Negative Space

The Positive Side of Negative Space

Negative space.  It's that page that is made up mostly of colorless whiteness - either white ink, or the absence of ink on a pure white sheet of paper.  Im our busy, rushed world, the average person's eye will race relentlessly to and fro across the page, scanning for that all-important piece of information that is supposed to be there.  Hopefully, during this multi-millisecond search, just before fatigue or frustration sets in, the searcher will find the piece of information that has been there all along.  Simple, clean, precise, clear.  Ahhh, even stress releaving, perhaps.  It's o.k. every now and then to have a moment that is not filled with an overload of information, leaving you in angst and a puddle of adrenaline.

One of these days I hope to warrant advertising my photography services and productions on the local radio station.  I have not listened to my local radio station for at least ten years - probably something more like twenty years, actually.  The super high paced babbling is just too much for me; it has no productivity whatsoever with me.  The DJ's speak very rapidly, never including a breath or a pause, as they race into the next advertisement, over and over, only sporadically mixing in any sort of entertainment.  So my plan, when the time comes for me to advertise, is to purchase a moment of silence, or at least a moment of calmness in their otherwise over-amped duration of chaos.

Negative space.  Similar to what I intended to demonstrate with the photo above, I think the same use of negative space can be applied to sound.  Great musicians do it!  Silence seperates the chorus with many composers' works.  It offers a breath, a sigh, a release, a moment of peace. 

Ideally, this sense of negatve space could even be applied to our daily lives.  Consider taking the long way home after a week of work.  Consider going to that other restaurant.  Walk your routine path in the opposite direction.  Leave the television turned off for a night?  Brainstorm, and come up with your own way of checking out some negative space.  It has a purpose!

2-page image of Rebecca, March, 2013 issue,

OM Yoga & Lifestyle Magazine

OM magazine approached me awhile back with interest in publishing this image - and here we are!  I'm proud to be able to share this shot with thousands of viewers, and Rebecca is proud, as well.

When we met for this photoshoot I'd already done some scouting and had some ideas of what I wanted for scenery.  It was, indeed, a yoga themed shoot.  High on the to-shoot list was this row of old posts reaching into the lake.  The sunset and full moonrise times I had memorized.  What I didn't realize was that they would occur at exactly the same time at our specific location due to nearby topography.  This made for interesting scrambling of model and equipment so that we could shoot, literally, in opposite directions.  Quick thinking.  Rapid metering adjustments.  Fun stuff.  Fortunately, I had a human tripod for my lighting setup, which was nothing more than a remotely triggered speedlight with a Lumiquest III softbox attached.

The landscape in this area is very interesting and offers a plethora of scenic options.  Rebecca was open to every idea I had, including being photographed with a bison.  A bison was nearby and I spontaneously asked her, "hey, ya want to get a picture of you with the buffalo?"  "Yes," she said, without hesitation.  And I must admit, these were some of my favorite shots of the day.  The paradox of a beautiful woman in mid-summer attire and a beastly bison fully robed in thick matted hide and hair was pretty cool.



Rebecca was a pro at changing outfits and moods, from flashy and serious, to subtle and ethereal.  Fantastic model, no doubt, and one of the most impressive yogi's with whom I've worked.  More shoots with her are forthcoming so stay tuned.

To see more shots from this day, visit my web site, David Bowers Photography , or take a look here and click 'slideshow.'

Namaste.