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DPChallenge Forums >> Individual Photograph Discussion >> bridge shot
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 09/09/2005 12:05:54 AM · #1
I took this shot today while on a walk. I was trying to get back to the basics and was looking for leading lines and found this. Let me know what you think. I personaly think that this is kind of boring but those out there that like more abstract things I think will like this.

09/09/2005 12:22:39 AM · #2
left a comment
 09/09/2005 12:36:11 AM · #3
thanks
09/09/2005 03:18:09 AM · #4
This is an intriguing shot compositionally because it shows us something we don't see very often; a sort of a slightly skewed diagonal symmetry. We're used to bilateral symmetry, either across a vertical or a horizontal axis, or even radial symmetry, around a central point, but this is different. Note that the amount of water on the lower right edge is the same as the amount of concrete on the upper left edge.

But the symmetry is more a symmetry of masses than anything else; there's about as much "weight of water" as there is of bridge. There's even an echoing diagonal of bridge truss and shadow-on-water, but that is NOT symmetrically placed. Finally, there's vertical symmetry in the localized areas of reflections, and an extraneous, unbalancing, diagonal counter element center left.

So there are a lot of interesting things happening compositionally, none of them having anything to do with the danged rule of thirds, and I'm grateful for that.

However, when all that's said and done, the image doesn't really engage me viscerally. I think this is largely due to the fact that all the elements here are of a similar tone/value, so there's just an overalls sense of weighty flatness at odds with the potential strength of the composition. I'd be curious to see how this worked, dynamically, if Joe did some serious shifting here and there to get more visual contrast into his image.

Robt.

Message edited by author 2005-09-09 03:19:47.
 09/09/2005 04:23:10 PM · #5
Originally posted by bear_music:
This is an intriguing shot compositionally because it shows us something we don't see very often; a sort of a slightly skewed diagonal symmetry. We're used to bilateral symmetry, either across a vertical or a horizontal axis, or even radial symmetry, around a central point, but this is different. Note that the amount of water on the lower right edge is the same as the amount of concrete on the upper left edge.

But the symmetry is more a symmetry of masses than anything else; there's about as much "weight of water" as there is of bridge. There's even an echoing diagonal of bridge truss and shadow-on-water, but that is NOT symmetrically placed. Finally, there's vertical symmetry in the localized areas of reflections, and an extraneous, unbalancing, diagonal counter element center left.

So there are a lot of interesting things happening compositionally, none of them having anything to do with the danged rule of thirds, and I'm grateful for that.

However, when all that's said and done, the image doesn't really engage me viscerally. I think this is largely due to the fact that all the elements here are of a similar tone/value, so there's just an overalls sense of weighty flatness at odds with the potential strength of the composition. I'd be curious to see how this worked, dynamically, if Joe did some serious shifting here and there to get more visual contrast into his image.

Robt.


wow, thanks. I am glad someone else can see what I can in a compostion. I didn't even notice all of that either. I agree with the overall tonal ranges problem but I think that sort of falls under "artist expression". I almost enjoy the overall bland quality it gives it a kind of feel that I don't usualy make in my photographs. I think I enjoy exploring new sections of art photography.

thankyou for such an in depth response
 09/09/2005 04:36:31 PM · #6
Hey, left a comment a while ago also.

Probably not as astute as bear's though :)
 09/09/2005 05:21:04 PM · #7
Just for the sake of argument, here's the same shot with the 2 zones assigned their own selections and each selection hue/satted and leveled separately. There are literally endless ways you can manipulate the coilors and tonal values using this approach; I've kept reasonably close to the original in terms of muted tones but shifted the water towards green and upped the saturation and contrast in the concrete.

I'm not saying this one is "better", just showing a direction in which it can go, one of many.



Robt.
 09/09/2005 11:59:03 PM · #8
Originally posted by bear_music:
Just for the sake of argument, here's the same shot with the 2 zones assigned their own selections and each selection hue/satted and leveled separately. There are literally endless ways you can manipulate the coilors and tonal values using this approach; I've kept reasonably close to the original in terms of muted tones but shifted the water towards green and upped the saturation and contrast in the concrete.

I'm not saying this one is "better", just showing a direction in which it can go, one of many.



Robt.


thanks, that does look great. I am going to have to play with that now...
 09/10/2005 12:09:27 AM · #9
whats up? i like it. the pattern is good i would like to see it in b&w with grain
for a little bit of drama and excitement
09/10/2005 12:54:08 AM · #10
Originally posted by gclark:
whats up? i like it. the pattern is good i would like to see it in b&w with grain
for a little bit of drama and excitement


I'm not sure this image would work well in B/W, since the water and the bridge are extremely close in tonal value. Certainly, the water would have to be lightened or darkened quite a bit to pull it off I think.

R.
 09/12/2005 10:10:23 PM · #11
Originally posted by gclark:
whats up? i like it. the pattern is good i would like to see it in b&w with grain
for a little bit of drama and excitement


thanks, I took this for our "framing" assignment. that is crazy 40 images in on assignment.
 09/12/2005 10:19:05 PM · #12
sure is
got a lot of time tommorow to do it though
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