To Break it or Not To Break it?
We’re wired to love a centered horizon or a perfectly mirrored reflection. There’s a specific kind of dopamine hit that comes from lining everything up until the world feels balanced. In monochrome, that pull is even stronger because you aren't distracted by a bright red car or a neon sign; you’re just looking at the bones of the scene, the lines, the shapes, and the math of it all. Symmetry feels like a deep, collective exhale. It tells the viewer that for one second, the chaos of the world stopped and everything made sense.
But here’s the thing: perfection can be incredibly boring. If every shot you take is a perfectly centered Rorschach test, your portfolio starts to feel like a textbook rather than a story. Symmetry is a trap if you use it just because you don't know where else to put the subject. I’ve learned that symmetry should be a conscious choice for when you want to project calm, power, or silence. It’s for those moments that feel "built" and immovable.
The real magic usually happens the moment you decide to mess it up. I call it the "visual itch." When you have a scene that is 90% balanced but you intentionally place your subject off to the far left, or you let a shadow cut across only one half of the frame, you create tension. You’re telling the viewer’s eye to go looking for the "mistake," and in that search, they actually engage with the photo. They don't just see it; they feel the weight of the lopsidedness.
Life isn't symmetrical. It’s messy, it’s leaning to one side, and it’s always moving. If you want a photo to feel human, you usually have to break the mirror. Use that perfect center when you want to show the world as a temple, but throw it off balance when you want to show it as a home. The decision to break the line is often more important than the line itself.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO IMPROVE YOUR BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY TRY THE LESSONS BELOW.
A Beginners Guide