The fourth week of this journey exploring a particular element of photography invited me to open my eyes to triangles.  It is easy for the eye to see triangles and they are often created through the use of three prominent points of interest, particularly if they are similar in content and size.

The first time I was introduced to triangles in photography was through the writings of Eric Kim who noted, “Triangles are one of the best compositional techniques you can use in your street photography to fill your frame, add balance, and add movement in your images.”

Within an image, you may notice three variations of triangular compositions: real triangles (actual triangles, triangles formed by perspective, inverted triangles formed by perspective) and implied triangles through the use of people.

Within street photography, implied triangles are often created by the direction of the subjects’ eyes. Within the first image below, both subjects are looking to the left creating a triangle that extends outside the photograph. In the second, the gaze of the father, daughter, and two geese create an implied triangle.

If you wish to join this learning journey at any time, please do so.

Please enjoy this educational video, Composition in Photography (Ted Forbes, The Art of Photography)