Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/10/06

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Subject: Composition 101 [was Re: [Leica] Nobska Light]
From: Jim at hemenway.com (Jim Hemenway)
Date: Thu Oct 6 16:07:30 2005
References: <BF6AC8A6.6606%bdcolen@comcast.net>

I just KNEW that you like lighthouses... no matter what you've said in 
the past!

;-)


B. D. Colen wrote:

> It is interesting indeed. I was seeing the zigzag path of fence, which I
> wanted freed and complete, but I don't think I was consciously seeing the
> path you see. However, now that you articulate it, I wonder if that's what 
> I
> was subconsciously going for. Interesting. And thanks for taking the time
> with this.
> 
> B. D.
> 
> 
> On 10/6/05 12:16 PM, "Richard S. Taylor" <r.s.taylor@comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> 
>>Not to beat this photo into the ground, but Adam's comment about the
>>Nobska Light photo being a "formal" image triggered something in the
>>back of my mind.  Also, after B.D.'s comment earlier yesterday, I was
>>mystified as to why he choose one particular crop and I chose another.
>>
>>Here are the two:
>>
>>B.D.'s crop (at least I think this is what you meant, B.D.):
>>
>>http://gallery.leica-users.org/SAILING/03_9_0071_bd_crop
>>
>>My crop (Actually I cropped this is even tighter than the the image I
>>first posted in order to emphasize my  point):
>>
>>http://gallery.leica-users.org/SAILING/03_9_0071_rst_crop
>>
>>After staring at the two of them side-by-side for a while I realized
>>that in B.D.'s crop, my eyes tended to follow a zigzag path along
>>fence to the lighthouse.  In mine, my eye motion was almost all
>>vertical, up along the fence posts to the tall structure.  In B.D.'s
>>there was, figuratively speaking, a path open for the viewer to
>>approach the lighthouse around the fence post to the right, in mine
>>there was none.  The fence became a barrier.  B.D.'s says, "Come in,"
>>mine says, "Don't."  There is more motion in B.D's, more stillness in
>>mine.
>>
>>Not sure just why I chose the tighter crop.  It was not made with
>>much thought beforehand.   It just seemed more appropriate to the
>>photo in question, and possibly, to the site as well.  (There were
>>lots of fences and a many No Admittance signs around.)
>>
>>It's been an interesting discussion.  Thanks.
>>
>>
>>
>>>Thanks for your response and your alternates, Richard.
>>>
>>>In my experience a formal image - like the lighthouse - is about
>>>shapes and textures and light and dark and stillness. People, almost
>>>always, bring motion and focus - our pattern recognition engines want
>>>to SEE them and know what they're doing.
>>>
>>>Obviously, as in nude fine-art photography, all of those things can be
>>>a part of the composition. But nudes seldom have faces and seldom are
>>>"in action" although I can think of exceptions to both of these.
>>>
>>>Of course you framed your image with those folks in mind, but I like
>>>both your suggestion and B. D.'s as well.
>>>
>>>Thanks!
>>>
>>>Adam
>>
>>
>>(snip)
  http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 


Replies: Reply from bdcolen at comcast.net (B. D. Colen) (Composition 101 [was Re: [Leica] Nobska Light])
In reply to: Message from bdcolen at comcast.net (B. D. Colen) (Composition 101 [was Re: [Leica] Nobska Light])