The Negative Space of CMC

<p>I am a big fan of photos featuring negative space as a major theme. I would like everyone to post up some photos you have taken with classic manual cameras that feature negative space. The more the better.</p>

<p>I will start this one with one of my own. Looking back over my photos since I started shooting film a few months ago I can only find this single pic that really qualifies. I have a lot more from digital, but I'm not posting those here. :) Im going to have to start shooting more neg space for sure.</p>

<p>Please include any equipment reference you can remember from the shot. Cant wait to see what you guys post.</p>

<p>Sentinels- <br>

minolta XE-7, mc rokkor 50/1.4, kodak gold 200 (8 years expired)<br>

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5108/5670215083_855257fa74_z.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="424" /></p>

 

The only reason to leave space in a photo is "Copy Space", that will be later filled with text or insets or something. Big blank spots have no other value in a photograph. They add nothing to the "story". But you say you are a big fan of this negative space or nothingness! The more the better you say! Why not just hand a blank page to someone, and when they ask what the hell it is, you can say it's nothing, negative space, nothingness, lot's of it, isn't it cool? Don't you just love nothingness? I'm also anxious to see what others post on this nothing, negative space topic.

<p>leaf print</p><div></div>

<p>Nice idea, <strong>David</strong>. I might find a few more, later.</p>

<p>Canon AL-1, 135mm Sun Auto Zoom f/3.8, Fuji Superia 200</p><div></div>

<p>Canon T70, Canon FL 200mm f/4.5, Fuji Superia 200</p><div></div>

<p>Wow... Cliff... that's really harsh, and I think not entirely in keeping with the spirit of this post - negative space is not just nothing for the sake of nothing... I really hope that your post doesn't adequately convey your artistic tastes, because from it one could deduce you would not take photos of anything other than roadmaps of majour metropolitan areas - I know this is <strong>not the case</strong> - I've seen your work, so come on... Why the snap at "negative space"? Its a tool or a vehicle that is used in composition to juxtapose, contrast, or overwhelm. Its not just trying to photograph a finch with a 20mm lens...</p>

<p>Anyhow, I don't know if this is really fully what negative space is, or if my humble Canon AE1 (being electronic, but hardly "modern") would qualify... I believe this was shot with that camera, I know it was a 50mm lens, a f1.4, most likely around f5.6. Call me silly, but I actually liked this shot</p><div></div>

Rick's pictures are perfect commercial photos with "Copy Space". Very saleable.

<p>Empty space here</p><div></div>

<p>water and sky</p><div></div>

<p>Nikon FE2, Nikon 50mm 1.8 AIS Lens, Kodak E100VS</p><div></div>

<p>Ah I love this thread already!<br /> Um, heres a recent one of mine. Really kinda poor but oh well.</p>

<p>um ill try that again</p><div></div>

<blockquote>Its not just trying to photograph a finch with a 20mm lens...</blockquote>

<p> Here we go, <strong>Peter</strong>; am I doing it right?</p><div></div>

<p>Last one: Minolta SR-T101, Tele-Rokkor 200mm f/3.5, Fuji Superia 200.</p><div></div>

<p>Lack of a longer lens<br>

:o)</p>

<div></div>

<p>I included some negative space...</p>

<p>...above this line</p>

<p>Rick Drawbridge: Your photography is only exceeded by your Humor , Well Done :</p>

<p>Rick - Oh WOW! I LAUGHED so incredibly HARD!!! :D After the discussion we had about freezing and glue-ing... I have to say I am a little concerned for the well being of the bird:) </p>

<p>OK - still laughing :D</p>

<p>I actually thought that I missed a joke - perhaps Cliff was just illustrating the fact that this post was a "space" to be "negative", and my capacity to follow such complex funnies just crashed and burned? Nah... ;)</p>

<p>Ahhhh, Cliff...Its always a pleasure to see your sun-shiney countenance brighten the dark little corner of photo.net know as CMC. I really enjoy your posts as they are always full of such measuered, helpfull and thought provoking commentary. As a born again photographer I look forward to your cheery (and helpful!) comments to inspire and enlighten me. You make me want to photograph!!</p>

<p>In honor of this I have decided that I should do everything I can to ensure that your inspiring spirit and knowledge is spread to as many photographers as possible. From this very post on I will include a small quote of yours at the end of each and every post of mine so any who read them can in some small way be inspired as I am. :)</p>

