Just an apple

[Kahsia Hartwell]

[Kahsia Hartwell]

Just curious if anyone has an opinion on whether there is too much negative space in this. Thanks for any CC.

[Wendy Rosier]

It just depends on what effect you were going for Kahsia.  The ratio of negative to positive you have here speaks of emptiness/loneliness/solitude. 

If your subject were a small boat out in a sea of calm grey fog - negative space wouldn't even be a question. Like this...

But if you are trying to convey is the subtlety of the apple then you could easily crop in closer on the apple - like this. 

It really is a matter of what you intended - your image - your choice.  Hope that helps :-)

[Simon Henson]

I echo Wendy's thoughts. The subject and focal point is the apple, there is nothing else in the composition except the negative space. What is the image meant to portray for you...light, texture, solitude, delicious etc?

Aesthetically, how does it work with it's placement, to bring out your intent?

I really like the mood you've created.

[Kahsia Hartwell]

Thanks for the responses. I was wanting to convey the simple beauty, thus the name "just an apple", but I think visually, it looks better with less negative space.

[Doug McMillin]

I often value an image not only for its mood, but also for reasons of pure geometry.

In this case the primary unit of measurement is the diameter of the apple (assuming it is spherical). The derivative units for purposes of composition are the distances between the apple and each of the four frame boundaries. They determine the crop. There is very little else one can do, geometrically, other than rotate the apple.

Below is a crop that makes the distances to the frame boundaries equal to a Fibonacci series based on the apple's radius (its half-diameter), that is, they are made equal to 1,1,2,3 radii, counter-clockwise starting the bottom:

 

 

The overall aspect ratio is 6:5 (1.2) and the apple's geometric centre is at 2/6 (1/3) and 2/5. The optical centre of the apple is not at its geometrical centre, but shifted somewhat towards frame centre. There is no relying on the rule of thirds, except very approximately.

I chose a Fibonacci series because of its occurrence in nature defining a 'digital logarithmic growth spiral' and I hope it dominates the crop without 'hitting the viewer over the head'. Click to enlarge.

[Kahsia Hartwell]

Thank you for the technical explanation. It will take me some time to digest.

[Doug McMillin]

Kashia, I am in my own way suggesting that your negative space be made to 'grow' like the following, but be made smaller than your original and make a specific connection with the size of the apple:

 

Incidentally, the next term in the Fibonacci series 1,1,2,3 is 5, the height of my crop. In the future, when you are dead and famous, art critics can 'discover' these things.