Compose Better Photos with Gestalt Theory

[@Paul-jq5jh]

You were born to teach! Thx for your vids

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Thank you, glad you like them!

[@JustMeChris]

This is an outstanding explanation beyond the 5 rules of composition. Thank you!

[@mattkarikomi5947]

+1 for not making PL about gear, +10 for making PL the gold standard of exposition on KZbin

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Thank you, Matt! Really appreciate the kind feedback.

[@kelsi6273]

Your video tutorials are in a class by itself. Thank you for all you do. Always looking forward to your next installment.

[@aezzil3536]

Underrated channel 💯

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Thank you 😄

[@rogerwalton8160]

Takes me back to psychology lectures I attended back in the 1960s.

[@debrapeasley2606]

When I shoot today I'll remember your advice about choosing a foreground and my photos will be better for it. Thank you!

[@christopherkemsley4758]

This is really interesting. I was actually having a conversation last week with somebody talking about an idea for a photo I had. He was asking "wouldn't that look the same as it does in normal cases?" (I'm being purposely vague) but I was making the point to him "photos of just the subject are always boring; you need /something/ else in there to fill out the photo and give it perspective. This'll just give me a different perspective." Which is very similar to this: the whole is different than the sum of the parts; you need other parts, and their sums are themselves something different that should be thought of. Great video! (Also KZbin is now recommending your videos to me)

[@jeffm3283]

Great video I am a novice photographer and was looking for gestalt theory videos. This is very helpful

[@laurensylvina8654]

Your videos are the most helpful, most concise, most interesting, and most direct on the whole entire, thanks x 10000000000000000

[@mariemagiera8022]

You are a phenomenal teacher!

[@pnbalaji]

I have started watching your videos only for the past few days and I have to admit that I am very impressed with your videos. Thanks for sharing such awesome content.

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Thanks for stopping by and saying so!

[@tuananhnguyen7693]

You're awsome. I found useful and exceptional photography knowledge here. I would Iike to ask you make a video about books that you learned about photography. Thank you

[@roaming-aus]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That has to be one of the most informative videos I’ve ever watched and boy, I can’t wait to go out and put into practice what I’ve learnt. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

You are quite welcome! Glad you found it so useful.

[@johnyesuraj8169]

You could simplify Gestalt Theory so beautifully. I will return to this once more later. One more awesome video indeed. Thanks a lot Spencer.

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Thank you, John! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@bioliv1]

I was about to drop this video, as I thought it was something New Age, but then I saw your face and knew it's rock solid! Thanks, even before I watched:-)

[@ericprouzet3851]

I just discovered your channel as I was looking for more information on Gestalt and photography. Your explanations are brilliant and easy to catch. You got yourself a new follower for sure! (and I'm gonna check out your other videos).

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Thank you, Eric!

[@Pilarmrader]

outstanding analysis! full of knowledge. Appreciating so much.

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Thank you! Happy to hear it 😄

[@tonygreenwoodN10]

Wow - Gestalt Theory - just goes to show how Photography Like is often an oasis in a clickbait gear related KZbin desert - many thanks! ps sorry on a more mundane level, there is a typo in your "Subscribe for more!" end board

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Glad you enjoyed the video so much, and thank you for the heads up about the typo! It’s on several of our videos, great to finally fix it. And now I know THAT’S why we haven’t reached a million subscribers yet :)

[@hanifmacca]

this is a brand new theory/concept for me. very useful mate, thank you.

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Sure thing! Glad it's useful!

[@erichstocker4173]

First, I liked the sample images. Second, these are all great points and I never considered them within the context of Gestalt theory. However, you have demonstrated that this can be a really great way to organize your composition. Very good! I enjoyed the presentation.

[@Dan5008]

Fantasic video and flawless communication and presentation of how to put these concepts to practice in photograph. Thank you very much.

[@KasibhatlaCollection]

I just came across this KZbin channel and guys, I am hooked! You explain so well and it is so easy to understand. Thank you so much for making these videos. Looking forward to more videos and more knowledge. Great work!

[@martinsepion]

Very interesting Spencer. I will be thinking of these ideas every time I look through my viewfinder from now on.

[@linelotr]

You're a role model, Spencer! You teach me so much! Awesome video.

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Really appreciate it! And happy to hear you found this video instructive.

[@andrewhowell437]

Thanks so much for this. It helps for me knowing why something works.

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Glad you liked it!

[@KavybBoy]

brilliant tutorial. thank you

[@hughwolfe1176]

Spencer thank you for sharing these “rules”, it doesn’t hurt to have a few more things to consider when planing a shot.

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Sure thing! I definitely think these things help for composing better photos. Glad you found them useful as well.

