In art and design, negative space is the empty space around and between the subject(s) of an image.[1] Negative space may be most evident when the space around a subject, not the subject itself, forms an interesting or artistically relevant shape, and such space occasionally is used to artistic effect as the "real" subject of an image.
^Cave, Alessandra (2013). Shooting with Soul: 44 Photography Exercises Exploring Life, Beauty and Self-Expression - From Film to Smartphones, Capture Images Using Cameras from Yesterday and Today. Beverly, MA: Quarry Books. p. 125. ISBN978-1-59253-871-3.