Balance: Humans are naturally drawn to balanced art work. Why is it important to have a balanced photograph? People naturally gravitate towards balance and a certain aesthetic pleasure can be felt. If someone views a photograph and gets this sense of aesthetic pleasure, he will be more likely to like the photograph. If the viewer likes the photograph then she will be more likely to remember the photograph. Who doesn't want a memorable photograph?
A simple way to comprehend balance is through symmetry.
Take this example image of a circle. The circle is in the center of the frame therefore it is balanced.
Now take this next example. The circle is no longer in the center of the image therefore it is unbalanced.
Many people will stop right here and say that they do not mind the unbalanced photograph. Sure, they don't mind it but look back and forth between the first and second examples. The first example clearly provides a greater sense of visual pleasure.
Let's get more complicated.
Take this third example image. It is clearly asymmetrical but strangely enough it provides a sense of balance and visual pleasure just like the first example. But how can something that is asymmetrical be balanced? The answer lies in understanding the balance system and visual weight.
The Balance System:
To help visualize how an image can be balanced or unbalanced, a balance system has been created. The balance system is comprised of mainly two parts. The scale and the weights. Here is the photograph that is on the balance system:
The Weights:
An object's size, contrast, and direction determines its amount of weight. The heavier the object's weight, the more distinct it is in the photograph. As discussed briefly in the Story section, the viewer's eyes usually travel to the heaviest object first.
These weights are not physical weights. Instead they are visual weights. But in this balance system it is important to visualize these weights as a physical object that is capable of producing downward force.
The arrows represent the downward force of the visual weights in the photograph. The larger the arrow, the heavier the weight. Let's look at the largest arrow. This arrow is directly underneath the subject of the photograph, the jumping spider. This is because the jumping spider, relative to the rest of the image, has the greatest amount of contrast. As mentioned earlier, contrast is one of the factors that produce visual weight. Since this spider has the most contrast out of all the other objects in the photograph, it has the greatest amount of weight associated with it. Let's look at the small arrows now. These arrows are underneath the edges of the leaf. These arrows are small because the edges of the leaf has little contrast compared to the spider. The edges are also thin and small in size thus further making them have less visual weight.
Direction also produces visual weight. The spider in the photograph is facing to the left of the frame thus producing visual weight to the left of the frame. In the balance scale image, this directional weight is represented by the cloud of blue and the blue arrows.
The photograph is balanced when there is roughly an equal amount of visual weight pushing down on the left and right side of the photograph and top and bottom of the photograph. In other words, imagine that the balance system and visual weight arrows are physical objects. Would the balance plane tip and fall over? If so then your photogrpah is unbalanced. If the plane remains balanced on the balance point, then you have a balanced photograph.
The Scale:
The scale can be broken down into two parts, the balance plane and the balance point.
1. Balance Plane:
The balance plane is a flat representation of the photograph that is being put on the balance system. The plane consists of the same aspect ratio as the original photograph. The balance point intersects the balance plane in its geometric center. The image is balanced when the balance plane is balancing on the balance point without falling.
2 .The Balance Point:
The balance point is what the plane and the weights are balancing on. It consists of a fine point that contacts the plane in its geometric center. The point is not exactly a point however. The point is a smaller version of the plane with the same aspect ratio. This allows for the plane to tilt and fall off the balance point in an equal way on all sides. How much smaller is the point in relation to the plane? Imagine that this scale is a physical object. The smaller the balance point, the harder it will be to balance the plane. It all depends on how precisely balanced you want the image to be. If the point is extremely small compared to the plane, then the visual weights will need to be perfectly placed in order for the plane to balance. If the balance point is large, roughly half the area of the plane, then it will be much easier for the plane and weights to balance. An analogy would be balancing a book on a pencil tip vs balancing the same book on a brick.
Everyone has her own tolerance for balance in a photograph. This tolerance is directly related to the size of her imaginary balance point. Balance is relative to the viewer but an average balance point size can be achieved. Once this average balance point size is achieved, a computer program may be able to calculate balance in a photograph using a virtual scale system.
Reviewing The Examples:
Let's review the first three examples again, this time using the balance system. It is easy to see how the first example balances and how the second example is off balance. It is however, also easy to see how the third example does not balance. However, this could be within the accepted balance range making it appear balanced to most people.