[@PeteBluesman]

Interesting, especially the photo with the camel. At first I thought the photo was balanced regardless of the direction of movement. Then I imagined the direction being from right to left as if the camel was moving backwards leading the man. Suddenly it was no longer balanced!

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

That’s an awesome way to figure it out, and I’m glad you could visualize things in a way that made sense! That “arrow of motion” is an odd topic in composition, because it has significant weight, yet (most of the time) doesn’t even visually exist.

[@aaronza7218]

Well done, I've learned another new knowledge today. Thank you for sharing Spencer.

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Awesome, happy to hear it, Aaron!

[@MalaikaToo]

Thank you, Spencer - godd theory never hurts! I like the way you think!

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Sure thing! I like the way you think I think!

[@invisiblespark]

Just how much thought you put in the creative process is mind boggling .. I honestly don't know why your channel is not more popular, your content is A+

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Very kind of you to say, thank you!

[@EricRoseBahamas]

Wonderful ! I always enjoy new theories on our craft. Waving from The Bahamas.

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks!

[@Moodboard39]

Good explanation bro.. Straight to the point!!!

[@jacopolongo5771]

wow i didn't expect this vid to be so good, subscribed!

[@SOLIDSNAKE.]

MASTER!

[@michellewesson4409]

This information is quite helpful. So much to learn in photography and your videos are the perfect amount of information presented in a very clear and concise and learnable video

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Glad you liked it, much appreciated!

[@annawilson8742]

This was terrific. Thank you !

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Sure thing! Happy to hear it.

[@nocommentnoname1111]

Excellent presentation.

[@doxfie.]

You can make use of these "laws" in your powerpoint presentations as well to make them really powerful.

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Agreed! Clever thought.

[@HJ171060]

Thank you very much for interesting views of pictures. The comparison with music is a great idea. Keep it up, I like to look at these inspirations. Thank you very much!

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Sure thing!

[@bandwagonblogger]

Fantastic video, as we've come to expect. Thank you for the inspiration and tools to improve my composition.

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

You’re very welcome, good luck with your compositions and glad this video helped!

[@ingelaulmestedt918]

Great video! Thank you 🙏

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Sure thing! Glad you liked it 😄

[@vanshika2634]

thankyou so much. this helped a lot to understand the concept :)

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Awesome! Glad to hear it.

[@ruzlan369]

You're a very good teacher

[@robertgiguere875]

Your videos are amazing, thank you 😊

[@alialmajed2997]

A worth watching video ..

[@vladimirmikota2603]

Perfecte knowledge.Excellent.

[@collincourtois8587]

Positively the best presentation on the subject I've seen in years. Thank you!

[@inseries5494]

Very interesting and informative

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks, Rashad!

[@pankajnjoshi9673]

Wonderful!

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Glad you liked it!

[@sudhakarreddym8857]

Helpful video. Thank you so much.

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

You’re very welcome!

[@lucasilva9665]

perfect!

[@pnbalaji]

Hi Spencer, can you please make a video on tripod recommendations? I own a Nikon D750 with 24-120mm lens and I am currently using the Manfrotto Befree Advanced travel tripod and I always feel little nervous when I use the lens at full zoom with the tripod fully extended with all leg sections. I am also planning to purchase a 70-200mm F/2.8 in the near future and hence I am looking for a more sturdy tripod.

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

It ultimately depends on your budget, but the typical trade-off is that you can get *any two* of lightweight, stable, and low price. If your budget is less than about $200 and you want more stability, you’ll need to look at tripods with higher weight than the Beefree. I don’t have exact model recommendations because they change so often, but pretty much anything other than “travel” lineups could work for you. If you like Manfrotto so far, nothing wrong with sticking with them.

[@pnbalaji]

@@PhotographyLifeChannel Thanks for your response. I would say I don't prefer to use Manfrotto as their release plate mechanism is non-standard and the adjustments are also little clumsy. I am looking at Slik Pro 700 DX, but looks like I need to sacrifice on the weight. It appears to be extermely stable and available at a moderate price, but heavy. I don't know if I can use that as a travel tripod though.

[@thuthuyvu2192]

Thanks so much. Very helpful

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Sure thing! Happy you thought so.

[@kristiankaraneshev7528]

Great stuff!

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks!

[@Demitrival]

Your explanations are mwuah (in Italian) lol thank you 😊

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Much appreciated!

[@adrianocastaldini]

Congrats for this video, but I have a doubt about leaving “room” in front of the subject and not behind it. I noticed that in Wong Kar-Wai movies, the subject is often very near to the limit of the frame, without space in front of him, and with all the “room” behind. I find it's a sort of emotional/psychological choice that I can't actually explain, but it's surely effective.

