John Suler's PhotoPsychology
Photographic Psychology: Symmetry
Symmetry involves a close or exact correspondence between opposite halves of an image, on the facing sides of an axis or center. One half is the mirror image of the other. Usually in photography we see such symmetry across the horizontal plane, which some call “bilateral symmetry.” But the symmetry also could be vertical. In both cases the halves appear equivalent and the image achieves “symmetrical balance.” It is a balance achieved by similarity.
Symmetry can also be achieved by a single element centered in an image, with space on two, three, or all sides.
There are a variety of qualities associated with symmetry. The image may feel peaceful, calm, stable, harmonious, or grounded - especially in bilateral symmetry. Such designs may remind us of geometry and the aesthetics of Renaissance classicism. Think of those perfectly symmetrical European gardens and palaces. And so images with symmetrical balance may create feelings of order, tradition, classicism, formality, and constancy.
While perfect symmetry can be quite satisfying for the eye that loves precision, stability, and order, it sometimes may be a bit static, artificial, and boring. Subtle differences between the two sides can add interest value, allowing the eye at first to appreciate the overall balance of similarity, and then moving on to explore the intricate differences between the halves. Sometimes one or two obvious discrepancies between the two sides adds tension that offsets the sense of order and predictability in an interesting or even surprising way.
Subtle and more obvious differences between the halves often adds character to an image. For example, the human face is not perfectly symmetrical. If you’ve ever seen a manipulated image in which half of someone’s face is duplicated and flipped horizontally to create a perfectly symmetrical face, it looks odd. The subtle differences between the two sides of a person’s actual face creates more psychological depth, realism, and character. The same is true of a not-quite symmetrical image.
A horizontally symmetrical image emphasizes the horizontal dimension. A vertically symmetrical image emphasizes the vertical dimension. However, in both cases there is that invisible axis that marks the boundary between the two halves. In the horizontally symmetrical image, it is a subtle reminder of the vertical dimension. In the vertically symmetrical image, it is the hint of the horizontal. In both cases it is the mysterious boundary that marks the reversal of the image, the concealed surface where the reflection begins. Some symmetrical images, most noticeably those involving mirror and lake reflections, tend to have this self-reflective, introspective quality.
* This image and essay are part of a book on Photographic Psychology that I’m writing within Flickr. Please see the set description.
Photographic Psychology: Symmetry
Symmetry involves a close or exact correspondence between opposite halves of an image, on the facing sides of an axis or center. One half is the mirror image of the other. Usually in photography we see such symmetry across the horizontal plane, which some call “bilateral symmetry.” But the symmetry also could be vertical. In both cases the halves appear equivalent and the image achieves “symmetrical balance.” It is a balance achieved by similarity.
Symmetry can also be achieved by a single element centered in an image, with space on two, three, or all sides.
There are a variety of qualities associated with symmetry. The image may feel peaceful, calm, stable, harmonious, or grounded - especially in bilateral symmetry. Such designs may remind us of geometry and the aesthetics of Renaissance classicism. Think of those perfectly symmetrical European gardens and palaces. And so images with symmetrical balance may create feelings of order, tradition, classicism, formality, and constancy.
While perfect symmetry can be quite satisfying for the eye that loves precision, stability, and order, it sometimes may be a bit static, artificial, and boring. Subtle differences between the two sides can add interest value, allowing the eye at first to appreciate the overall balance of similarity, and then moving on to explore the intricate differences between the halves. Sometimes one or two obvious discrepancies between the two sides adds tension that offsets the sense of order and predictability in an interesting or even surprising way.
Subtle and more obvious differences between the halves often adds character to an image. For example, the human face is not perfectly symmetrical. If you’ve ever seen a manipulated image in which half of someone’s face is duplicated and flipped horizontally to create a perfectly symmetrical face, it looks odd. The subtle differences between the two sides of a person’s actual face creates more psychological depth, realism, and character. The same is true of a not-quite symmetrical image.
A horizontally symmetrical image emphasizes the horizontal dimension. A vertically symmetrical image emphasizes the vertical dimension. However, in both cases there is that invisible axis that marks the boundary between the two halves. In the horizontally symmetrical image, it is a subtle reminder of the vertical dimension. In the vertically symmetrical image, it is the hint of the horizontal. In both cases it is the mysterious boundary that marks the reversal of the image, the concealed surface where the reflection begins. Some symmetrical images, most noticeably those involving mirror and lake reflections, tend to have this self-reflective, introspective quality.
* This image and essay are part of a book on Photographic Psychology that I’m writing within Flickr. Please see the set description.