Balancing figure and space

The focus in this image is on the chequered fence, characteristic of the many features on this pathway lining the entrance to some houseboats in Shoreham. The figures in the image add a human element, while their soft focus retains the fence as the focus of the image.

In the second image, the fence is too small in the image to retain attention as the eye is more drawn to the people. A further issue with this is that because the people appear to be the subject, it looks like the main focus on the fence was accidental.

The tall cliff lined with trees above creates a dramatic scene for such a small child to be climbing into. In the second image, much of the drama is lost due to the omission of the cliff top and trees.

Making figures anonymous

When a place is the main subject of an image but it would look better inhabited, sometimes it helps to make the people anonymous, to prevent them from becoming the subject.

A crowd can dominate a scene but individuals in this image are unrecognisable, on and off stage.

The people add interest and a human element to the wet festival scene, however the environment remains the subject.

The activities are the subjects of these images rather than the place. As above, making the individual anonymous prevents any person from becoming the subject.

The graffiti artist is not the subject of the image but her presence shows that it is a newly created piece.

The images below all show different elements of festival life while retaining the anonymity of the people; this is achieved by photographing people from behind.

 

A silhouette ensures anonymity by removing all detail from the person, leaving only the setting as the subject.

By partly obscuring the people in an image, focus is then drawn to the environment or the activity.

A slow shutter speed to create motion blur can prevent the people in an image from being recognised.