Thursday, July 17, 2014

Trio


In general, conventional wisdom says that an odd number of elements in an image is more eye-catching than an even number. While that is not a hard and fast rule, it is certainly something to consider when selecting a subject.

These water lilies were in a larger grouping, but I chose to frame the shot with only these 3 flowers. I knew that I wanted the one in the front to be the sharpest, so I chose a relatively shallow depth of field, using an aperture of f/4. Then I focused on the center of that flower.

I positioned myself so that the main flower was more or less in between the two in the background. It is not perfectly in between because I wanted a little separation between the petals and the stem on the right.

Part of the appeal of this image is its simplicity. Basically there are only 2 colors - purple and green (which are complementary colors), with a touch of yellow at the centers of the flowers. The background is dark with minimal detail.

I often find that the simpler the image, the more compelling it becomes. It allows the viewer to enjoy the basic elements with no distractions. With most of us leading such busy and crowded lives, it is nice to view a simple image that allows us a glimpse into the unhurried, natural world.

TECHNICAL DATA
Shutter Speed 1/200 sec.  Aperture f/4.  ISO 400.  Lens: Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS, set at 200mm.  Camera: Canon 5D Mark III.  Handheld.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."  --Albert Einstein

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