Fig. 6.2
Two images illustrating the difference in space
needed for headroom, dependent on the size of the
subject within the frame.Space (lead room, or nose room)
Whencomposinganimage,thephotographermustalways
be mindful of space – of giving the viewer’s eye the
appropriateamountofspacetomovearoundtheframe,and
allowingthesubject tosit comfortablywithinthescene.
Often a portrait will be placed within the frame, and
croppedinquiteclosely.Thismakesforanuncomfortable
and static image, with no area for the eyes to move around.
Within a portrait thesubject’s eyes should always have
space in which to look, creating interest and meaning
withinanimage.Ifthereisnotsufficientspaceforthisto
occurtheviewer’seyeswillhavenowheretofollow,and
theportraitbecomesawkwardandconfined.Ideallyeyes
shouldnotappeartolookoutoftheframeofanimage,as
theviewer’seyeswillnaturallyfollowthelineofvisionof
thesubjectoutoftheimage,whenthephotographer’saim
istodrawtheviewerintotheframe.Followingthesame
theory,ifyouaretakingtheimageofa movingsubject,
they too should have space in which to travel.
Ofcourseifthisiswhatthephotographerintendstoportray
the rule can be used to create this feeling; we must
rememberthatthephotographercanusealltheseprinciples
ofcompositioninanywaytoheightentheimpactoftheir
imagery.