Lesson 6 : Basic Composition

[kcartuk]

Attached is the photo I chose for this assignment.

[Instructor]

Stunning. Absolutely breathtaking. There are so many great features to this photograph. What initially went through my mind were the following:

1. I loved the lowered perspective. Playing around the height and perspective is one of the easiest and most underused ways to help add an interesting element to a photograph. It just requires standing taller or ducking down, yet so few photographers play around with the height perspective of their photographs. Great work.

2. The color simplicity and color palette of the photograph is stunningly beautiful. The browns, greys and de-saturated greens create a very gentle and harmonious fall look to this photograph.

3. The use of both a leading line and an “S curve” are great additions to this photograph. The leading line out of the bottom right of the photograph helps lead the viewers eye into the photograph and the winding pathway helps us navigate and explore the rest of the photograph.

4. The image looks raw to me. It doesn’t look manipulated. I really liked this natural look.

My only recommendation is to keep an eye out for images that have this type of composition but that also contain a primary object of interest that acts as a “stopper” for the eye. The object that has the most prominence and “weight” other than the winding path, is the tree to the left of the photograph. However, it is not really a primary subject.

Not all images need a primary focus, but it’s important to think about what you would like your viewers to stop and look at. However, these general scenic shots are also beautiful. It’s not wrong to exclude a primary object, it’s just something to be aware of.

Great work!