[@liusaidhashleywatt]

Could this then mean that the space left ahead/behind affects the way you read the photograph either positively or negatively. With the leaving space ahead providing an optimistic outlook of all those things to come and when that space is shortened, the pessimistic reading can allude to the idea of "the only way on from here is down". Sorry if I am just rambling but it hasn't something I've ever thought about and has really made me think! (I'm also currently writing about psychoanalysis and photography which is why I am looking at these videos on youtube haha)

[@adrianocastaldini]

@@liusaidhashleywatt That's absolutely interesting. Thanks for your thoughts.

[@renatoreyes1969]

@@liusaidhashleywatt Hi, if you are thinking about subjects / animals, persons - usually if the subject is looking to the right we feel like the subject is looking in the future or walk in into the future, if the subject is walking or looking to the left we get the impression that the subject is looking to the past. I did not hear anything about optimistic or pessemistic space

[@liusaidhashleywatt]

@@renatoreyes1969 I was not referring to the direction of looking but rather the negative space left in front or behind a subject.

[@renhan22]

could you recommend any book talk that takes about Gestalt Theory

[@ralphnetta4563]

Lots of useful information. R

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Very glad you found it useful!

[@levindeheer2056]

Me: oh shit this was asked during my exam. Why didn't I studied it more. Its good to know

[@garywoodard6693]

Excellent. Except, Koffka wrote, "The whole is DIFFERENT from the sum of its parts." not, The whole is GREATER than the sum of its parts. This is a frequent misquote.

[@kbqvist]

Very helpful video, thanks! Would you happen to know of any good ressources, aimed at photographers tha cover this subject in more detail in a competent way?

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

Much appreciated! A lot of the websites that write about Gestalt Theory in photography (though there aren’t many) are twisting the concepts way beyond what they originally meant. I did like this page: pixelsandwanderlust.com/photographers-guide-gestalt-theory/, but I think that reading through the generic Wikipedia page on Gestalt psychology ( en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestalt_psychology ) and drawing your own conclusions is a better method than most of the guides online.

[@kbqvist]

@@PhotographyLifeChannel Thanks a lot! I have had problems finding material that seemed to have a good basis. A bit like all the pretty bad attempts to explain the golden spiral you see on the web...

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

@Karsten Bruun Qvist - Seems like no topic attracts more magical thinking in photography than the golden spiral. I’ll make a video about it at some point, and I fully expect half the comments to skewer me no matter what I say.

[@bestvideos4ever1]

hi, i was watching the playlist on this channel, now they all gone? what happened?

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

We’re putting them on another channel shortly, but for now you can watch all those videos via this page on Photography Life: photographylife.com/photography-videos

[@UnBroken11100]

If any photographers sees this, PLEASE try and answer my question. It's VERY important to me. I'm going to be out hundreds of dollars for an obvious scam unless someone can tell me what I should do. PLEASE HELP!!! What should I do if I had senior pictures taken of my daughter, but the "proofs" have been obviously edited to add imperfections in order to make the parent pay more in "retouching" to get the imperfections fixed? The reason I say it is obvious, is because...it is lol. Two of the pictures were the exact same, EXACT same, the only difference was the background. One had a blue background...the other a brown one. BUT...the one with the blue background had a red filter over it that made the pic look less clear and gave her eyes, her hair, and her teeth a red tint. The pic with with the brown background, were MUCH clearer, and my daughter teeth, hair, and eyes now looked normal. This happened over and over again in all the proofs. Only the one picture, the one with the brown background, was the only clear one. It may have had a filter to soften the pic, but in general everything was pretty clear. All the rest I'd have to pay teeth and eye whitening to just make her look normal. Even though they added in the filter to make the teeth, eyes, and hair look discolored. In a couple of the pics it looked like her one eye was squinted and red. Which supposedly they could fix, but for more money. But that doesn't make sense because my daughter doesn't have one eye that is squinted and it wasn't in every pic, just a couple of them. Then in two different pics, they had edited in weird stuff that made the her lip and teeth look deformed. Like it was missing her lip and her teeth were smudged. Which they also said they would fix if I pay for a special type of retouching that fixes teeth. Even though it's obvious they put in the "defects" themselves. I don't know what to do. I do want my daughter to have senior pics to give out, and this is the photographer the school uses, but I don't want to pay $300 for this scam. Do I take everything to school and show them? Do I purchase the package and then sue the photography studio. I just don't know what to do. I'm already out the sitting fee for these horrible pics. What do I do?

[@PhotographyLifeChannel]

I would go to the school with it. Intentionally paying $300 only to sue for the money back is only going to cost you far more than $300 in paying for a lawyer, and you may not win the case.

[@TomiSomoza]

Demichelis rajó a colidio y se puso a hacer videos

[@wilcosoetman8138]

talks about composition; doesnt sit in the center of the frame.