Breaking the rules of composition (Page 7): Thank you for sharing this!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

wanderingbear wrote:

Hi, this is Bear Back again. Just information for you. I send some of my photos to several individuals. Almost always my Artist Friend really thinks the are good to great. Another person ( engineer type) does not see the artistry involved. Soft focus for instance. So as you have been shared with we all have our voice. Sometimes it is not very strong but growing.

Bear

Thank you for sharing this!

LarryFB Loc: Depends where our RV is parked

Linda From Maine wrote:

Thanks for commenting! I'm so glad you brought up ... (show quote)

Obviously, I agree. I have seen art that seem to avoid the "Rules of Composition" and are wonderful to compositions. These so called rules are an excellent starting point but they should not be used to limit your creative vision.

bobhembree

My attention was drawn to the pods seemingly reaching out to each other. There's a tension between the two, like Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam" --two fingers almost touching. The bird seems almost incidental to the story. I like how the straight stalk acts as wall, a dividing line, while the side with the bird is open and shows more fullness. This is a nice variation of the rule of thirds in my opinion. I too like the contrast in the second image best. It might be interesting to play with the pods, placing more emphasis on them and the space between. Of course, I may be the only who reads this much into a photo. I guess that's the writer in me trying to meld with photography. :)

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

LarryFB wrote:

Obviously, I agree. I have seen art that seem to avoid the "Rules of Composition" and are wonderful to compositions. These so called rules are an excellent starting point but they should not be used to limit your creative vision.

Everyone should follow their inner artistic voice...unless they're struggling to put food on the table for their kids maybe

For us hobbyists, there is great joy and no downside.

Thank you again, Larry!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

bobhembree wrote:

My attention was drawn to the pods seemingly reach... (show quote)

I love your thinking, Bob! You would fit right in at For Your Consideration (one of UHH's specialty forums), where many of us like to have long conversations about photos

(I'll pm you some info on the section; in the meantime scroll to bottom of page here to the "all sections" link, where you'll find additional specialty forums that might be of interest)

I very much appreciate your being open to what I was hoping to convey and for your suggestion as well.

Welcome to the forum!

Bill_de Loc: US

I like the second image for the exposure. I think the composition is great for its uniqueness. You show us a mirror image, except it isn't. Kind of surreal.

You followed my primary rule of photography. You produced an image that many people will enjoy looking at.

__

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Bill_de wrote:

I like the second image for the exposure. I think the composition is great for its uniqueness. You show us a mirror image, except it isn't. Kind of surreal.

You followed my primary rule of photography. You produced an image that many people will enjoy looking at.

__

Thank you for your lovely comments, Bill! I'm delighted you enjoyed the slightly off-kilter viewpoint

Dlevon Loc: New Jersey

LarryFB wrote:

Interesting composition, the second one is the one I like because it has a bit more contrast.

Regarding your title "Breaking the Rules of Composition," I have a problem with calling them rules. Rules imply that they need to be rigidly applied, which disagree with. I think they are a guide and a very good guide at that. But I object to the common idea that they are indeed rules.

homefree21

Love these both! The top one, 2nd b+w is my favorite, I feel like the second stalk takes my eye there, off the frame in several directions which brings me a feeling of anxiety or unease. Maybe crop out the right half, flip horizontally so the bird is looking right and leave enough negative space on the right even if you have to crop and fill it shouldnt be a problem. The image is too good to scrap, try some different compositions until it feels right to you and your vision.

Madman Loc: Gulf Coast, Florida USA

Linda From Maine wrote:

Your feedback requested on composition and pp. Please be sure to give the "why"

Thank you!

Provocative question.

Honestly, neither of these works for me. I can't tell by looking at these what you want me to see. My eye wanders about trying to find something to focus on. I see from reading your later comments that you wanted us to see the bird looking over the dead flowers, but you picture it looking away from them. Had the bird been facing to the right rather than the left or if the bird was either to the left or right overlooking a group of dead flowers, I think that your goal would have been better achieved.

I do appreciate that you made us think.

Ken Martin

Hi! First time writing on this site....I think you really have two photos in your composition competing with each other. Just draw a line down the center and you have them, rather nice each one! And then the bird is looking into the scene and not out. You may have composed the way you did, though can't be sure of course, because you are in need of a longer telephoto lens.(?)

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

homefree21 wrote:

Love these both! The top one, 2nd b+w is my favorite, I feel like the second stalk takes my eye there, off the frame in several directions which brings me a feeling of anxiety or unease. Maybe crop out the right half, flip horizontally so the bird is looking right and leave enough negative space on the right even if you have to crop and fill it shouldnt be a problem. The image is too good to scrap, try some different compositions until it feels right to you and your vision.

Thanks so much for your comments. I was able to take quite a few shots of this spot, some close-ups with one bird/sunflower, others with more in the frame than what I showed here.

I'm glad you felt a bit of unease because for this image that is what I wanted

From conversations within the thread I have concluded I might convey that better if I have one more stalk at an angle. If I can't find a shot in my file with that, I will add one. What also interests me is doing a storytelling series, that way there will be close-ups includes.

I appreciate your time and viewpoint!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Madman wrote:

Provocative question. br br Honestly, neither of ... (show quote)

Thank you so much for taking the time to analyze the image, madman. I don't recall specifically mentioning the bird looking over the flower, but I plan to review all the conversations later today.

I wanted to present a bit of a challenge to folks to see if there was any interest in the lines, curving as well as rigid going right out of the frame. From conversations in the thread, I might decide to use a composition that includes another, perhaps angled, line as well.

I very much appreciate your time and interest!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Ken Martin wrote:

Hi! First time writing on this site....I think you really have two photos in your composition competing with each other. Just draw a line down the center and you have them, rather nice each one! And then the bird is looking into the scene and not out. You may have composed the way you did, though can't be sure of course, because you are in need of a longer telephoto lens.(?)

Thank you for your visit, Ken, and welcome to the forum! I have several cute close-ups of one bird/one stalk (I was using a Canon sx60 bridge camera), so this was presented as a different story. Three or four folks found interest in the lines (curved and rigid) and the position of the two flowers relative to each other - with the bird as part of the whole.

Most folks felt as you have described, an unease that was less interesting, and more annoying - lol - and expressed the desire for a traditional close-up. I might do a series that includes several views. I find winter dead sunflower fields more beautiful than summer, for the textures and shapes.

I very much appreciate your feedback.

Matt Quinn Loc: Marriottsville, MD, Brewster, Cape Cod

Linda, I prefer #2. Better range of tones, sweeter grays, minimal vignetting. I have no problem with the composition; the limp limbs pull the eye into the photo from the bottom left and right; the pod on the left stem anchors the eye there and subtly mirrors and balances the bird; the stem on the right keeps the eye in the frame and prevents it from wandering out of the frame, which it would do without that border. Very clever ricocheting back and forth between the stalks; pleasant tight framing with rich texture in the pod particularly. Well done. Matt