Quiet Pictures Intense Pictures

I'm beginning to comprehend the distinction between quiet pictures and intense one. Both can be strong, but I think they differ in terms of how the viewers appreciate them.

Intense picture
Intense picture is eye catching. They comprise of many solid lines, objects, and shapes. The more of these elements exist, the more intense it is. Also, the more these elements abrupt, the more intense is the picture. What I mean by abrupt is the high levels of inconsistency of the lines, colors, and the light that define the elements. The term 'details' may be applied for these elements I'm talking about.

Also, the sense of movement adds to the intensity. Something that indicate dynamics, for example moving people or objects captured in slow shutter speed. However, in my opinion, in this regard even when there is no sense of movement at all, i.e. everything looks stable, the picture can be intense. Example of this is a still life picture which involves intricate compositions.

One last thing that I think contributes to the intensity of the picture is expression. It doesn't have to be human expression, but it should be something that resembles human expression. What I mean by this is the mimic of a non-human objects, e.g. animal or inanimate objects that is similar to human expression.

The viewer tend to readily appreciate the message of the picture, or in another term, the picture reveals most of its beauty right at the first moment the viewer look at it.

Quiet picture
A quiet picture, on the other hand, reveals its beauty slowly. A viewer may find an interest in the picture but cannot understand what it is that interest him/her. Or else, he/she may even find the quiet picture uninteresting at the first glance, but somehow the picture gets stuck in the mind, leaving a permanent impression. And when the viewer by any chance see the picture again, he/she will find something different from it, a progressing way of appreciation. The picture seems more interesting the more the viewer look at it. The examples of these are pictures of Sam Abell.

In my opinion, a quiet picture has fewer details. But the not so many details there creates a composition that is strong and recognizable. The recognition may be subtle and one don't realize it at first. The lines, shapes, and objects are not too intricate but straight forward. This would add the sense of stability, calmness, and tranquility.

A quiet picture utilizes negative spaces as its strength. The negative space is when the space is empty and is defined by the objects or other positive elements around it. In fact, it is the negative space that sets the mood of the picture. It is what defines it.

Movement may exist in quiet picture, but it is subtle. Expressions exist too, but somehow I think it's not so important. A quiet expression, such as numbness or grieve may add to the quietness.

A main element may exist in the picture that would stir the quietness of the picture. When I think about this, I am referencing to a picture I saw, which depicts a dead body positioned in the foreground while the background, which is dominant, consist of a serene African landscape. And I hate to mention this, but the body was not a 'normal' one. The body part from the feet to the hip was intact, but from the hip to the upper part there was none, except for a elongated white structure, which was the bone of spine.

The tragedy strikes me deeply, even up to now. And the contrast adds to it. And this is I guess what contributes to the strength of the picture. Contrasting, or irony, of meanings. Despite that, of course, tragic pictures do tend to be more memorable than the others.


Elements that bear the central meaning of the picture is important in both kinds of picture, and to me it doesn't matter if these elements have quiet or intense mood. What matters is the dominance of such elements in the picture. If the element takes up large space of the picture, then it will be most likely to set the overall mood of the picture. Also, what matters regarding the central meaning element is that this element should have a strong meaning, whether in itself or in relation to other elements in the picture. This doesn't only apply in terms of how to make quiet picture or intense picture. This applies to all great pictures.

I think quiet pictures are more difficult to create than the intense ones. The reason is that the interesting point of quiet picture is more subtle. And in our intricate world, the meaningful simple compositions are more difficult to encounter. The examples of this are simple landscape or a foggy blurry environment.

So, for me, I think I have to really learn to make good pictures, quiet or intense. Or combine the quite and intense elements of the picture. All of this should be directed towards whichever composition that best suit the intent of the picture.



*Foto-foto dari seri Tanjung Priok Train Station (NUSA photo).