To the ball – I purposely put focus here and chose a bright color to grab attention.  Bright, saturated colors, especially red,  grab the eye’s attention.  The 2nd photo I chose Kota looking away.  Therefore, it wouldn’t look like I made a “mistake” of not focusing on her eyes 🙂

 

kota-red-ball-1-1-of-1

 

 

kota-red-ball-2-1-of-1

 

In the next photo I put a colorful can of Chock ful o’ Nuts coffee in front of Kota (if you read an earlier post, Peet’s coffee is my favorite!)  I put sharper focus on Kota’s eyes along with the hand she is looking at for the treat.  The coffee can is slightly out-of-focus.  Even though it is brighter, I believe the stronger focus pulls the eyes toward Kota’s eye and the hand coming into the frame.

 

Kota with coffee

Next up in our blog circle is Elaine Tweedy, Northeast PA Pet Photographer, I Got The Shot Photography.  Check out her take on this week’s topic of “Visual Mass” and continue on by clicking the link at the end of each post.  Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

 

4 thoughts on “Project 52 Week 37: “Visual Mass””

  1. I am also always trying to create images with extremely sharp eyes. I actually just inquired yesterday about a macro lens…. 🙂 I’m dreaming but maybe some day.

    1. Kim, let me know if you decide on a macro! I hadn’t put it on my wish list just yet – haha! I feel like my pics are much sharper focus with my prime lenses and end up using them more.

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