1. Still in the Abstract category, create a New blog called “Formal Elements of Photography“
  2. Explain what the phrase Formal Elements means in photography.
  3. Describe each of the 6 elements discussed so far (line, shape, pattern, texture, tone, focus)
  4. Give an example that emphasizes each element (you can use your own image or an image from somebody else – but it must be cited!)
  5. Can an image show just one element at a time? Justify your answer.

A slip into a diamond

The phrase formal elements in photography is a number of components that make up the details of photography.  The 6 elements are line, shape, pattern, texture, tone, and focus.  Lines are found everywhere and are used to create details and separation among photos. Shapes are used to form objects and subjects in the shot usually making up the surroundings and how they are distinct from one another. Pattern is used to show repetition of elements to give viewers familiarity and consistent details to create a sense of order in the shot. Texture adds the finer details that make flat surfaces and 3 dimensional surfaces have more details than just their depth. Tone is what creates different kinds of shades and colors in a shot making similar textures and objects differ from one another, usually paired with lighting to create more personal creativeness to a photograph. Focus is what is used to be able to see all these elements clearly or blurred intentionally so that the elements previously mentioned can come together to be formed as a photograph. The image above is an example of all 6 formal elements captured by me. In the photo I am able to show the formal 6 elements by angling my shot where it only captures the edges around a hole in the door. Lines are present in the shape of the hole and shape is present in the message through the hole. Pattern and texture is present in the surface hugging the door, creating a snake like wrapping around it. Tone is used in the different shades of black, grey and white as white represents all the light colors and brighter areas with grey being the mid tones and black representing the shadows and depth. Focus is used to bring the focus through the lens of the gap in the door looking at the message through.

An image can show more than just one element at a time as all photos show forms of shapes, and those shapes are made of lines and they have tones. Though all photos may not have those three, they can also have good patterns and texture that are highly focused to represent different distinct concepts.

Laguda, Diego 2025 “A slip into a diamond” (Photograph) Blog Post 4, ISB Blogs, https://blogs.isb.cn/28diegol/2025/09/02/formal-elements-…photography-pt-4/ Accessed Sep 2 2025.