Shapes & Odds
Human beings love shapes, we recognise them quickly and easily and that helps us sort information very quickly. Triangles are one of our favourites (without us really noticing) because they have 3 sides and 3 points, and human beings also love odd numbers. Artists have always used odd numbers, victorian gardeners used odd numbers in planting, so including these in your images will make them more attractive overall.
I made the simple image below of a pair of phone boxes on the Bayswater Rd in London UK because there was such a strong geometry to the scene that it really stood out to me. Not only the five long rectangles covering the whole image horizontally but the rectangular sign and boxes themselves, the square shape between the posts of the sign, the 24 rectangles on the front glass of each phone box and the rectangular paving slabs along the pathway, this entire scene is simply a collection of complementary geometric shapes.
I made the simple image below of a pair of phone boxes on the Bayswater Rd in London UK because there was such a strong geometry to the scene that it really stood out to me. Not only the five long rectangles covering the whole image horizontally but the rectangular sign and boxes themselves, the square shape between the posts of the sign, the 24 rectangles on the front glass of each phone box and the rectangular paving slabs along the pathway, this entire scene is simply a collection of complementary geometric shapes.
A collection of shapes as in the image above isn't an unusual occurrence and quite often it is the shapes themselves that draw us into making an image. Sometimes it really is as obvious as the phone box photo above, shapes are part of everyday life, familiar shapes bring comfort and unusual shapes bring intrigue, as human beings we are always looking for shapes so it's no surprise that we find many of them appealing in images. The gallery below shows examples of obvious shapes that I have shot around London UK.
Triangle shapes are something that we are are always drawn to, perhaps because we love odd numbers a three sided shape is just more aesthetically pleasing for us. It's not just good victorian gardeners that use odd numbers, renaissance painters and their forefathers used the technique consistently, there are numerous theories on why we like odd numbers but we aren't concerned with the 'why' right now, it's enough to know that odd numbers often make for a more pleasing image and that includes shapes with odd numbered sides. The image below shows 6 triangles making the overall image and providing a vanishing point for the inuksuk to look toward.
The images in the gallery below show the benefit of groups of threes, whether cacti in the deserts of Arizona, plants at home, berries in Bragg Creek, geese by the river, grasses, or palms in Santa Monica, groups of three (or other odd numbers) make for a more pleasing image overall.
Now, whether looking at a nice snowy landscape scene in Canada, or a trestle bridge in California, how many geometric shapes do you see?
The shape of a human being (or anything that resembles one) will always be identified quickly by the viewer and become the focus of attention, even in silhouette. So always be aware of the human (or potentially human) form in your images, as these will remain the focus of attention even when balanced by a seemingly more prominent object.
Shapes within the frame really help form an image and certainly control eye movement though the shot so it's important to notice shapes and see where they might be leading you or how they might be weighing the frame down in one area. As for odd numbers, these are a very significant part photography, odd numbers are just more pleasing on the eye so always bear that in mind when framing your shot.