A positive image in photography is one that evokes positivity, hope, inspiration, happiness or other uplifting emotions and feelings in the viewer. There are many ways photographers can create positive images through their creative choices in composition, lighting, color and subject matter.
Choosing Inspiring Subject Matter
One of the most direct ways to create a positive photograph is to choose subject matter that is inherently uplifting or inspiring. Subjects like babies, children, animals, nature and loved ones tend to evoke positive feelings and remind us of what is good in the world. Choosing subjects that are active, energetic or expressing joy can also lend a sense of positivity to an image. Some examples of subject matter that tends to create positive images include:
- Babies smiling or laughing
- Children playing or having fun
- Puppies, kittens or other cute baby animals
- Nature scenes like flowers, sunsets, rainbows
- Athletes excelling at sports or dancing
- People hugging, smiling or expressing affection
Images of these subjects fill viewers with a sense of warmth, inspiration and hope. Photographers should look for subjects that bring out happiness, joy, love, optimism or other uplifting emotions when aiming to create a positive image.
Using Bright, Vibrant Colors
Color hugely impacts the mood and emotion of a photograph. Bright, saturated, vibrant colors tend to feel more uplifting and positive. Soft, muted or dark colors can feel more somber or melancholy. When aiming for a positive image, photographers should consider using colors like:
- Yellow – Feels cheerful and energetic
- Orange – Radiates warmth and enthusiasm
- Red – Passionate and lively
- Pink – Gentle, feminine, hopeful
- Green – Fresh, natural, tranquil
- Blue – Calm and comforting
- Purple – Magical, imaginative, creative
Images filled with colors like these on the bright, saturated end of the spectrum inherently provide positive vibes. Even black and white images can feel more uplifting with bright, high contrast tones.
Composing with Diagonals, Curves and Leading Lines
The composition of a photograph can affect whether it feels positive or not. Composition refers to the arrangement of visual elements within the image frame. Some compositional choices that tend to create positive feelings include:
- Diagonal lines – Convey action, movement and energy
- Curving lines – Imply grace, elegance and flow
- Leading lines – Draw the eye through the image in an inviting way
- Balanced asymmetry – Creates a visually pleasing sense of order
- Patterns – Repetition can be uplifting and meditative
Images using compositional elements like these tend to feel harmonious, inviting and energetic. They engage the viewer’s eye to move actively through the frame in a positive way.
Focusing on Positive Expressions and Emotions
For portraits or images featuring people, focusing on positive facial expressions and body language is key to creating an uplifting photograph. Images featuring smiles, laughter, affection, enthusiasm and joy impart those feelings to the viewer. Other positive expressions to capture include:
- Triumph
- Pride
- Excitement
- Bliss
- Awe
- Inspiration
Photographers should look for genuine expressions of emotions like these when aiming to shoot portraits that radiate positivity.
Choosing Creative Perspectives
Shooting from non-standard perspectives can add visual interest, uniqueness and a positive sense of discovery to images. Some creative perspectives to try include:
- Worm’s eye view – Shooting from ground level looking up
- Bird’s eye view – Shooting from an elevated position looking down
- Tilted horizon – Rotating the camera angle to create a slanted horizon
- From behind – Shooting over someone’s shoulder or from behind them
- Reflections – Using reflective surfaces like water or glass to capture mirrored images
- Through the frame – Framing the subject by shooting through something like a window, branches or a person’s outstretched arms
Using angles and perspectives like these can lend an imaginative, whimsical or uplifting quality to images.
Incorporating Suggestive Elements and Props
Incorporating thoughtful props or other symbolic elements into a composition can help reinforce a positive message or feeling. Some examples include:
- Hot air balloons – Whimsy, adventure, hope
- Dandelion seeds blowing – Wishes coming true, possibilities
- Bubbles – Joy, spontaneity, childhood innocence
- Butterflies – Transformation, freedom, nature
- Dogs or cats – Unconditional love, loyalty, comfort
- Books – Knowledge, imagination, curiosity
Images using thoughtful symbolic elements or props like these can underscore positive themes and add layers of uplifting meaning.
Highlighting Success and Achievement
Images showing people actively achieving goals or exhibiting skills can inspire viewers to pursue their dreams. Photographs highlighting success and achievement in any realm impart an empowering sense of human potential. Some examples include:
- An athlete crossing a finish line
- A musician joyfully playing their instrument
- A student smiling as they graduate
- A craftsperson concentrating on their work
- A gardener holding up freshly harvested produce
Photographing meaningful moments like these captures the human ability to grow, thrive and succeed in uplifting ways.
Focusing on Hope
Hope is one of the most powerful and uplifting human emotions. Photographs conveying a sense of hopefulness remind viewers to stay optimistic, even in challenging times. Some examples of hope-evoking images include:
- Sunbeams breaking through clouds
- New spring growth emerging
- A ladder leaning against a wall
- An expectant mother touching her belly
- The sunrise after a long night
- A winding path disappearing into the distance
Whether abstract or literal, images centered on hope’s themes of renewal, growth, expectation and belief in a bright future define what it means to be positive.
Capturing Curiosity and Exploration
Images conveying curiosity, discovery and exploration evoke the sense of wonder that comes from engaging with the world in new ways. Photographs of people actively learning, creating and venturing into the unknown impart positivity by highlighting the joy of an open, inquisitive mindset. Some examples include:
- A child inspecting a butterfly they caught
- A student experimenting in a chemistry lab
- An artist engrossed in the creative process
- A kayaker paddling across a mountain lake
- Someone gazing up at the starry night sky in awe
By photographing subjects who embody inquisitiveness, inspiration and discovery, images take on an uplifting spirit of optimism and promise.
