Roxana #1524034

Roxanna, first before I tell you what I see ... I want to know ... what parts of this image did you carefully chose to place where? Don't tell me why you placed certain things the way you placed them (because later I will tell you how your choices impacted me) ... just tell exactly which elements you chose a place in the image.

Just to be clear, I am thinking of elements in this way: the stem, the flower's center, the flower's petals, the flower's shadow, and there are other elements ....

Why do I want to know? Because I want to know if you are aware of what you do. You have very strong natural talents.

... so ... what I am struggling to say is ... I do not want to teach you again what you already know ... but I will enjoy telling you how your application of your knowledge moves me.

on the other hand ... if it is your natural talents moving my heart and mind through your image, but you do not know what techniques to keep using so that you will move other people's hearts on other days ... well then I have more to tell you.

have fun
me #1903346

I am sorry to be so slow in writing back! I was so surprised to read in your email that you do not know the ideas behind some composition theories. You apply them so well just from your heart. So, do keep listening to your heart.

Your note to me has firmly set my mind on working on a set of articles for people who are new to working on their photography skills. Would you consider reading them from time to time before I make them available to others? I get too close to my work so I get others to help me see when my writing is not understandable.

Sooo ... about your photo here ...

It seems the mind is always grouping stuff together. There are lots of articles that are already written that explain about how the eye leads the brain and mind into making assumptions. The set of articles I found that started all of my composition research is in this post on my research blog.

If you click on the title of my blog (at the very top), it will take you to the home page and a whole list of links that i've looked at. The first eight or so entries will probably be either someone's photos that i've found and looked at a long time to study them ... or ... they are very complex articles (that I have not sat still with yet, either).

Below is a list of the groupings that you put together in your photo and what they did to me.

First you put the flower and it's shadow together on the large section on the left, then you left a small portion on the right. This follows the rule of thirds ... which is explained on betterphoto by Jim Miotke here. so you've strongly established the subject.

(i think I should be hitting the max number of letters per post so i'm going to continue in a second one) #1930393

Third, the reason the mind groups things together is to come to an understanding. My mind grouped the curl of the petals, and the bend of the stem together and I thought of distress. The fact that the shadow is completely separated from the flower and that shadow bends away from the flower (not in haromony with the flower) adds the hint of ... sadness, perhaps. Then, to set the impression of drama, the lines in the wall come down toward the flower ... like the hint of an impending rain storm.

Very very well done Roxana !

have fun,
me #1930446

Your appreciation always makes it worth my time! Plus you always take anything you learn here at BetterPhoto and look for ways to apply it ... that is a sign that you will go very far in life ... so again it is worth my time because you do not waste what you learn.

You do extremely well with English as a second language. When I write for you, I try to be more careful with my own English ... but really I have a very casual style that is full of local sayings (from Texas ... don't think I have picked any up from Oregon). So, if you ever have trouble understanding me ... I promise it's not you! It's my writing style that causes issues ... even for people here in the US! Just drop me a note and I'll try to write it in better English.

have fun!
me #1945585