Incl ude some asymmetry
What ’s the Big Idea?
I spoke about symmetry earlier. Asymmetry is just the opposite. Visually, it is more exciting because of the conflict between elements within the frame. The mind looks for order, but when there is this imbalance it creates tension and therefore, excitement. Informal balance or asymmetrical balance is when one or more dissimilar elements are on each side of a given point in the frame. You can have one element close to the front of the camera and one in the distance. This size differential creates an informal balance.
What ’s the Key?
In this image above, there are two obvious points of asymmetry. One is the imperfect cypress tree with the bulge, and the other is the displacement of the chapel and trees offcentre, with the imbalance of the crescent moon on the right side of the frame. Then there is the point of balance: tonal balance. If you think of dark areas of the frame having more weight than lighter areas, it would take more light tones than dark tones to create a balanced shot. Here, the weight of the dark silhouette is balanced by the twilight sky.