Photography is part art, part science. Traditionally, the empirical approach has been reserved for the design and operation of cameras. Unfortunately, the art of photography is often left to guesswork and “rules” that lack factual backing.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. There’s a large body of research in cognitive psychology, behavioural neuroscience, and social studies that can find its roots in the 1930 paper by George D. Birkhoff, titled “Aesthetic Measure.” This was one of the first peer-reviewed publications on the topic of aesthetics, which has since grown significantly.
In this article, I will review some of the latest studies, experiments, and findings that explain what makes our brains prefer certain types of images and apply that to the art of photography. You may’ve heard of the rule of thirds, layering, and framing — this guide will explain exactly how and why such concepts could make our images appealing (or not, as the effectiveness of at least one of the above “rules” is questioned by a study — explained below).
But the effects of visual symmetry are only a part of what the studies reveal, as art appreciation can measurably extend beyond the image itself.
I never thought I’d get to apply my psychology major to my work. After graduating from the University of Toronto, I became a software engineer and kept doing that full-time until recently. Working on this article took me back to my college years and made me wonder if I would be a better student today. I enjoyed reading these papers, even if many of them were filled with jargon and concepts that needed further research. I like the certainty in these findings, delivered through actual observations of brain activities, sometimes down to single neurons, and the honesty in describing the shortcomings/need for further research.
@lilianlihua.
How we perceive images.
Once the light enters the eye, it filters through the iris — the eye’s aperture — then refracts into a single point via the flexible lens organ onto our retinas, which are curved planes inside the back of the eye, covered with red-, green-, and blue-light-sensitive cells.
These light-sensitive cells convert light energy into bioelectrical signals, which they transmit to the back of our brains (the occipital lobe). That’s where perception happens, decoding a mess of electrical pulses into meaningful affect (stimuli), which we can turn into thoughts and actions.
Early experiments revealed that simple organisms can use small groups of cells in their brains to identify simple components of a picture, such as lines. Other groups of neurons would respond to groups of simple objects, which together formed larger (though still microscopic) sections of neurons that could interpret things like a fly, enabling a frog’s ability to catch it.
But these basic processes can become unfathomably complex in the immense web of neurons within our brains and the diversity of human actions. This is why a physiological approach, which is concerned with measuring and understanding living tissue, is best complemented by holistic behavioural studies.
Betty’s berry chantilly cake.
What makes us like certain images more?
In his 2019 paper, “Embodied Simulation. Its Bearing on Aesthetic Experience and the Dialogue Between Neuroscience and the Humanities,”Vittorio Gallese connects his expertise in neurophysiology and historical scientists to propose a concept of embodied simulation.
Embodied simulation describes a process where images that evoke empathy are more likely to captivate the viewer. Empathy in this context means imagining oneself in someone else’s shoes: perhaps, as the subject in a photo or as the photographer.
Empathizing means understanding what the other is doing and experiencing, without necessarily feeling compassion or being motivated to help. These latter characteristics refer to the notion of sympathy, which is often confused with that of empathy.
— Gallese (2019).
Embodied simulation was observed in this study through a series of EEG tests that measured the activity of mirror neurons, which activate in our brains when we imagine performing an action (without necessarily having to physically do it). These measurements were then correlated with surveys that revealed an “increase in the explicit rating of aesthetic beauty” of images.
But, as the paper continues, embodied simulation is also influenced by the viewer’s lived experiences or culture. That’s why images that build on relevant cultural artifacts are more effective.
