Photographic Composition A Visual Guide Frosty Leslie D. Stroebel Add Something: By adding something to a photograph or subtracting something from a photograph, the syntax is altered and therefore the meaning (semantics) changes. the photogra- pher took this casual snapshot of his daughter and granddaughter. it was a cold wintry day, as can be seen by the way the subjects are clothed, the snow in the rock crevices, and the blank sky. later, upon looking at the photograph, he saw the white space between his daughter and the large rock as a potential snowman. By adding a few black spots for a face, it emerges from the background and becomes part of the subject. the grand daughter was full of joy over the photograph and proudly showed it to many of her classmates. the simple addition of some strategically placed black dots altered the syntax and gave the photograph an extended meaning. It is only when the figure has emerged from the ground and developed into a contoured whole that attachment of meaning, naming, and consequent changes in what is perceived can occur. N.F. Dixon 232