What if the secret to better photos isn’t adding more to your frame, but taking away? Negative space (the empty area surrounding your subject) can transform ordinary shots into striking images that command attention.
Negative space is the area around your main subject.
Your subject is the positive space. Everything else like the sky, a blank wall, water, or any uncluttered area can become negative space. This emptiness isn’t wasted. It’s a powerful tool that makes your focal point impossible to miss.
Think of an ink spot on white paper. Your eye goes straight to that spot. That’s how negative space works.
Source: Andrew S. Gibson
The technique creates visual breathing room.
When you surround a subject with empty space, your viewer’s eyes have nowhere else to go. There are no competing elements, no distractions pulling attention away. The result is a clean, powerful image that draws people in.
A good rule of thumb: negative space should take up at least 50 percent of your photo. This ratio creates the visual tension that makes the technique work.
Plain backgrounds work best.
Sky, water, concrete walls, empty fields,… these all make excellent negative space. They’re visually lightweight, so they don’t compete with your subject.
Grass can work as negative space even with visible texture. Desert sand and cloudy skies also serve as dramatic empty areas, even though they’re not solid colors.
Model @kalistaroling photographed by @photog_ob at studio Hill 6 Los Angeles
Daylight studio with Moroccan clay textured shower corner, free-standing bathtub, and big windows in Los Angeles Hill 6.
Creating negative space with natural light becomes effortless in this 760-square-foot studio. Big windows facing North-East and South-West flood the space all day, giving you the clean, bright backgrounds that make subjects pop. The Moroccan shower sits on a deck with standing shoot-through glass for unique composition opportunities.
Red clay textured walls provide warm, earthy negative space while high-gloss concrete floors offer cool, minimal options. Red lounge chair, arches and steps give you props that work with empty space, not against it. The moving prop wall lets you control exactly how much background you want.
Get low and aim upward.
This brings more sky into your frame. Suddenly, a crowded street becomes calm and serene. A flower in a field feels significant and profound.
Step back from your subject. The further away you position yourself, the smaller your subject appears, creating more empty space around it.
A wide aperture (small f-number) creates negative space by blurring your background.
Your subject stays sharp while everything else becomes smooth and simple. What looked cluttered through your viewfinder transforms into clean, empty space in your final image.
This works especially well for portraits and product photography where complete focus on your main element matters most.
Place your subject off-center.
Position it using the rule of thirds to create natural negative space on one or more sides. “Try to find creative ways to find your thirds,” Marble suggests. “I really like having things in the extreme foreground and extreme background.”
A subject placed toward one edge with space stretching in the opposite direction creates visual tension and balance.
Negative space changes the mood and story of an image.
A small figure looking toward a large, empty area suggests wonderment and adventure through scale. The same figure with abundant space behind them might suggest loneliness or a long journey ahead.
When you rent studio space, use solid color backgrounds or minimal lighting setups. This removes distractions and places full attention on your subject’s expression.
Dancer @mahautsun photographed by melinanastazia at studio Astoria 8 New York
Photo studio with white cyc wall, hardwood floors, and office area in Queens, New York Astoria 8.
The seamless cyc wall is negative space photography at its simplest and most effective. This infinite white background eliminates all distractions and makes your subject the only thing viewers can focus on. The 752-square-foot space gives you room to step back and create the breathing room that strengthens compositions.
Hardwood floors add just enough texture when you need it, or stay out of frame when you want pure emptiness. The separate office area lets you plan shots and review how much negative space works best for each setup.
A tree surrounded by fog becomes the undeniable hero.
Clean, uncluttered surroundings create powerful negative space that naturally leads the eye to your subject. A cluttered wide shot dilutes focus, but generous negative space leaves no doubt about your main subject.
Source: Andrea Livieri
People become the main focus without dominating the frame.
This creates a visual representation where less truly becomes more. Look for simple walls, empty sidewalks, or clean architectural elements throughout the day.
Color can distract from your composition.
When you convert to black and white, distracting colors vanish. This can turn once chaotic areas into serene negative space, adding elegance to your image.
The technique doesn’t work every time, it depends on existing tones in your photograph. But when it works, results can be breathtaking.
Don’t force a composition that doesn’t fit.
Some locations naturally contain lots of empty space. Others feel crowded. Ask yourself: what is the scene already like? Then work with what you’ve got.
Every scene has a different ratio of negative space to positive space. Be flexible enough to embrace both.
When you rent a photo studio space for controlled shoots, plan backgrounds carefully.
Simple setups with solid colors or minimal props let you control negative space completely. This gives you freedom to experiment with different ratios and placements.
Use rolls of colored paper, plain walls, or black backgrounds. These create uniform negative spaces that keep attention on your subject.
Model panic_at_the_visco photographed by ashleekeeneyphotography at studio Hill 7 Los Angeles
Blackout studio with controllable warm rain feature, seven color-changing RGB lights in Los Angeles Hill 7.
Warm rain water is available from the custom-made setup. The dark, controlled environment lets you use light and shadow to craft powerful empty areas around your subject. Seven pre-installed wall LED lights change colors to create any mood while the blackout capability gives you complete control over your composition.
This 780-square-foot studio turns negative space into an art form. The waterproof basin contains your shooting area to 13 feet by 20 feet, but the darkness beyond creates infinite empty space. Use the warm rain and colored lights to isolate subjects in ways other studios can’t match.
Start with simple subjects and plain backgrounds.
Practice finding the right balance between empty space and your focal point. Try different placements: centered, off to one side, near the top or bottom of your frame.
Take multiple shots with varying amounts of negative space. Review them later to see which compositions feel most powerful.
Pay attention to how negative space changes mood. The same subject can feel lonely, peaceful, dramatic, or triumphant depending on how you use the empty areas around it.
Remember: negative space isn’t about following strict rules. It’s a tool for creating stronger visual impact. Use it when it serves your story.
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