Balance in Photography

PHOTO CHALLENGE | Shoot for as many types of balance and symmetry as you can from this list.

• Symmetrical

• Asymmetrical

• Tonal

• Color

• Conceptual

Balance in photography is observed when an image has subject areas that look balanced throughout the composition. It is achieved by shifting the frame and juxtaposing subjects within it so objects, tones, and colors are of equal visual weight.

A balanced photograph often allows the viewer's eye to be drawn throughout the image equally, without resting too heavily on one certain aspect of the image. Photographs that are improperly balanced are often less appealing to look at, especially if the 'heavier' part of the image lies too far left or right.

Five types of balance to understand in photography:

• Symmetrical Balance | While not all balanced photographs are symmetrical, all symmetrical photographs are balanced. Symmetry (also known as formal balance) is achieved when both sides of the image hold equal weight. Photographers have creative license to take this ‘symmetry’ as literally or as figuratively as they please, as you can see by the two examples below. Each photograph is equally balanced if split down the middle, yet one is literally symmetrical and the other uses different elements of the composition to appear symmetrical.

• Asymmetrical Balance | Asymmetrical balance is a bit more difficult to achieve (also known as informal balance). The more you are consciously aware of asymmetrical balance in your own personal compositions, the easier it will become in your daily practice. Many professional photographers prefer asymmetrical balance due to the complexity of the image. When an image is symmetrically balanced, that symmetry is initially obvious to the viewer. However, when an image is asymmetrically balanced, the viewer has to spend a little more time looking at the image in order to realize that fact. Instead of mirror images or an equal weight on each side of the photograph, the image is balanced by the creative use of size, tone, and form of the subjects within the composition. Each side of the photograph, in turn, becomes equally weighted regardless of their differences.

• When considering tones within your image, begin to think of highlights as weighing very little, with shadows weighing much more. In order for asymmetrical balance to be achieved, you need to have a perfect balance between both light and heavy. Consider this: since shadows ‘weigh’ more, a photograph would need to have more highlights than shadows in order to be considered balanced. Asymmetrical balance is also commonly achieved when one main subject (commonly located in the foreground) is balanced out by another, less important subject (commonly located in the background, which you can see with the various trees and vehicles in the photo above).

• Tonal Balance | Tonal balance can be seen most clearly in photographs that are nothing but black, whites, and grays. Balance can be seen in terms of contrast between the light and dark areas of an image. However, I love to see tonal balance in color images as well. The above photo has a balance of soft reds, yellows, and greens with a delicate contrast and a lot of light.

• Color Balance | We’ve seen how different tones hold different weights, but did you know that different colors hold different weights as well? Think about it this way: if you were looking at an image that was half bright red and half muted yellow, which color would your eyes automatically drift to? For most of us, the answer is the red. Brighter colors are ‘heavier’ than neutral colors, which is why a pop of color within a photograph can easily balance out a scene that would otherwise be too heavy on one side.

• Conceptual Balance | If you’re just getting used to using balance in your own compositions, take time to perfect the above types of balance before branching out to the more philosophical type. It’s important to note that for a photograph to be conceptually balanced, it should also be either asymmetrically or symmetrically balanced as well. In the photo above, the ‘weight’ of the building is balanced by the ‘weight’ of the foliage. We see light and shadow through each, and your eye bounces from corner to corner.