Apply design elements in photography

Welcome to Apply design elements in photography. This course is designed for the amateur or professional photographer looking to expand on their ability to look at, talk about, and create photographs. Below are the current range of topics. Click through to the page for each topic to learn about and apply design elements in photography.

Example video to be replaced by a course video. Copy on Youtube.

About the course

In this course you will learn about and apply design theory in photography, specifically applying the fundamentals of Frame, Line, Shape and Colour, and Light. Exploring the works of seminal photographers, you will examine how they use these elements in the ‘veiled language of photography’. You will apply these elements in your own images and submit a final body of work at the end of course for exhibition… Learn more About the course

Elements of design

Welcome to this course. This first stage will be an introduction to the ‘grammar of photography’, based on the elements and principles of design. We will review the work of a diverse group of photographers and consider their signature use of key design elements in their work and how this strengthens concepts and ideas within their images. Additionally, you will gain an overview of how you will progress through this course and in turn, how this will support you in the completion of your final folio… Learn more about Elements of design...

Frame

"The frame is the beginning of the picture’s geometry." The Photographer’s Eye – John Szarkowski

Subject, content, composition, framing, it all happens within an instant. In this series, we will explore how framing impacts on the reading of an image. Architectural photography is particularly illuminating, as it spans 150 years and provides us with a thought-provoking framework that reveals the influence of cultural mindsets on the simple framing of a subject… Do the Frame tasks >>

Line

Understanding the application of line within an image is sometimes elusive. When we consider lines within the composition, it is often in the form of visible or literal lines. However there are a multitude of ways that lines can be used to influence the reading of an image and direct the eye of the viewer. This series will explore the concept of line as a design element, the character of different types of lines and review a diverse range of images that illustrate this element from a photographic perspective… Learn more about Line...

Shape

From a photographic perspective, the element of shape in the composition is often about relationships. Shape and form are defined through a range of mechanisms, contrast, colour, texture shading, however, it is ultimately our reading of the shapes or forms in the image that provide engagement and focus. The relationship of shapes in the frame, can provide context, depth and greater engagement. In this video series, we will explore the types and ways shapes are the used and consider the principles of Gestalt theory in our exploration of the use of shape in the frame… Learn more about Shape...

Colour

Colour adds a completely different dimension to the organization of a photograph, and it is not always easy or possible to isolate it from the other dynamics that we have been looking at. The ways in which we sense and judge colour are complex, from the optical to the emotional, and the general subject of colour in photography is, like colour in art, a colossal one. This series tries to break it down into manageable segments. This first video is a quick and brief introduction to the ways different colours work in images based on their relationship to the colour wheel. The second video covers the science and structure of colour and the third looks at how 4 very different photographers and how they have used colour… Learn More about Colour...

Light

While not a formal design element, light is the photographer’s element. Light is often an invisible component, intangible. However, it helps to ‘describe’ all the components of the image – it creates lines and shapes, illuminates colour or provides contrast, fundamentally it defines the core character of the image, or in more lyrical terms, it is the heart and soul of an image. The videos in this playlist will take a look at the variation and qualities of light, it will also discuss exposure and ways of interpreting light and finally we will look at the work of key Australian photographers and how they use light as a dominant component in their work… Learn more about Light...

Folio and Exhibition

All of your work is progressively published into an online gallery across the semester (password protected for course participants only). You are able to see your own work posted up, track your progression and view the work of others. The online gallery is a key component in the learning process in this course and is there to assist you in developing and refining your skills. At the conclusion of the course, each participant will have their folio posted up in the gallery as an online exhibition… Learn more about the Folio and Exhibition...