Twilight reveals the silhouettes of things that are often hidden in complete darkness or light. Suddenly, that which is commonplace and overlooked becomes apparent. The light at this time of day offers both mystery and revelation.
One way to understand something better is to look at its opposite. Exploring negative space and color negatives in art can reveal how we look at subjects in their relation to the space around them. So often we allow ourselves to be distracted by familiar colors and arrangements. By looking at negatives, lines and shapes become apparent that are sometimes hidden in plain view. Likewise in human nature, who your enemies are may indeed reveal more about you than the company you keep.
It’s fascinating how familiar elements in nature still have much so much to teach us about beauty, design and ourselves. All we have to do is open our eyes.
In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.
~Aaron Rose
Beautiful twilight photo! There is a Heron which is always someplace at the lake near me as well…
Thanks Millhill. Although herons do live around lakes here too, I’ve only ever seen them in the salt marsh. They certainly are large and splendid, especially in flight.
I like the special effects. They’re pretty, for one thing – and they make your point very well.
Thanks Gerry. I’m glad you got the point 🙂
I agree. I love playing in PSP to create my own negatives. Fascinating. 🙂
Jessica, I use a very simple, free program called Irfanview. Negatives seem like more of a novelty now that so many photographers have embraced digital images.
I love the effect you have created with the grasses in the last photograph. The colours and the shapes conjure up a very tranquil feeling. The design would look great as a book cover or something like that.
You’re right Jessica, they would. Oriental art seems to make greater use of grasses. They certainly have a calming effect.
Oh! The opposites! My heart leaped! I LOVE that second photo. I hardly ever play with opposites…er…umm…I mean in photography. What an inspiring thing to try…
Kathy, playing with opposites can open up a whole new world of possibilities. Images with areas of high contrast work best.
It’s extraordinary how, by removing the distractions of familiar colours and shapes, you can transform a picture into something else entirely.
An art teacher once told me that, if I was struggling to draw an object and kept getting the proportions wrong, I should look at the negative spaces surrounding and penetrating the object instead. She said it was a good way of switching out of the rational, thinking, analysing mind that was making muttering criticisms all the time!
So what you did here makes complete sense to me!
Reggie, looking at negatives can be such a positive experience in art. Thanks for sharing your teacher’s advice.