Kia Ora, Hi, These are artistic tricks that apply to any form of art that you are creating or viewing and help make the image pleasing, it applies to most creative arts, of which aqua scaling is one, but photography, painting, sculpting etc...
First of all is the rule of thirds...which refers to compositional placement of the main objects you want viewers to focus on, these can then be used to lead the viewers eye in any direction from that one focal point, you can actually have more than one focal point on the rule of thirds. It is also very much about creating a balanced image. The rule of thirds also is used to give depth to an image, layering is important to give depth front to back maybe and is the most common, and in photography a slow shutter speed can introduce movement.... well we've already got that nailed in our tanks with beautiful fish.
petapixel.com
The golden triangle. This is used to bring balance and scale to an image. it can also alter the dynamics of an image, it can introduce tension or tranquility. It's for optimum placement within your image (aqua scape) of focal points to lead or draw the eye to what you want to be points of focus, from which the view expands into a greater whole image. This can also very much include light as well as objects, darker areas can be mysterious or even threatening. light/bright areas are an ideal starting point for the eye and this also applies to the rule of thirds.
www.photoworkout.com
Another thing I see people do, which is in someways controversial. I've seen many aquascapes where a river bed perhaps is depicted. Now depending what country you're from this very relevant. If you write from left to right your brain is structured to be more acceptable to anything moving left to right, its brain stuff, we're hard wired to see this as the normal way things flow, I see people create scapes where the position of the logs, hardscape clearly flow right to left. This immediately puts obstacles in our way to feeling comfortable about the image we're seeing. but if things flow left to right we're comfortable with that, it's what we're used to mentally. Because we write and read left to right. This also applies to water flow if you're using a power head to recreate a river flow.... left to right!
Anything.... if you're a welder you'll begin your weld at the left.
If you're a designer you'll use your ruler and pull the pencil left to right. See what I mean... socially that left to right inclination is hard wired.
This can't really be changed as it means rewiring our brains to see a right to left flow as more pleasing. This rewiring is called neuroplasticity and takes many years for the brain to adjust and you must be immersed in a world where right to left is the norm.
Of course there is also the opposite and you may wish to bring tension into your image, then let that point flow right to left. it will make all who write and work left to right feel a discomfort, but that can be a focal point, something mysterious, dark and not necessarily a bad thing. Look at the rule of thirds and the golden triangle regarding placement.
Thats it... I hope this helps people with their art, take it or leave it. I've put a couple of links which go deeper into these things if you want to know more. But its all psychological and well documented and works, I've had successful photo's of landscapes in New Zealand in competitions, exhibitions and I've still got a selection on the wall of a lovely restaurant in Christchurch NZ (Tranquil pictures of mountain scapes. Iwagami... a mountain scape under water! It all applies,
And they all incorporate some of what I've written about.
Kia Kaha. Phil.
First of all is the rule of thirds...which refers to compositional placement of the main objects you want viewers to focus on, these can then be used to lead the viewers eye in any direction from that one focal point, you can actually have more than one focal point on the rule of thirds. It is also very much about creating a balanced image. The rule of thirds also is used to give depth to an image, layering is important to give depth front to back maybe and is the most common, and in photography a slow shutter speed can introduce movement.... well we've already got that nailed in our tanks with beautiful fish.
Rule of Thirds in Photography: A Complete Guide
The rule of thirds is a composition guideline in photography in which you split a scene into thirds and place a subject at an intersection.
petapixel.com
The golden triangle. This is used to bring balance and scale to an image. it can also alter the dynamics of an image, it can introduce tension or tranquility. It's for optimum placement within your image (aqua scape) of focal points to lead or draw the eye to what you want to be points of focus, from which the view expands into a greater whole image. This can also very much include light as well as objects, darker areas can be mysterious or even threatening. light/bright areas are an ideal starting point for the eye and this also applies to the rule of thirds.
Golden Triangle Photography: Must-Know Composition Technique
How can you use the golden triangle photography technique for stunning photos? Discover everything you need to know!
www.photoworkout.com
Another thing I see people do, which is in someways controversial. I've seen many aquascapes where a river bed perhaps is depicted. Now depending what country you're from this very relevant. If you write from left to right your brain is structured to be more acceptable to anything moving left to right, its brain stuff, we're hard wired to see this as the normal way things flow, I see people create scapes where the position of the logs, hardscape clearly flow right to left. This immediately puts obstacles in our way to feeling comfortable about the image we're seeing. but if things flow left to right we're comfortable with that, it's what we're used to mentally. Because we write and read left to right. This also applies to water flow if you're using a power head to recreate a river flow.... left to right!
Anything.... if you're a welder you'll begin your weld at the left.
If you're a designer you'll use your ruler and pull the pencil left to right. See what I mean... socially that left to right inclination is hard wired.
This can't really be changed as it means rewiring our brains to see a right to left flow as more pleasing. This rewiring is called neuroplasticity and takes many years for the brain to adjust and you must be immersed in a world where right to left is the norm.
Of course there is also the opposite and you may wish to bring tension into your image, then let that point flow right to left. it will make all who write and work left to right feel a discomfort, but that can be a focal point, something mysterious, dark and not necessarily a bad thing. Look at the rule of thirds and the golden triangle regarding placement.
Thats it... I hope this helps people with their art, take it or leave it. I've put a couple of links which go deeper into these things if you want to know more. But its all psychological and well documented and works, I've had successful photo's of landscapes in New Zealand in competitions, exhibitions and I've still got a selection on the wall of a lovely restaurant in Christchurch NZ (Tranquil pictures of mountain scapes. Iwagami... a mountain scape under water! It all applies,
And they all incorporate some of what I've written about.
Kia Kaha. Phil.
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