<p>To everyone else, please remember that even though these photos are basicly useless and have no redeeming artistic value (as previously mentioned) I think they are very lovely. Thanks for everyone who posted and I look forward to seeing more great shots. I especially want to mention Water and Sky by <strong>David L</strong> which I happen to think is a completely incredible photograph. <strong>Darin</strong>, the bridge pic is very nice as well. I love the perspective.</p>

<p>And remember, each and every post from now on will be graced with one of Cliffs little nuggets of knowledge. I will close this one with one that I find especially helpful when I am out shooting.</p>

<p>"<em>EMP cannot be compared to Zombies</em>..."<br>

-Cliff Manley</p>

 

<p>The term "negative space" was coined in 1998 by a guy named Farber that was a movie critic. This is not some long know method of artful composition. It's total bull to think a blank space has a place in a photograph other than for copy space. You'll notice that on Rick's photos the space is not blank, but there is a subject that is surrounded by non-subject "material", not blank space, and they are composed in a correct fashion such as the rule of thirds. Negative space is "nothing" but a bunch of crap some movie critic came up with, and I think it had to do with dead audio. But if you want to continue to think that a blank space is artful, by all means have at it. The demoralizing agenda for the last 40 or so years has been to program you to enjoy meaningless art, among other things, so maybe they were successful ! Thank you for quoting me, you may do so at each and every post that you wish to.</p>

<p>See, this is exactly the kind of supportive, uplifting response I am talking about. You understand that photography is Art and that each and every human soul indentifies Art in its own way. You totally get the fact that where one person may fail to see anything out of the ordinary another may have their soul moved to tears. Its this kind of understanding that makes you a truly great person and photographer with no par. And to think I used to put Ken Rockwell on a pedastal!!</p>

<p>I am also impressed that you quickly made the connection that a simple movie critic coined a phrase only as recently as 1998 but that of course the actual artistic method he was describing didnt come into being until the utterance of the very words 'negative space'. Nobody actually used the method, of course, or found it pleasing in all the years since the camera was created up until Farber woke up one morning and thought to himself "Hey, I think I will make up a whole new artistic movement today!" Very wise my friend. I can only one day hope to be in this league of reasoning.</p>

<p>Its also heart warming to know that you can somehow find the power of spirit to realize that because another's art does not line up with your particular view of Life, The Universe, and Everything that of course it is meaningless and that anyone who carries the spark of human understanding in them who looks at it and thinks to themselves "Huh...that pretty" must of surely be brainwashed by an evil corporation.</p>

<p>I find beauty in nothingness. My lifes philosophy is nihilistic. I understand that my particular human spark is in no way significant but at the same time the most precious thing to me.I understand as well that it rides thru this great universe with a countless number of other sparks, magnificant and meaningless at the same time. And thats the beauty of it. At the center of all things is nothing.</p>

<p>I like minimilistic photos with very little in them. It stirs my soul. Call it negative space, call it a pretty picture. Doesnt much matter really.</p>

<p>"<em>Don't you just love nothingness?</em>"<br>

-Cliff Manley</p>

<p> </p>

Cliff: are you joking or trolling or something?

<p><a href="

<p>"<em>This pole is about 6 feet long and 1 1/2 inch in dia.</em>"<br>

-Cliff Manley</p>

<p>:D oh God... yeah... my eyes are welled up with tears I'm laughing so hard:) Its a very true statement though, they can not be compared... :p</p>

<blockquote>

<p>You understand that photography is Art and that each and every human soul indentifies Art in its own way.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This is not true. Every Human responds to colors, shapes, light and dark, sounds frequencies, and psychology in much the same manner as the next. The emotion shown by someone has to do with past association with the subject. Maybe laugh or cry. It depends on how you perceive the subject, totally a perception issue and an entire mass of people can be taught to perceive something in the same way. If you were programmed to like blank space you will feel all warm and cozy when you see a blank piece of paper. I just thumbed though thousands of paintings and photos in a Museum catalog, and I didn't see even one item hanging in that museum that contained a big blank space. Even the Ancient Egyptian carvings had no huge blank spots to admire. Maybe all the artists for thousands of years did not know how beautiful your nothingness can be, Huh? Maybe they have just been wrong for thousands of years. Maybe they don't know anything about humans reaction to any kind of art. They simply have been wrong, haven't they?</p>