Form is nothing more than the physical shape certain elements of interest in a photograph might or might not possess. These shapes could remind you of other objects or they could help you make a certain logical connection to an idea or notion that has no physical properties. Hence, when I refer to “form”, I am referring to a very broad range of possible visual scenarios.
My favorite examples of form in photography are those where a physical element within the photograph either has a very intriguing shape or distinctly reminds me of something else which itself has very identifiable physical characteristics.
Finding scenes with physical elements that could be used —through carefully considered framing— to create “form” in photographs is a very interesting process. Don’t get me wrong, this is no easy task, to pull it off a photographer must be able to a) identify this/these elements to begin with and b) properly execute the photographic capture so as to adequately convey what he/she saw in the scene to the viewer.
The key part of this process is the framing of the photograph, since it can make or break even the best scene. Here, again, experience goes a long way; when you have been in similar scenarios many times before, you develop a sixth-sense for where you should place yourself to maximize the potential of the subject you have chosen to photograph. I often tell fellow photographers that the key to consistently creating exceptional photographs isn’t in the quality of the equipment they use, instead it is the time they spend behind the camera learning to see the world anew.
Lastly, I will share with you one of my favorite photography quotes. It is attributed to the renowned documentary photographer Dorothea Lange, unfortunately I am not certain if it was a phrase that she coined herself or simply helped spread due to her celebrity.
“The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera”.