Contrast, Balance and Harmony

This photo has many elements of contrast, balance and harmony in it.  

Contrast:
The first contrast noticed is the bright blue clothing against the stone of the pyramid. It is not only contrasting in color, the rough nature of the stone and the flowing fabric create a very different feel.  The pyramid is old and stationary while the person is more modern and moving, which creates a very strong contrast.  There is also contrast in the rough stone of the pyramid and the fluffy nature of the clouds.

Balance:
This photo has a symmetrical balance.  The pyramid is very symmetrical in its nature but the color of it and how it is brighter in the middle from the light also lends to the balance of the photo.  The clouds although they are not perfectly symmetrical they help create a sense of balance in the photo.  They help to soften the photo and bring in another blue element so the person is balanced with the color.

Harmony:
The harmony of this picture is subtle, the colors all work well together and create a harmonious feel.  The person in the blue although the color is brighter brings another sense of harmony because of the culture this region.  I think the person shows a harmony between the past and the present.  

Visceral Response

'Cascade Falls in Autumn'  Zion National Park, Utah

by David J. West 

This picture includes the following design elements:

• line- the rocks draw the eye across the image and the trees and water draw the eye up and down in the image
• color- the colors of this image are very warm and inviting
• space- the amount of rock/water to the trees is divided using the rule of thirds
• texture- the texture from the water and the rocks are very smooth while the leaves bring more texture.

I think that all of these elements add to it and contribute to the beauty of this image.  To me this image feels like home, I have lived in Southern Utah most of my life so when I see an image like this I can not think about all the happy memories I have with my family.