-- Albert Einstein
As I was leaving an architectural salvage store in San Diego, bright sunlight created lovely shadows behind a decorative piece of ironwork. Had to photograph it. Not only was I attracted to the shadows, but the juxtaposition of the organic form of the spiral and the heavily linear criss-crossed metal bits was (to me) striking.
I'm noticing "contrasts" like this more and more. If there's something soft and curving, combining that element with straight, severe lines adds interest.
If there's something "real" and well-defined in the foreground, lighter and somewhat amorphous shadows in the background add to your visual story.
We see something similar when we compose a photo of, say, an old railroad depot in front of a modern skyscraper -- old against new. Or an in-focus flower against an out-of-focus background.
Opposites. Contrast. Light and dark. Squares/circles. Smooth/textured.
How often do we notice differences such as these? How often do we consciously (or un-) include/create them in our own work?
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