Hide Face

Hide Face is a design technique and visual strategy commonly employed in product photography, advertising, and visual communication where the subject's face is intentionally obscured, cropped, or partially concealed while maintaining the focus on design elements, products, or specific features. This methodological approach serves multiple purposes in design contexts, primarily functioning as a powerful tool to direct viewer attention to particular design aspects while creating an sense of universality and relatability in visual narratives. The technique emerged from the intersection of commercial photography and artistic expression, gaining prominence in the mid-20th century as advertising and design became increasingly sophisticated. In contemporary design practice, Hide Face has evolved to become a significant compositional element that can enhance the emotional impact of images while maintaining privacy considerations and avoiding potential cultural or demographic biases. The method is particularly valuable in fashion design photography, architectural visualization, and product demonstrations, where the emphasis should remain on the design elements rather than the individual model or user. This approach has been recognized in various design competitions, including the A' Design Award's photography and visual communication design categories, where it serves as an effective means of highlighting design features while maintaining universal appeal. The technique encompasses various methods, from strategic lighting and shadows to creative cropping and positioning, often incorporating elements such as turned backs, profile views, or partial facial coverage through design elements themselves, contributing to a more focused and impactful presentation of design work.

Author: Lucas Reed

Keywords: visual composition, photographic technique, design focus, universal appeal

Help us improve the Design+Encyclopedia, contribute your alternative definition for Hide Face today!

About the Design+Encyclopedia
The Design+Encyclopedia is a crowd-sourced reference of information on design. Unlike other crowd-sourced publications on design, the Design Encyclopedia is edited and actively monitored and publishing is only possible after review of submitted texts. Furthermore, editors of the Design Encyclopedia are mostly consisting of award winning designers who have proven their expertise in their design respective fields. Information posted at design encyclopedia is copyrighted, you are not granted a right to use the text for any commercial reasons, attribution is required. If you wish to contribute to the design encyclopedia, please first register or login to A' Design Award and then start a new design encyclopedia entry.