The Aesthetics of Electrics

Pick up any household object and take a closer look at it. Whether you're turning it upside-down, zooming in close, or changing its surroundings, all of these elements of composition can better "work the shot" and better the overall aesthetic of the object. "Working the shot" involves toying with various fundamentals of design and composition techniques that can improve anyone's photography skills. Although there are numerous techniques, I will touch on my favorites in the following post. In my example, I captured diverse composition elements using hanging light bulbs as my subject matter.


 Cropping

  
Small objects, such as light bulbs, often get lost in their surroundings, so cropping an image gives the viewer a straight-forward focal point. By cropping the typical straight on photograph, it produces a more provoking image and also eliminates background noise. The chopped, zoomed-in affect draws attention to the variety of textures from the soft dust on the top of the bulb to the vibrant wire illuminating the bulb.



Layering


Capturing a layer of depth is an important composition technique, because it can create a sense of foreground, middle ground, and background. Using staggered subject matter formulates the feeling of depth and space and moves your eyes through the shot. In this shot, the overlapping light bulbs properly showcases the depth within the photo.



Angles


It's easy to take a photo of an object head-on or at eye level, but there are so many other options of angles to photograph. Finding more interesting ways to display your subject matter will strengthen the quality of your image. In this photograph, I got directly under the light bulb to find an angle you don't see everyday. The underbelly of this light bulb expresses intriguing elements of shape and line along with the obscure angle. The reflective quality of the glass bulb also adds to the level of engagement of the subject matter.



Viewpoint 


Not only does viewpoint include shooting from eye level, high above, and down below but also an extreme close-up shot. This unusual view of a light bulb creates a strong composition piece because of the vivid wiry strands. The bright lines contrasts with the dark background and keeps the viewer's eyes moving as well.



Negative Space


By utilizing a black notebook behind the light bulb, I was able to eliminate the distracting background, creating a controlled non-busy background. the notebook also allowed me to isolate a single light bulb, so I could produce a more captivating composition. The rule of thirds is also employed within this image, changing up the design of the photo but still keeping it visually balanced. 






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