Asymmetrical Balance in Photography [Examples & Tips]

The rule of thirds is a fundamental photography technique that is the go-to for everyone interested in creating asymmetrical balance. If you divide the shot into a 3x3 grid, you visualize four intersecting points. Your goal is to ensure the subject is framed off-center.

Such a position naturally attracts the viewer to the focal subject while balancing the rest of the shot with less visually weighty elements. It’s a straightforward but incredibly effective technique for achieving asymmetrical compositions.

Negative space, which includes completely or mostly empty areas around the subject, is very useful if you’re looking to recreate different asymmetrical balance photography examples at home​.

If you place the subject in one part of the shot and leave the rest empty, you’ll notice that the visual weight of the focal point will be counterbalanced by the space around it. However, it’s also important to remember that negative space doesn’t necessarily need to be empty. You can include subtle textures or smaller elements to add depth without disrupting the balance.

You can help establish asymmetrical balance by featuring contrasting or complementary tones to attract the viewer’s eyes. Combining rich hues with muted colors or adding contrasting elements off-center tends to create dynamic shots.

For instance, you can place a bright subject against a dimmed backdrop to make the photo more visually compelling without losing balance. Gradual color transitions, which you can see during a sunset, are also very useful for achieving natural asymmetry without any tricks or props.

Textures and patterns can be great for adding contrast and interest to a shot. I like to mix elements with various textures, for instance, smooth and rough surfaces or detailed and basic patterns, to make the composition deeper and more visually striking. As an idea, you can contrast a textured door against smoother surroundings to achieve an eye-catching asymmetry.

I enjoy mixing elements of different sizes to create asymmetry. Bigger subjects tend to have more visual weight, while smaller ones act as a poignant juxtaposition. By properly arranging such objects, I ensure they make my photos dynamic without competing against each other.

Framing in photography deals with dividing the shot into elements, gauging their visual weight, and tweaking the camera angle to receive a balanced composition. Bigger objects, eye-catching textures, or rich colors are heavier, while smaller or neutral elements are lighter. Adding elements off-center or to the foreground strengthens asymmetry.

I believe that conceptual meaning can be very important for determining the visual weight of an element. Colors, emotions, and symbolism are essential aspects to consider when examining different asymmetrical balance photography examples and devising ideas of your own.

Warm hues like red or yellow are heavier, while cooler tones like blue are lighter. Emotional elements, be it a silhouette or a symbolic subject, add depth and should be balanced around when planning the rest of the composition.

If you fail to properly balance your asymmetrical shot, it can still be fixed during post-processing. Even though framing is very important, you can fine-tune it in photo editing software for PC. However, remember to avoid compromising the photo quality in your quest to find the optimal balance.

You should start by removing all distracting elements. Cropping lets you get rid of improperly framed objects to tidy up the shot. Moreover, it helps you follow the rule of thirds if you fail to do so initially.

However, remember to save the initial aspect ratio of your image unless you have a specific reason why you want to change it. If you were shooting in RAW, the resolution should be high enough to accommodate different cropping needs.

Cropping deletes unwanted elements at the edge of the shot and can be used to adjust the aspect ratio, but it won’t change the balance between the objects that are left. That part requires more intricate adjustments, be it color, brightness, or clarity.

For instance, if you want to lower the visual weight of an element, you can decrease its saturation or boost its brightness with the help of a brush tool. Meanwhile, if you want to make a large area of the photo more subtle, I suggest using the blur feature. It can also be useful for smoothing a textured object to counterbalance it against the main subject.

Tweaking contrast helps if you’re trying to create asymmetrical balance in photography based on the brightness vs darkness juxtaposition.

If the dark area is too big and dominates the light one, you can consider employing the Curves feature to boost highlights and restore balance. Meanwhile, if you want to add more negative space to counterbalance a visually heavy subject, a darker backdrop is what you need.

If you’d like to achieve balance by relying on colors, you’ll have to perform color correction. By tweaking the tone, saturation, contrast, and brightness, color grading can dramatically alter the look and balance of an image. It can help achieve a cinematic look, adjust the color temperature, or change the entire color palette, affecting all the elements in the shot.

You can also go for a more direct approach to achieve asymmetrical balance in your photos. Possible techniques include deleting entire objects from the shot, swapping the background, recoloring elements, making the image B&W, applying a vignette, and many others.

However, if you look at examples of such asymmetrical balance in photography, you’ll see that they often don’t look as natural or lack their original appeal.

These presets can make your images look more professional and eye-catching in only a couple of clicks. Use them to enhance colors, fine-tune the contrast and saturation, add a bit of texture, and make other adjustments with minimum effort. They also include a variety of effects that can add uniqueness to your photos.