KID’S PHOTO BASICS: SYMMETRY AND PATTERNS

Incorporating patterns or symmetry into a kid’s photos helps to create harmony in a photograph and can draw in your viewer and captivate them with a sense of order and meaning. Patterns can be any strong type of graphic, such as shapes, colors or lines that repeat themselves.

Step One: Find Patterns

Finding patterns can be a challenge at first, but once you are accustomed to identifying repetitions you will start to see them everywhere, in nature, in the city, even in your home. By aligning your image to center the pattern you also create symmetry and balance.  The key is to try to fill the frame with your pattern to ensure that the pattern is noticeable, and then use it as a frame for your subject.

Step Two: Incorporate Symmetry

When you have patterns that are symmetrical it can add power to center these patterns in the frame. Symmetry also is something that the mind naturally finds calming, as everything seems to be in its right place.

If you can find symmetrical patterns, these can act as a frame themselves to give your subject more emphasis within the image. If you aren’t sure whether symmetry will help you create a stronger image, take a few kid’s photos with the subject and pattern in different places both using centering and the rule of thirds to see which composition gives you the best overall shot.

Also try framing vertically and horizontally, the different between giving more space to the sides of your pattern or the top and bottom can also have an effect on how your image turns out.

Step Three: Use Some Tips

Using a telephoto zoom lens can help if you want to get in close on patterns to eliminate excess space, which can be handy when you have consistently repeating patterns. However, when working with lines or patterns over a large amount of space (such as a line of telephone poles or a pattern of windows on the side of a building) a wide angle lens can help to capture the pattern and add perspective. Really, it’s just a matter of experimenting with your kid’s photos to find out what works – and of course finding great patterns around your town that you can utilize!

Here are a few examples of patterns and symmetry that you should be able to find easily:

• Brick walls
• Flagstone streets/sidewalks
• Funky street murals
• Playgrounds
• Small rocks on beaches
• Wooden slats of boardwalks or old doors
• Archways
• Street lamps
• Fences

So, get outside and find some patterns and symmetry to enhance your kid’s photos!