Lost in Translation
Looking for meanings in words, images and sounds
Thursday’s Special: Negative Space aka the Bleak Beak
In photography, negative space denotes the area between and around objects in a photo. With the clever use of negative space you may place more emphasis on the subject of your photo and evoke emotions effectively. In this photo I believe that the unconventional framing of the swan suggests impending danger for some unsuspecting prey, hopefully a fly or a mosquito.
If you would like to participate in Thursday’s Special themeless (non)challenge, feel free to grab my Jupiter widget bellow and provide a link to this post in your post especially designed for this occasion. More details in Thursday’s Special introductory post.
Check out the contributions to Thursday’s Special:
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Blue Space
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Graffiti 4005
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Silken Feather Against Feather as She Rises
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Thursday’s Special: future femme fatale
Lost in Translation 
Hola Paula Not sure I understood the notion of negative space. 🙂 (Or is everything around me negative?)
🙂
Bon cadrage de toute façon!
A +
Brian
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I wouldn’t be surprised that everything around you is negative 😉 It seems that way too here at work…. Je te remercie pour ta gentillesse. A+
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Allez, bon week-end. Ne manque pas le chapitre 49 de Foglines! (Le dénouement!) 🙂
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Brian, Je ne peux pas ouvrir ton blog et je ne sais pas pourquoi :S
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Chais pas. C’est bizarre. Aujourd’hui je l’ai ouvert sans problème. Essaye encore? 🙂
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Nice shot Paula,love the perspective. Though you might want to watch out because the impending danger may be heading your way. Swans can be down right nasty.
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I agree with Jeff. Swans are beautiful, but they can be nasty sometimes.
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I have never experienced them as nasty, but I believe this photo is showing them in that light.
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I’ve been chased by a few of them. Strangely enough, telling them that they’d fit nicely in my oven does not deter them one bit 😉
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Beautiful! Maybe it’s the angle but that swan looks ready for bear! 🙂
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😀 Thank you Linda, I think your perception is right 🙂
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Thank you for demonstrating negative space so beautifully. The composition and consequent focus on the beak is wonderful. (You really have an aversion to flies. I thought that was an Australian state of mind! May the swan eradicate them for you.)
I think I might have encountered negative space yesterday at an artists’ group I gate crashed as a writer: one of the artists worked with a fountain pen and archival black ink to fill an A5 page with intricate patterning. In the top left hand corner there was a lizard-insect creature, whose tail was part of the intricacy and whose head emerged into a patch of white space, bordered by a bit more pen work. Tell me: does this qualify?
I’m being idle (I should be preparing my deck garden for a weekend planting) so I also googled and found this collection which is worth a look
http://www.creativebloq.com/art/art-negative-space-8133765
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Hello Meg, I am sure it qualifies 🙂 but I couldn’t find the link or the post. Can you send the link, please?
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This is the link
http://www.creativebloq.com/art/art-negative-space-8133765
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Hi Meg, I thought you were talking about your post for TS. I have seen that one before. Thank you 🙂
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A mysterious look to the background for sure Paula. Not sure what to expect might come out from the darkness.
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Great angles in this shot, Paula.
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Thanks a lot, Lisa 🙂
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…e cosi , si nota perfino lo sguardo del pennuto….
Sta sicuramente “puntando” qualcosa……………….
Bravissima , Paula , come sempre!
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😀 la parola “pennuto” e nova per me 😀
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Pingback: Graffiti 4005 | artishorseshit
Here’s a negative space that’s been turned into something more colorful and positive: http://artishorseshit.wordpress.com/2014/09/04/graffiti-4005/
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Yes, a very interesting piece of street art. Thank you for the link, CG.
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My pleasure Paula.
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I’ve seen them try to bite people and dragons too, so I stay well clear. 🙂
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😀 and I will take your word for it and not tempt them 🙂
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Interesting Notes on photography Paula. The swan is truly a beauty.
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Yeah, but a mean one 😉 Thank you for brightening my day with your visit, Colline.
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I have heard that swans are not very friendly!
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Great shot, Paula. That negative space appears to be moving. 🙂 The music certainly sounds like impending danger.
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🙂 a zoom lens.. Thank you dear Sylvia 🙂
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This is a perfect illustration of something I was trying to say to a writer/blogger whose writing is all swan and no negative space. Glad it has a name, thanks.
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😀 You’ve made me laugh Hilary. We need negative space….
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Totally agree with the comment above. This is a perfect example of how negative space can be used beautifully. I like the unique composition, Paula.
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🙂 means a lot..
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Pingback: Silken Feather Against Feather as She Rises | Babsje Heron
Lovely swan photo Paula, and a great example of, and text about, negative space.
Here’s mine for this Thursday, though it may already be Friday for you. 🙂
Silken Feather Against Feather as She Rises
http://babsjeheron.wordpress.com/2014/09/04/silken-feather-against-feather-as-she-rises/
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A (non)challenge challenge is my idea of a great challenge.
patriciasplace.me/
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okay let’s try the link again
http://patriciasplace.me/2014/09/04/thursdays-special-future-femme-fatale/
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Thank you, Patricia. She is adorable 😀
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Very nice way to use negative space… I have go searching for a pic or two and see if I have any…
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That’s nice of you, Lumar 🙂
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I sometimes think these innocent looking creatures need all the negative space you can give them. A lovely shot Paula!
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