Diagonal method

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Diagonal method

The diagonal method is a composition rule in photography , painting and drawing . The Dutch photographer and teacher Edwin Westhoff came up with this method while conducting visual experiments to investigate why the rule of thirds is so imprecise. After examining many photos, paintings and engravings, he came to the discovery that the strong points rather lie on the diagonal lines of a square . A photo is usually a 4: 3 or 3: 2 rectangular image with the focus on the four bisectors of the corners. The picture appears more pleasant when certain elements run over these lines.

theory

According to the diagonal method, the strong points are often to within one millimeter on one of the diagonal lines of 45 degrees from one of the four corners of the picture. In contrast to the other compositional rules such as the rule of thirds and the golden ratio , the diagonal method puts little emphasis on the places where the lines cross and allows a strong point to be at an arbitrary position on the diagonal line. As long as the details are on the lines, they attract attention. The diagonal method, however, requires that the strong points are positioned very precisely on the diagonal line, with a maximum deviation of one millimeter on A4 size. Unlike the rest of the composition rules, the diagonal method is not used to improve the composition.

application

Example with Vermeer's The Girl with the Pearl Earring . The yellow diagonal line cuts two main points of interest: the girl's left eye and the pearl earring

The diagonal method arose from an analysis of the method of how artists compose details emotionally and can also be used for this purpose. So Westhoff discovered that by drawing the lines under a corner of 45 degrees from the corners of a picture, you can see what details the artist's attention was on. Artists and photographers position the strong points emotionally in a composition. The diagonal method can be used to find out which details the author of the picture, painting or engraving wanted to emphasize. Westhoff's investigation showed, for example, that important details in Rembrandt van Rijn's paintings and copperplate engravings are precisely on the diagonal lines. Think of eyes, hands or everyday objects.

Furthermore, the diagonal method can also be used as a method for trimming your own works. Since 2007, Photoshop Lightroom has included a utility program for post-processing images using the diagonal method in addition to applications for other composition rules. Since 2009 scripts have also been available for Photoshop (using Golden Crop), Paintshop Pro , GIMP and Picture Window Pro. It is extremely difficult to precisely position the strong points on the diagonal lines while taking pictures or painting. But that can be done very well during post-production. For example, the main theme can be repositioned further in one of the corners using the diagonal method.

The diagonal method can be used to emphasize or emphasize certain details in pictures, for example in a portrait in which a certain part of the body deserves a little more attention. Or an advertising photo with which a product is to be presented. In some landscapes , important details are visible, such as people, trees (standing alone) and buildings that can be on the diagonal lines. When a picture is about the overall picture, for example in architectural photography, different or no composition rules are applied, whereby other lines often determine the composition of the picture, e.g. B. the horizon.

foundation

It is generally known that the diagonal lines - just like the vertical lines , the centers of gravity and the corners - belong to the lines of force of a square and are considered to be stronger than all other parts of the quadrangle. The extent to which these findings can be transferred to rectangles, such as images with aspect ratios 4: 3 and 3: 2, has not yet been investigated. In addition to the practical confirmation of the diagonal method through the various analyzes, there are currently no scientific studies that can theoretically confirm the diagonal method.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Hartel, M. (2008). Urban expression. Digital Photographer, 74 (September), 30-42.
  2. ^ Westhoff, E. (2009). De diagonaal method. (The diagonal method.) Zoom.nl Digital Photography & Video, 2009 (10), 82-87.
  3. ^ Westhoff, E. (2007). De Diagonaal method. (The diagonal method.) FocusXtra 2007 (February), 18-19.
  4. ↑ Elzenga, JW (2009). Digital photography natuur: Tips en technieken voor het fotograferen van landschap en dieren. Amsterdam: Pearson Education. Pp. 47-49.
  5. ↑ Elzenga, JW (2009). Digital photography natuur: Tips en technieken voor het fotograferen van landschap en dieren. Amsterdam: Pearson Education. P. 49.
  6. ↑ Arnheim, R. (1954). Art and visual perception: A psychology of the creative eye. (Art and Vision. A Psychology of the Creative Eye.) Los Angeles: University of California Press.

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