Focusing on Community and Togetherness
Images conveying a sense of community, unity and togetherness underscore human connections in a positive way. Photographs of people coming together, cooperating or supporting each other impart uplifting themes of kinship and belonging. Some examples include:
- People holding hands in a circle
- Neighbors having a block party
- Friends laughing together and embracing
- Teammates celebrating a victory
- Volunteers serving food at a charity event
Photography highlighting camaraderie, inclusion and compassion forges an inspiring vision of people at our best.
Capturing Perseverance and Resilience
Images reflecting struggle or hardship can still impart positivity by highlighting the human capacity for perseverance and resilience. Photographs that show people actively overcoming challenges send a hopeful message about inner strength. Some examples include:
- An athlete pushing themselves during training
- A sick person recovering in the hospital
- Emergency responders working together at a disaster site
- A student focused on studying after failing an exam
Photographing people drawing on courage and resolve in the face of adversity underscores the inspirational power of the human spirit.
Choosing an Elevated Point of View
The altitude or vantage point from which a photograph is taken can impact its emotional tone. Images shot from a high, expansive viewpoint tend to feel more positive and hopeful. Shooting down at a scene encourages a big picture perspective. Some examples of elevated viewpoints include:
- From a mountain peak or ridge
- From up in a tree
- From the top floor of a tall building
- From an aerial or drone-mounted camera
Using a bird’s eye perspective adds optimism by making subjects appear open, small and integrated into a larger context.
Finding Beauty in Imperfection
Images can impart positivity by revealing beauty in unconventional or imperfect subjects. Photographs that celebrate flaws, asymmetry, decay and other quirks remind us to appreciate creative inspiration all around us. Some examples include:
- An irregularly shaped water-worn stone
- Peeling paint on weathered wood
- A scarred tree trunk with new growth
- A person with distinctive facial features
Photographing imperfect subjects in a fresh, artistic light sends a message to find the wholeness and beauty in all things.
Conveying a Sense of Order and Harmony
Images structured around geometric shapes and patterns, symmetry, effective use of thirds, intentional framing and other compositional order can impart a sense of harmony and tranquility. Photographs adhering to rules of visual design tend to feel visually resolving and complete in an uplifting way. Examples include:
- A building’s symmetrical facade
- A bike wheel lined up on a third line
- A flower pattern filling the frame
- A horizon precisely bisecting the image
Imposing a sense of thoughtful organization and wholeness creates photographs with underlying equilibrium and peace.
Using Light to Set a Positive Mood
Photographers have endless options for using light to set the mood of an image. Some lighting choices that lend positivity include:
- Side lighting – Models contours in an elegant way
- Backlighting/rimlight – Outlines subjects in an ethereal glow
- Golden hour – Infuses scenes with a warm, nostalgic feel
- Lens flares – Adds magical starbursts and glows
- Soft diffused light – Feels gentle and romantic
By mastering lighting, photographers can imbue their images with qualities from energetic to serene.
Incorporating Motion Blur
When used with intent, motion blur can make images feel more dynamic, exciting and positive. Photographers can capture motion in uplifting ways like:
- Panning to follow a fast-moving subject
- Freezing the subject while blurring the background
- Using longer exposures to create misty, ethereal water or cloud effects
- Zooming the camera during exposure to create streaks and blurs
- Capturing extended light trails from moving lights at night
Implementing motion intentionally imparts a sense of energy, spontaneity and joyful action.
Focusing Close Up
Extreme close up shots revealing intimate details of subjects encourage viewers to appreciate small wonders. Photos taken up close direct attention in a focused, mindfulness-inducing way. Positive examples include:
- The intricate patterns of a butterfly’s wing
- A dew-speckled spider web
- The velvety texture of a flower petal
- The weathered grain of driftwood
- The flecks and tones of an abstract texture
Getting close and filling the frame boosts curiosity and engagement with subjects in a meditative, optimistic way.
Creating a Sense of Depth
Photographing subjects layered at different distances from the camera can impart a positive sense of spaciousness and dimensionality. Depth in images invites the viewer into the scene in an immersive way. Some depth-enhancing techniques include:
- Using a wide aperture to create shallow depth of field
- Shooting down long halls or aisles
- Composing layered landscape elements through a telephoto lens
- Capturing reflections in water or mirrors
Crafting dimensionality makes the feeling and story of images come alive for viewers.
Evoking Nostalgia
Photographs reminiscent of beloved memories from the past impart wistful positivity. Old family photos, classic music and cars, retro fashion and artwork hint of simpler, cherished times. Photographers can evoke nostalgia through choices like:
- Sepia or black and white tone
- Vintage camera filters
- Flare and light leakage effects
- Old architecture, decor and props
- Clothing, hairstyles or music from days gone by
Harnessing nostalgic style gives a dose of heartwarming positivity by feeling both new and comfortingly familiar.
Conclusion
Photographers have endless artistic options for imbuing their images with qualities of hope, joy, inspiration and uplift. By intentionally selecting positive subject matter and making creative choices around composition, color, lighting and style, photographers can craft enduring images that resonate and delight.
A positive photograph at its heart captures and communicates the human spirit at its best. The most uplifting images find the light even in dark corners, see order in apparent chaos, and uncover beauty in unexpected places. Great photography can change how people see themselves and the world. Photographers who consciously create positive images develop the vision and voice to speak truths of empowerment, wisdom and love.
