When composing an image it is important to balance each element to make sure you are directing the viewer to the correct elements in your images. The visual draw that an element has is often referred to as its visual mass.

In this article I want to briefly outline what factors affect the visual mass of an element and how with subtle post processing you can increase the visual mass of your main subject and reduce the distraction of other non-important elements.

WHAT IS VISUAL MASS?

Visual mass is a concept that describes an elements ability to draw the eye towards it. An element is said to have more visual mass if it draws the eye over another element. This is because it has a greater ‘pull’ towards it that can be due to a number of different properties.

Understanding how visual mass works will help you no end when it comes to understanding composition and balance in your images. If one image is massively ‘heavier’ than another the image will often be unbalanced. You can use visual mass to add harmony or tension to your images, depending on the final result and mood you are trying to convey.

WHAT PROPERTIES AFFECT VISUAL MASS?

Positive Form vs Negative Space

Any distinctive element will always carry more visual mass than empty space in your images. The concept of visual mass gets more complex as you begin to introduce more than a single element into your images.

Isolation vs Clutter

Similar to the point above, elements that are surrounded by space will generally draw much more individual visual mass than those who are cluttered together. As you will see in the point below, cluttered objects can often draw more collective mass due to the increase in their size.

The high contrast of the silhouettes of the people against the light background grab your eye immediately (iPhone shot)

Large vs Small

Elements that are physically large in the frame will also be much more visually heavy than smaller objects. You must however remember than this is all relative size and by getting close to small objects you can often increase their visual mass. You can also increase the collective visual mass of small objects by combining them into a larger more complex group.

Dark vs Light

The value or ‘lightness’ of an element will affect its visual mass. Generally the darker an element the more visually heavy it will appear in your image. This isn’t always the case as contrast around the element can also affect its visual mass.

High Contrast vs Low Contrast

Generally dark objects draw the eye more than lighter objects however contrast also plays a big part in this. A dark object against a dark wall will have much less visual mass when compared with a white object against a dark wall. Contrast also works in colour photography as well. In my article on colour theory I discussed how complimentary colours had a greater visual impact than analogous colours.

As in the image before the strong contrast of the woman’s silhouette against the light background along with the strong graphical composition really draws your eye to the central figure (iPhone shot)

Saturated vs Non-saturated

Continuing the colour theme, strong and vivid highly saturated colours will have much more visual mass than pale, non saturated colour. For this reason neutral colours can make great backgrounds if you want to really accentuate the impact of a strongly coloured element.

Warm vs Cool

In my article on colour theory I mentioned how red and orange had a much greater visual draw in comparison to other colours. In general, warm colours will always take a greater visual mass than cooler colours.

The colour contrast of the strong blue against the deep, slightly warmer green tone give the woman’s face a strong visual pull.

Saturated vs Non-saturated

Continuing the colour theme, strong and vivid highly saturated colours will have much more visual mass than pale, non saturated colour. For this reason neutral colours can make great backgrounds if you want to really accentuate the impact of a strongly coloured element.

Warm vs Cool

In my article on colour theory I mentioned how red and orange had a much greater visual draw in comparison to other colours. In general, warm colours will always take a greater visual mass than cooler colours.

Notice how the saturated pink turban against the muted tones of the rest of the image grabs your attention as soon as you look at the image.

Vertical vs Horizontal vs Diagonal

Vertically orientated objects will carry more visual mass than horizontal objects. Diagonal objects will carry even more visual mass than both horizontal and vertical elements. You can often place objects on the diagonal to increase their visual impact

Regular vs Irregular Shape

Regular shapes such as squares, rectangles and triangles will carry much more visual mass than irregularly shaped objects, although complex irregular shapes can occasionally have an intrinsic interest that will draw the eye over other regular objects in the frame.

Human vs Non Human

The human eye is naturally drawn towards relatable objects in the frame. The most relatable shape is the human form and the eye will always favour human form over non-human form. This is why even in huge landscape images a small single person will always be noticeable even against larger mountains and scenery.

Positioning

Finally the positioning of your elements can have a huge bearing on their visual mass. An objects visual mass increases as you move away from the center of the frame. Elements in the upper half of the frame will carry more visual mass as will elements on the right in comparison to those on the left. Using this theory it is possible to balance a large element that is slightly lower and left of the centre with a small object that is in the upper right portion of the image.

The deep red of the monks robe stands out against the warm but muted tones of the rest of the image.

POST PROCESSING

One of the simplest ways to affect visual mass is through local adjustments in post processing. As you can see in the image below I added a range of subtle local adjustments which are all designed to draw the viewers eye towards the monk and then through the image to the monastery.

By adding some clarity, lifting the shadows and boosting the saturation on the monk I have increased the local contrast and increased the vividness of the red. Both of these are properties which can increase visual mass. In order to initially divert the eyes away from the mountains and monastery I have reduced the exposure locally which has in turn reduced the local contrast and therefore reduced the visual mass of those elements.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

The important message to take away from all of this is that no matter how complex the human brain and eyes are, they are easily controlled when it comes to imagery. Our brain operates by recognising certain properties and elements first, those we have already discussed before. By understanding the concept of visual mass you will hopefully understand how to use these properties to manipulate the viewer of your images too.

By beginning to think and utilise visual mass you will hopefully be able to create the images that you have in your head and also begin to realise the reason’s why certain images don’t work. Just remember though that there is no point having a perfectly balanced image that is boring in it’s subject. Subject matter always wins, visual mass just helps to make it that bit better.

Let me know what you think! Is visual mass something you consider when shooting and editing your images?