When we look at an image and say, “This element or that element is distracting,” what we’re saying is that it lacks harmony. Because of choices made about what elements to include or exclude and how those are arranged, we feel instinctively that the image is about this, but there are other elements fighting against that; it’s the lack of harmony we’re reacting to.
So what about contrast? How do we use contrast to support that harmony and not fight against it? Balancing harmony and contrast is important to a good photograph, and while I think it’s something you need to feel and test in the image, the most helpful question is this: Does this contrast support the idea of the image? Without variety, harmony can become monotony, and it’s contrast ...
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