{"id":28263,"date":"2015-03-27T00:30:46","date_gmt":"2015-03-27T07:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/iphonephotographyschool.com\/?p=28263"},"modified":"2020-02-06T01:13:10","modified_gmt":"2020-02-06T09:13:10","slug":"pattern-and-repetition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphonephotographyschool.com\/pattern-and-repetition\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Tips For Creating Incredible iPhone Photos Using Pattern & Repetition"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our lives are filled with patterns and repetition, but we don’t always notice them. Patterns are sometimes man-made and other times a result of natural repetition. Wherever you find patterns, they’re sure to make wonderful photos with a strong visual impact. In this tutorial you’ll learn where to find visual\u00a0repetition\u00a0in the environment around you, and how to use patterns to take incredible abstract photos<\/a>\u00a0with your iPhone.<\/p>\n

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1. Find\u00a0Patterns<\/h2>\n

Patterns\u00a0have a tendency to go unnoticed, and most of the time it can be in the eye of the beholder to discover them.\u00a0Patterns appear whenever strong graphic elements repeat themselves, for example, lines<\/a>, geometric shapes, forms and colors<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Spotting patterns can take time. The key here is to always keep an eye out for patterns and repetition that appear across your path.<\/p>\n

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Patterns are sometimes intentionally man-made for decorative purposes, such as tiles on a wall or floor.<\/p>\n

Urban\u00a0elements such as windows on the front of a building, lamp posts on a street, a zebra crossing, shadows of a fence projected on a sidewalk, stacked up shopping carts, a cobblestone road, or a brick wall are just some of the places\u00a0where you can find visual repetition.<\/p>\n

\"Danny<\/span><\/p>\n

Other times, patterns are purely as a result of natural repetition found in nature, like the peel of a pineapple, a row of trees, ripples of sand, a pebble stone beach, a pile of chopped logs, veins in a leaf or a coiled shell.<\/p>\n

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\ufffcIt can take some time to train your eye to\u00a0catch all of the patterns around you, but once you start noticing them you\u2019ll be amazed at\u00a0how many you’ve missed out on.<\/p>\n

Absorbing them into your photography from now on will be fundamental.\u00a0Patterns, when used effectively, can produce a fascinating element of visual interest.<\/p>\n

\"Pattern<\/p>\n

Once you\u00a0start\u00a0seeking these scenes, you’ll automatically keep it in the back of your mind, and in the near future when you find yourself in front of a similar setting, your desire to photograph that sight will absolutely show! \ufffc\ufffc<\/p>\n

2. Shoot Different Perspectives<\/h2>\n

Changing your shooting angle<\/a> can bring your photography to a whole new level. Never settle with one simple eye-level picture right from where you’re standing.<\/p>\n

You have to move around, trying new and different angles.\u00a0This tip is very useful in all kinds of photography, but especially so when photographing patterned repetition.<\/p>\n

\"Danny<\/p>\n

Use the lines that the scene\u00a0provides you to create your own composition.\u00a0Take your time to get to know and explore the subject while clicking the shutter button. Shoot from a low angle<\/a>\u00a0and watch how that point of view changes.<\/p>\n

\"Danny<\/p>\n

Move closer to fill the frame, or take a step back and let the background into the picture. Get high above the normal line of sight and you will definitely have a new perspective. You’ll only know if that was the best angle to portray the subject after you’ve tried them all.<\/p>\n

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In this photo,\u00a0repetition was found by looking directly up through the inside of a ladder on\u00a0a water tower. The pattern was created by the repetition of the outside safety rings on the ladder’s steps.\u00a0With this type of image it’s important to get the subject\u00a0aligned just right in order to create a symmetrical composition<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3. Fill The Frame<\/h2>\n

A good tip for photographing patterns is to fill the frame with the subject you want to portray. This creates a more powerful image\u00a0by removing all distracting components from the scene, focusing attention on the pattern itself.<\/p>\n

Without any distraction in the background, you’ll avoid diverting attention to the unnecessary elements of the scene. The forms, shapes and colors of the pattern will speak for themselves, creating wonderfully eye-catching abstract images.<\/p>\n

\"Danny<\/span><\/p>\n

Filling the frame provides a sense of clarity, involvement and comfort, bringing the viewer into the image, making them\u00a0focus and experience the essence of the subject you photographed.<\/span><\/p>\n

By eliminating the edges of your pattern, you create a perception of amplitude to the whole scene and the observer loses references to where it all begins, where it ends or even how big it is.\u00a0This is when you know that filling the frame was used successfully.<\/p>\n

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Sometimes when you try to fill the frame, even your best option of angle gives you a slight distortion in perspective and the pattern’s edges are still visible in “the perfect crop.”<\/p>\n

For moments like these, there are perspective correction apps like SKRWT<\/a>\u00a0that you can use to straighten out the angle of the lines.\u00a0Using perspective correction apps can really help you improve your images by straightening and aligning the important lines in the scene, but this is a topic for another tutorial!<\/p>\n

