November 25, 2023 • 170

LAPC #277: Empty Spaces

…Although the viewer’s eyes may focus on a central figure, they can’t help but notice the large section of emptiness that surrounds and defines that figure. So, essentially, that emptiness (in whatever form it takes) gives definition and emphasis to the subject.

From the Adobe website.

Empty space is all around us. It’s a wide-open sky with no clouds. It’s a field with a lone tree in the middle. But what’s empty space in photography? Without getting too technical, I’ll turn to the experts at Adobe who have helped me to define it. Emptiness in an image can help isolate the subject and also highlight it by drawing the viewer’s attention to it. What else? It can convey a mood–like loneliness, solitude, fear, or sadness. By isolating the subject and surrounding it with empty space, you also create drama, which gives your images a powerful, visual appeal.

(A technical note: Some of you may be wondering if empty space is the same as negative space. The quick answer from an expert is that they are similar. “Negative space is thought of as an image with a lot of empty space...While this is how negative space is most often used, this is not the only way….A negative space image occurs when the areas surrounding the subject are peripheral. They almost blend into the background. This causes you to focus even more on the subject.” To read more about negative space, click this link.)

Let’s start with some examples, which will (hopefully!) illustrate the benefits of adding “empty spaces” to our photographs. I’ll start with two of my favorite images–one taken on a road trip out West in the USA and another on a beach in Fiji.

This image has very few elements– a billboard, an open field, and dark skies. The billboard (the subject of the photo) is surrounded by a wide-open field (empty space) and stormy skies. All this empty space can convey a mood. For me, the mood is–loneliness or bleakness, but you might choose serenity or solitude.

As you can see, the natural beauty in Fiji is incredible. The setting sun is the subject here. It’s bordered by the tranquil waters of Nadi Bay–a wide, empty space–except for two pylons from an abandoned pier. In this image, I was trying to convey a mood of tranquility and serenity.

This corridor in Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin is empty, but at the same time, it is filled with the ghosts of prisoners and echoes of their misery. The stark hallway with peeling paint helps to convey a mood of bleakness and despair in the prison.

This photo taken near Banff, Canada was an experiment. After converting the image to black and white, I darkened the foreground and background, creating more empty space. In this way, the subject is contained in the narrow band of light in the center. Does this image of the mountains covered in fog convey a sense of emptiness or loneliness?

Our son Alex captured this image in Kamloops, Canada–not in the desert Southwest in the USA. Surprised? So were we!

Even with a population of 90,000 people, this area of Kamloops seems deserted, desolate.

I shot this image at Dee Why Beach in New South Wales, Australia. My eyes were drawn to the people silhouetted against the cloudy sky. All the empty space in the foreground (the sand) and background (the sky) helps to lead your eyes to the subject (the people).

What mood does this image convey to you?

As we explore “Empty Spaces” this week, I hope you’ll add this compositional technique to your photo “toolkit.” It highlights and defines the subject, creates a more dramatic scene, and can convey a mood to your viewers. Please join us this week and share your “Empty Spaces.” Any space can work– a tree stripped of leaves after a storm, a desert, a snowy field, an abandoned building…let your imagination run wild and explore empty spaces close to home or liberate them from your archives. Include a link to this post and be sure to use the Lens-Artists tag so we all can enjoy your photos.

A special thanks to James for guest hosting last week, sharing wonderful photos and inspiring us to experiment with perspective. It was a terrific challenge. Next week, it’s Amy’s turn to lead us. Her theme will be “Unique.”

Until then, stay healthy, stay hopeful, and stay curious!

If you’re new to Lens-Artists and would like to join, follow this link for more information.

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170 replies »

  5. I question the terms ‘empty space’ and ‘negative space,’ because I don’t find them so. For example, the photo taken in New South Wales does not draw me to the small figures pictured centrally but to the beauty and the fullness of so-called empty space. The figures are just incidental.

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    • Hi Ritva. (Big smile.) Many thanks for your thoughtful comment and kind words! The sunsets in Fiji were incredible. I was so happy to capture that one. Whenever you can, I’d love to hear your thoughts on minimalistic composition. 🙂

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  31. As always Patti, an excellent and thoughtful post beautifully illustrated. I especially loved your first three images. All different but all so evocative and powerful. I expect a wonderful response this week despite the US holiday!

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    • Hi Tina. Many, many thanks. This is an area that I want to experiment with. I love the idea of conveying emotion in the image. I’ve got a lot of posts to read, but it’s always worth it! I learn so much from everyone. Have a great week. Hope Thanksgiving was wonderful.

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  40. My goodness. I’m sorry I didn’t respond sooner Patti. It’s not because I didn’t read this wonderful post. I just got into finding photos for my response! Thank you for this educational and fun challenge.

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    • Hi Sarah. Thanks as always for your feedback on those shots. Always so valuable. Your collection was amazing! Perfect for the challenge. Now I know that it’s one of your favorite compositional techniques. 🙂 🙂

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    • Hi IJ. Interesting observations on the last image. I did experiment with zooming in and out. It turns out I spent more time on that shot than all the others! Thanks, as always, for your acute observations!

