Field notes · Look · Try · Compare
Noticing dots and spots in a photograph
Follow the spacing, contrast and rhythm of repeated small marks.
Eruka Frog from Soul Eater · Photograph: Yenra
Captured: 2015:05:22 11:30:12
A repeated spot can give your eye a small route through a photograph. Large white circles on a dress, dark marks on red fabric and a row of distant lights each offer a different rhythm. Begin by looking at the marks, then look at the spaces between them. You may find a pattern you had enjoyed without quite noticing how it worked.
Begin with pale spots on dark fabric
Large white spots stand out against the black dress. Their size makes them easy to follow, while the dark areas between them keep each mark distinct. Some spots meet the edges or folds of the garment, so the pattern varies as it travels across the frame.
Look from the upper spot toward the lower ones and back to the model’s face. The repeated circles give you several places to pause. The orange hat offers another kind of accent, making it possible to enjoy the pattern and still return to the portrait.
In one of your own photographs, try describing the spacing before naming the subject: widely separated, closely gathered, or gradually changing. A few ordinary words can help you recognize what you want to explore next.
Notice dark spots on a bright surface
Miraculous Ladybug · Photograph: Yenra
Captured: 2015:05:22 19:52:11
Here the spots are dark against a bright red costume. Their edges change with the turn of the fabric, and some are partly hidden by an arm or a fold. A repeated motif can remain recognizable while each individual mark looks a little different.
Compare this pattern with the white spots in the first photograph. Which marks catch your attention first? How much surrounding color do you notice between them? There is room to enjoy both the regular repetition and the small interruptions.
If you are making a new portrait with patterned clothing, one small turn or a change in framing can reveal a different arrangement. Explore a comfortable variation with the model and see which part of the pattern becomes clearer.
Find repeating points in the background
Vibrant Costumed Woman in Outdoor Setting · Photograph: Yenra
Captured: 2015:05:23 22:08:06
Rows of bright points fill much of the background behind this model. Their colors and spacing create a recognizable field of repetition, while the figure interrupts the rows. The pattern belongs to the setting, giving the portrait another layer to explore.
Try following a row toward the outline of the hat or shoulder. Then look at the darker open area near the bottom of the frame. A pattern can be especially noticeable beside an area with fewer marks.
Your own example could be buttons, a dotted mug, lights in a window or small flowers seen from a distance. Choose one repeated mark and notice its size, spacing and surroundings. Keep one observation that makes you curious enough to return.
Look back with curiosity.
- Where does the pattern become easier to see?
- How does spacing change its rhythm?
- Which interruption brings your attention back to the subject?
Keep exploring
Noticing circles in a photograph · Finding rhythm in repeated shapes · Noticing checks and grids in a photograph
Browse the complete Animazement 2015 gallery.