Negative space in photography  , design and sculpture is as  important as positive space in overall composition . Simply put, the positive space is the main subject and the negative space or white space of the environment is the main subject.

 To capture an outstanding photo, you need to understand and find the right balance between the two environments. 

According to articles by Petapixe l, negative space gives the viewer’s eyes space to breathe and relax; As a result, by emphasizing the subject of the photo, the audience’s attention is more focused on the main subject. I

f the negative space is too crowded and full of details, the viewer’s focus is taken from the subject and distributed among all the elements in the negative space.

To better understand the subject, pay attention to the image above.

The man standing in the right corner forms the positive space and the entire orange wall forms the negative space of the photo. 

Dedicating more environment to a negative space has a positive effect on better visibility of the final result and thus draws more attention to the subject of photography.

Negative space defines the subject of your photo, which is like a visual stop. In other words, a negative atmosphere with a buffer-like function reduces the negative impact of crowded composition and creates an environment for eye relaxation.

 Another positive effect of the correct use of negative space is the creation of encryption in the photo, which encourages the audience to make a continuation of the photo story. 

This has a profound effect on the emotions and feelings of the image.

Increasing the negative space can lead to the creation of appropriate composition, which results in minimal photographs with a focused subject and the absence of clutter.

Nicholas Gooden is a lecturer and urban photographer in London. In the following, you will see a number of his works, which are an example of minimal street photography.

All images above show the architecture around the city of London. By reducing everything in the photo frame, Gooden has made it easier for the audience to absorb and understand the photo. 

He says he always pays attention to the negative atmosphere when photographing the streets in London.

In the pictures above, the main subject of the photos are people; But they do not occupy all the space. 

The empty space in the photo automatically draws the eyes towards the subject and makes it stand out.