What catches your eye?

Those who like the limelight often seek to be the “center of attention.” The idea is that, by being front and center you are more likely to get noticed and focused on. Yet, when it comes to photography, this is not always the case. Kress and Van Leeuwen highlight this idea in their article.

Growing up, you always think that by putting something in the center it is more likely to get noticed. This idea is logical, as our eyes are often focused straight ahead. Yet, when we look at photographs, our eyes are attracted to other areas of the photo as well. This is not to say that putting the focus on the center of the photo is bad, but some of the best photos put their focus elsewhere in the frame.

Why is this the case? I think that, when we look at photography, we are examining the entire photo. Thus, we are attracted to focal points in every part of the frame, as well as in the foreground and background. Placement is probably the easiest way to create interesting focal points, but there are also other ways.

What are some other ways to create more interesting focal points in our photography?