\"Pattern<\/p>\n

This image shows a man-made decorative arrangement of tiles in\u00a0two colors. By\u00a0eliminating the edges of the pattern, it forces the viewer\u00a0to \u201cdive in\u201d to the image and experience the true spirit and characteristics of the pattern. \ufffc<\/p>\n

\ufffc4. Break The Pattern<\/h2>\n

Breaking the rhythm of a pattern is a powerful way of providing a focal point in the\u00a0composition. The images below represent two ways in which contrasting elements were used in order to break the pattern and rhythm.<\/p>\n

\"Pattern<\/p>\n

In this first image, the pattern was broken due to the red bricks in the middle of the green ones. Green and red are contrasting colors, opposite each other on the color wheel, which makes\u00a0the red bricks seem to pop-out next to the green ones.<\/p>\n

\"Processed<\/p>\n

In this picture, a wooden ladder positioned off-center breaks the pattern in the background of the scene. What’s\u00a0contrasting here is the ladder’s material, color and shape.<\/p>\n

While everything else in the composition is monotone, straight and square, the ladder is orange-brown and triangular with converging lines. \ufffc\ufffc<\/p>\n

\ufffc5.\u00a0Include Objects That Match The Pattern Color<\/h2>\n

Another fun way to interfere with the pattern in an\u00a0image is to add another subject with a similar color tone to the picture. This way the additional object doesn’t break the pattern, but it complements and ties the composition instead.<\/p>\n

\"Pattern<\/p>\n

In this picture, the pattern found on the fabric of this outside sofa matches the same color tone as the sneakers. The blue monotone elements complete each other in this composition, providing cohesion and balance to the picture.<\/p>\n

\ufffc6. Use Patterns As A Background<\/h2>\n

A patterned background works really well when the scene is simple with a strong focal point. A pattern in the background adds secondary interest to the photo, after the main subject.<\/p>\n

\"Pattern<\/p>\n

The regular\u00a0grey pattern\u00a0of this wall\u00a0behind a black and white bicycle makes a perfect background for this image. The photo doesn’t need any color because the strong shapes of the pattern provide all the interest you need to complement the main subject.<\/p>\n

Including a common object that everyone knows the size of also allows you to convey an idea of the scale\u00a0of the pattern. Above, the bicycle contrasts with the magnitude of the patterned wall. It helps the viewer to understand the proportion of the pattern.<\/p>\n

\"Danny<\/p>\n

Patterns also work really well as a form of visual interest in portrait photography<\/a>. Photographing portraits with a patterned background livens up the picture, adding color and detail to complement the subject. \ufffc\ufffc<\/p>\n

\"Processed<\/p>\n

\ufffc7. Combine Patterns<\/h2>\n

Another fun technique is to experiment with combining patterns in your photography. They might be tricky to find, and are certainly more difficult to make a composition with, but the end results are usually eye-catching.<\/p>\n

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For a captivating and intriguing photograph, use distinct shaped patterns and colors in the composition. This\u00a0green leather sofa in front of the\u00a0white tiled wall in a restaurant\u00a0makes a great combination of patterns and colors.<\/p>\n

\"Danny<\/p>\n

Here the colors and patterns\u00a0of the background and the umbrella\u00a0are similar, but the stripes of the umbrella traveling in different directions\u00a0create\u00a0a wonderful stripy image\u00a0with a strong focal point.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

So to sum it all up, remember to keep an eye out for patterns and repetition that you usually wouldn’t notice on a\u00a0day-to-day basis. Always be on the look out for them wherever you go.<\/p>\n

When you find the setting you want to shoot, get your iPhone out and try shooting from every possible angle. Experiment with filling the entire frame with the pattern for a more intimate feeling and an abstract effect.<\/p>\n

Use additional elements or people in the composition to\u00a0either break or complement the pattern. Or simply use the pattern as a backdrop for a portrait or other subject.<\/p>\n

Get out there, explore your city or the countryside, and photograph the patterns you stumble upon!<\/p>\n

\"Danny<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our lives are filled with patterns and repetition, but we don’t always notice them. Patterns are sometimes man-made and other times a result of natural repetition. Wherever you find patterns, they’re sure to make wonderful photos with a strong visual impact. In this tutorial you’ll learn where to find visual\u00a0repetition\u00a0in the environment around you, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[303,298],"tags":[278,341],"class_list":{"0":"post-28263","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-taking-photos","7":"category-tutorials","8":"tag-abstract","9":"tag-patterns","10":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nCreate Incredible iPhone Photos Using Pattern & Repetition<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover how to create amazing iPhone photos using pattern and repetition. 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Whether man-made or naturally occurring, patterns create amazing abstract images.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/iphonephotographyschool.com\/pattern-and-repetition\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"iPhone Photography School\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/iPhonePS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2015-03-27T07:30:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-02-06T09:13:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Danny Zappa\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Danny Zappa\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Create Incredible iPhone Photos Using Pattern & Repetition","description":"Discover how to create amazing iPhone photos using pattern and repetition. 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