Composition and Visual Design Flashcards
7 cards from real Photography practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Composition and Visual Design flashcards as text
What is a 'gestalt' principle that is especially relevant to photographic composition?
Answer: The tendency of viewers to group similar elements together visually
Gestalt principles, such as proximity and similarity, describe how viewers naturally group visual elements together, which photographers can use to create cohesive compositions.
How does using a telephoto lens affect the apparent depth and compression of a scene?
Answer: It compresses perspective, making background elements appear closer to the subject
Telephoto lenses compress perspective, making foreground and background subjects appear much closer together than they actually are.
In visual design, what is the effect of using a monochromatic color scheme in a photograph?
Answer: It produces a harmonious, unified, and calm visual effect
A monochromatic color scheme uses variations of a single hue, creating a cohesive, serene, and unified visual feeling without the distraction of contrasting colors.
What compositional technique uses a curving path, river, or shoreline to guide the viewer's eye smoothly through an image?
Answer: S-curve or serpentine line
An S-curve (serpentine line) is a compositional element where a winding path or river creates a graceful, flowing line that guides the viewer's eye through the frame.
Which compositional approach creates visual interest by deliberately placing dissimilar or contrasting elements side by side?
Answer: Juxtaposition
Juxtaposition places contrasting subjects—such as old and new, large and small, or bright and dark—next to each other to create meaning or visual tension.
What is the visual effect of placing the horizon line very high in a landscape photograph?
Answer: It emphasizes the foreground and ground-level elements, minimizing the sky
A high horizon line devotes most of the frame to the foreground, drawing attention to ground-level textures, details, or subjects while reducing sky presence.
What is the term for the visual 'path' your eye travels when looking at a photograph?
Answer: Eye flow or visual flow
Visual flow (or eye flow) is the path a viewer's eye naturally follows through an image, which skilled photographers control using lines, contrast, and placement.