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I believe that photographic composition isn't just about "subtraction."

藤原嘉騎
May 12
3 min read

Photography is often described as subtraction.

There's a phrase I've heard many times since I started taking photographs.

"Photography is about subtraction."

Remove unnecessary elements, organize the main topic, and make it look as simple as possible.

I certainly think that way of thinking is very important.

In fact, simply being mindful of organizing the background and guiding the viewer's gaze can dramatically improve a photograph.

What do you want to showcase? What should you cut out?

I still value that kind of awareness when I'm thinking about composition.

However, I feel that the sensation I experience when I'm taking photographs is slightly different.

I take photos with the feeling of "adding" things up.

For me, photography is less about removing something and more about "connecting" the elements within a landscape.

For example, even when viewing a landscape while standing, simply crouching down a little can dramatically change the view.

The small flowers blooming at my feet come into the foreground, the path continues beyond them, and my gaze drifts further into the distant light.

There are moments when relationships that weren't visible while standing suddenly connect within a single image.

Perhaps I'm walking around searching for that moment.

The depth created by including the foreground

When I take photos, I pay a lot of attention to the "foreground."

Rather than searching for a special place, I often think about how I can create depth within the place where I'm currently standing.

for example,

Place grass and flowers in the foreground.
Use puddles
Looking into the distance through the gaps in the branches
Searching for a way out of the light

I feel that by finding these small elements, layers of atmosphere are created in what was previously just a flat landscape.

Of course, simply increasing the number of possessions isn't the answer.

What's important is "where the viewer's gaze is drawn." The foreground, middle ground, and background should connect naturally.

I want to create a feeling in the viewer that they can walk through the photograph.

In this photograph, I intentionally included the lattice in the foreground. Instead of simply photographing the scenery head-on, viewing the space through the lattice creates a sense of "peeking in."

The blurred lattice in the foreground creates an entry point for the viewer's gaze, which naturally flows to the market aisle beyond and then to the large window in the distance.

For me, creating this kind of "flow of gaze" is quite important.

My goal isn't simply to increase the amount of information; by connecting the foreground, middle ground, and background, I want to capture the atmosphere and sense of distance of the scene within a single image. Photography is closer to "discovery."

So for me, photography is less about creating something and more about discovering things that were already present in the landscape from the beginning.

I'm not going to put out flowers, nor am I going to change the scenery.

However, by taking even a small step yourself, light and relationships that you hadn't seen before suddenly become apparent.

I believe photography is all about that repetition.

Just moving slightly to the side changes the shape of the background. Crouching down a little connects the foreground and background.

I feel like the "moment that becomes a photograph" is hidden within those small changes.