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  51. Hi Patti – I enjoyed your inspiring lessons along with the photos. It was hard to choose a favorite, but I do love a sunset as glorious as the Nadi Bay photo. The Banff mountain photo in B&W is mysterious to me. The tunnel photo invites us to discover more. The colors in Alex’s photo are eye-catching. Thanks for hosting this week’s challenge and for getting us thinking more about empty spaces in our photos. In case the ping-back didn’t work, here’s my twisted take on the prompt. https://www.quaintrevival.com/how-i-roll-with-messy-thoughts-about-changing-and-aging/

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  54. What a wonderful selections for this theme, Patti! Thank you for showing us the various ways to capture photos with empty spaces. I love the first image. The landscape in BnW is my favorite. 🙂

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    • Hi Amy. This post took more time than I expected, but I’m so happy I dug deeper into this topic. Thanks for your thoughts and feedback, as always! The landscape in Banff is hauntingly beautiful, isn’t it? We were stunned at how beautiful it is. Enjoy the week.

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  55. This was such an interesting a challenging challenge, Patti, because you went beyond the purely empty space we would expect. I like all the images but the first two are my favorites. The B&W in the first image gives a retro feel as well as emphasizing the emptiness, at least to me. Although there’s much to look at in the second, it’s still “empty” in the sense of not being cluttered with “things.” Thanks for making me think. I’m looking forward to seeing other entries.

    LAPC #277: Empty Spaces

    janet

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    • Hi Janet. Your collection was terrific! I’m still thinking about the water droplets. 🙂 I also thought the first image was more powerful in b & w. Believe it or not…I took it from the car on a road trip. What a lucky find. And Fiji…heavenly place. It’s impossible to take a bad photo! Take care, happy holiday, and see you in December. 🙂

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    • Hi Eklastic. The mountains around Banff are very dramatic, so I’m glad that came though. I also thought that in the fog they looked a bit mysterious. Glad you enjoyed my photos! Many thanks.

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  65. I loved this challenge, Patti. Your presentation was an impactful look at how we can bring empty spaces into our photography. The sunset in Fiji was so colorful and tranquility at its finest. I found myself studying the image from Australia. For me, it felt like solitude even with the people in in, because it seems like a simply moment in time where, a family or friends were together without any other distractions. They probably never knew what a beautiful picture they painted, Very nice Patti, thank you for the creative possibilities that have come from this.

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    • Thank you so much, Donna. I appreciate your thoughtful comments, which give me a very clear idea of what you are “seeing” when you look at the photos. That’s great feedback. Glad you found inspiration from this theme!!

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  66. All good shots for the challenge Patti. Really like your opener of the billboard and b&w is the perfect way to give it that empty, desolate feel of a place. Definitely felt that with that shot. And we’re on the same wavelength with the prison shot as you’ll see in my post 🙂

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  71. Hi Patti, This is new information to me. Like you said, we’ve explored negative space before, but I can see the moods here set by empty space. I love the ghost-filled hallway, and the fog-shrouded mountains. This is a stunning collection. Now I must empty my thoughts, and refill them with truly empty spaces.

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    • Hi Marsha. Thanks so much for your thoughts on this one and your kind words. I think this theme resonated with me because I crave stillness, and filling empty space with peaceful thoughts. I’m delighted this resonated with you, too. 🙂

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      • I think you’ll like my empty spaces, too, though I don’t have tons of pictures. I saw Janet’s and Donna’s posts and they both had some incredible photos, too. 🙂

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  78. Patti, you have provided a fine explanation and examples of this week’s challenge – Thank you! All of these images of provocative, I especially was struck by the corridor at Kilmainham Gaol, spooky indeed. Also, of course, I love the sunset at Nadi Bay! The final image conveys a mood of exploration as the three smaller figures move toward the on tall figure walking towards them.

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    • Thank you so much Lindy for your thoughtful feedback. That really helps me understand what you are “seeing.” I enjoyed your collection very much. Thanks for joining us!! Have a good weekend/week ahead.

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    • Your response was great, James! I really enjoyed your beautiful images–perfect for the challenge. Thanks too for your thoughts on the 3 monochromes. I think mono images can really convey mood and ‘shades” of emotion. Glad you joined us!

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    • Hi Anita. I’m so happy you joined us! Your photos are terrific. I had a hard time picking 3 favorites–the poppy, the lighthouse, the header image…because they are all terrific. I hope my comment on your site was successfully submitted. I’m having a lot of trouble submitting comments this week. Our hotel internet is really weak. Once again, an outstanding collection.

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      • Thanks a lot for your encouraging feedback Patti, you are very kind and yes, I got your comment also on my site.
        I understand your frustration with the poor connection, especially considering you have so many comments to respond to as you were this week’s host. An excellent one by the way.

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  83. A brilliant challenge with equally interesting answers! Perfect illustrations to your text. I have favourites though – the haunted jail corridor and Fiji, but the road with grass in the middle – I have a soft spot for those roads. Thank you to Alex too!

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    • Alex will be so happy to hear that you like his desert photo! And so am I! The jail corridor was chilling and Fiji…a paradise to be sure. The responses to this challenge are intriguing, aren’t they? Glad you enjoyed this challenge! Have a great weekend. Hugs to your granddaughter. 🙂

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