Negative space in photography is one of those features that some purist photographers often decide to keep their distance from, but it is one of the most fantastic ways of composing a photograph due to the interesting nature of its composition.
What is Negative Space in Photography?
Negative space, by definition, is the empty space around the subject or focus of the photograph. If the edges of the photo frame the contents within, and the subject is the focal point, it's possible that just about every photo, even macros and tight portrait shots can have negative space.
Negative Space can also be conceived of as the presence of low-impact elements, which are usually neutral empty spaces or textures. Often the center of interest contrasts sharply with those surrounding negative space areas in terms of subject matter, color, shape, tone or texture.
To actually become something interesting, it needs to be contrasted with an interesting subject or element. By achieving this contrast, a sort of visual balance is achieved, hence the beauty in the skillful use of negative space.
The Use of Negative Space in Photography

To really illustrate how powerful negative space can be though, the photo above shows how powerful nothing in the frame can be. Don't read too deeply into that though, sometimes the negative space in a photo's composition is just as powerful and visually appealing as the focused subject.

The picture from above is my favorite image from my own work composed with a huge level of negative space, and for me, it works because even when there is so much space, the man walking by the shore is still getting the viewer's attention.
Negative space is not just a blank space, but a section of the frame that due to the presence of a smaller element, it becomes interesting.
Negative space can be:
For negative space to actually work well in a shot, you need to achieve a frame that gets balanced not by a big element but a small yet strong element in the frame, juxtaposed to the huge emptiness of the space. That is the essence and the magic of an image composed with significant negative space.
Take this photo for example.

Above, the focus could actually be the vertically striped wall that is the negative space.
More Examples of Negative Space in Photography
As with anything in photography, example images usually demonstrate the idea well – so it is for these great negative space examples.


Photo by Matthew Henry

Perhaps one of the more fundamental aspects of photography I learned early on was to fill the frame…
Below is a great example of filling the frame on a tightly cropped photo where the negative space really is the star. Framed exceptionally well, this composition exemplifies how important and dramatic negative space can be in a photograph.

Negative space is just a small topic inside the whole universe of composition, so if you are just beginning in photography and you don't know exactly where to start, here are a few ideas:
Three Ways To Use Negative Space To Create Captivating Images
1. Isolate The Subject
This is the most obvious and most common use of negative space.
By using a spacious, distraction-free background, you put all the attention on your subject. All the empty space surrounding your subject keeps the eye directed toward the main point of interest.
You can further strengthen this directive quality with composition. Using the rule of thirds and leading lines will only enhance the aesthetics of your image and maximize the effectiveness of the negative space.

2. Emphasize Scale
We often fail to get a true sense of how big or small something is until we see it in relation to some other familiar object.
We can see a picture of a desert and know that it covers a vast area, but when we see a person walking through that space, we get a much better sense of how big the desert is.
Establishing this sort of visual relationship emphasizes the concept of scale.
Again, you can maximize the effect by using a strong composition. By placing your subject off-center and near the edge of the frame, you create far more impact than if your subject were centered.

3. Imply Movement
There are many ways to express motion in photography. Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind for you is using a slow shutter speed to create motion blur.
As an alternative, you can freeze motion and use negative space to help imply movement by composing your shot so that there is plenty of empty space in front of your subject. This will give the impression that your subject is moving into that space.
You can also combine negative space and motion blur — the panning technique works particularly well with negative space, as you can convey motion while simultaneously creating negative space with the background blur.

Final Thoughts
Negative space is an incredibly powerful visual device that works well with any subject and can be enhanced by incorporating strong composition. It is well worth your time and effort to experiment with negative space and find different ways to make it work for you.
Words by Mike Panic, Federico Alegria, and Jason Little
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