of the machine shop to sidelight the machines, shadows are cast at their sides and occupied or positive space appears three-dimensional; however, since all the machines, both near and far, are now lighted the same, you do not create a sense of depth, and empty or negative space appears flat. For the best picture of the machine shop, you should light the machines in a way that the three-dimensional form is represented, while creating a sense  of  depth  by  reducing  the  intensity  of  illumination toward the back of the shop. LIGHTING Lighting is also an important creative element of composition.  By  controlling  the  light  and  directing  it where you want it, you can subdue objects or distracting elements in the scene to give more emphasis to the main point  of  interest. For good picture composition, you must develop an awareness of how changes in lighting can affect the appearance of things around you. Light and shadows can be used in composition to create mood, to draw attention to an area, to modify or distort shape, or to bring out form and texture in the subject. Shadows   are   a   key   to   apparent   form   in photographs.  Without  shadows,  the  subject  records without form, curvature, or texture, appearing flat and lifeless. This does not mean that shadows must be harsh  and  black  to  achieve  the  effects  of  form, curvature,  and  texture.  They  may  be  soft,  yet  of sufficient density to show the most delicate roundness and   form.   Generally,   harsh,   black   shadows   are undesirable in a photograph due to the loss of detail in  them.  From  a  compositional  standpoint,  black shadows can be very useful in balancing a scene and directing  attention  to  the  point  of  interest.  Harsh shadows can also be excellent for emphasizing texture and form, for creating interesting patterns, and for directing  attention  to  the  main  point  of  interest; however, the same elements can also obscure detail and reduce form. When the lighting is harsh, such as on a clear, sunny day, shadows have sharply defined edges and are probably very dark, sometimes to the point  that  they  appear  stronger  than  the  primary subject  and  attract  attention  to  themselves. TEXTURE Texture  helps  to  emphasize  the  features  and  details in a photograph. By capturing “texture” of objects being photographed, you can create form. When people observe a soft, furry object or a smooth,  shining  surface,  they  have  a  strong  urge  to touch it. You can provide much of the pleasure people get from the feel of touching such objects by rendering texture in your pictures. Texture can be used to give realism and character to a picture and may in itself be the subject of a photograph. When texture is used as a subordinate element within the picture, it lends strength to the main idea in the photograph. It usually takes just a little different lighting or a slight change in camera position to improve the rendering of texture in a picture. When an area in a photograph shows rich texture, the textured area usually creates a form or shape; therefore, it should be considered in planning the  photograph  (fig.  5-16). TONE Tone is probably the most intangible element of composition.  Tone  may  consist  of  shadings  from white-to-gray-to-black, or it may consist of darks against lights with little or no grays. The use of dark areas against light areas is a common method of adding the feeling of a third dimension to a two-dimensional black-and-white  picture.  The  interaction  of  light  against dark shades in varying degrees helps to set the mood of a composition. A picture consisting of dark or somber shades conveys mystery, intrigue, or sadness. When the tones are mostly light and airy, the picture portrays lightness, joy, or airiness. CONTRAST Contrast  in  photographic  composition  is  an effective means of directing the viewer's attention to the center of interest. Positioning of subject elements to create contrast gives them added emphasis and directs the viewer's attention. When  we  speak  of  contrast  as  it  relates  to composition, we are referring to both tonal contrast, as in black-and-white photography, and color contrast as it relates  to  color  photography.  In  black-and-white photography, contrast is the difference in subject tones from  white-to-gray-to-black  or  from  the  lightest  tone  to the darkest tone. In color photography different colors create  contrast. 5-18