Repetition, repetition, repetition - it is just the same thing over and over again, right? You know it from the commercials and the politicians - say the same thing over and over and people start to believe it.
While repetition in daily life sometimes can be seen as overbearing and a little boring, repetition in the realm of art and photography is a compelling element - so powerful that it can create a big impact.
Repetition serves as a foundational principle that can imbue works with rhythm, unity, and a sense of harmony. This technique, which involves the recurrence of elements such as shapes, colors, lines, or motifs, can transform a composition from mundane to mesmerizing. By understanding and utilizing repetition, visual artists generate pieces that captivate the viewer's eye and evoke deeper emotional responses.
In photography, repetition can manifest in various forms, often enhancing the visual impact of an image. It can be found in natural landscapes, urban environments, and even human-made patterns.
Take the mesmerizing repetition of gator flags in the above image. Repetition is to photography what rhythm is to a song; it is the visual tempo set by repeating elements.
Repetition is the use of two or more like (similar) elements or forms within a composition. Just like in a painting, the systematic arrangement of repeated shapes or forms creates pattern - and patterns draw the eye into a photograph. Both nature and human-built environments display repetitive patterns - it is all a mater of the view point.
Patterns and Textures: Landscape photographers love to seek out patterns and textures that repeat naturally, such as mountain ranges, rows of trees in a forest, waves on a beach. Architectural photographers look for the lines of a building, pr the intricate details of its facade. These re-occuring elements can create a sense of order and structure, drawing the viewer into the frame and guiding their gaze across the image.
While repetition in itself can create a lot of interest, often times it is the break in the pattern that strengthens the composition - this break gives the eye a resting place during the visual journey.
The world around us is filled with patterns and many of them get overlooked due to our busyness. Part of becoming a photographer is slowing down your pace and observing your environment more carefully. Once you become more mindful and practice to look for patterns, you will be amazed what you discover.
Some minimalist patterns with their focus on simplicity beg to be turned into abstract images, like the outside of a parking garage (top) or the reeds in a pond (above).
Leading Lines: Repetitive lines act as visual guides that lead the viewer's eye through the photograph. This technique is often employed in architectural photography, where elements like railings, columns, or window frames can create a rhythmic flow. It is also an effective technique in landscape photography. The repetition of lines can enhance the depth and perspective of an image, making a two-dimensional photograph feel more three-dimensional.
Symmetry and Reflections: It is easy to see why symmetry is the simplest form of repetition - it is a repetition of one. Yet it is very powerful, frequently resulting in visually pleasing compositions. Reflections in water, mirrors, or glass can create symmetrical patterns that add a layer of complexity and interest to a photograph. This mirroring effect can also evoke a sense of tranquility and balance.
As you can see, repetitions are fundamental in art and photography. The repeating elements can be as simple as dots or as complex as human figures. It is the consistent use of these elements that creates patterns - irregular, subtle or striking.
Why am I writing all this? I would like you to become more aware of patterns in your surroundings. On your next walk, your next visit to a new place, even in your house, look for repetition - anything that you can conjure up to be a sequence, a pattern. Your perception, and your outlook on life, will have already changed. If you spot something extraordinary, take a picture and send it to me with your observations. I would love to see your point of view.
I hope you found this topic interesting and inspiring. If you want to see more of my work, check out my website and follow me on Instagram. Previous issues of my blog can be found here.
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