Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Contrast, Balance and Harmony


Let me preface this by saying I usually hate multiple exposure, I usually find them ultra cheesy and terrible. I always, always, always flash back to my parents wedding photos in 1987. That being said, I like this one, though it was a tough choice to analyze it for class, I like it.

Contrast: We can easily spot the differences in color and texture between the empire state building, the whites of the buildings at ground level, and the city's street folk. Beyond that, I love how it juxtaposes the empire state building with the female form, it creates a new figure ground relationship that I appreciate. Often we associate skyscrapers with masculinity. However, this photo positions the female as the photo's co-subject.

Balance: The photo is visually pleasing because of its symmetrical nature with the subjects of the photo (The woman/Empire State Building) centered within the frame. The lines of the buildings all run perfectly horizontal and vertical creating pleasing lines in that regard.  Psychologically, this photo is balanced to me because it is giving representations to multiple sides of NYC, We see the iconic building, the ground view, the skyline, and figures of the residents of the city. If you've ever been, you know the city is as busy as the photo portrays, and to me this is giving a balanced representation of the experience.

Harmony: This photo achieves harmony through its repeatable rhythms in different elements of the exposures. The continuation of the skyline has a different rhythm than the passer byers. And the repeating patterns of Rockefeller Plaza certainly have a different rhythm than the woman. We are able to group together the different elements, there we are able to tell ourselves a story. Culturally, I feel this photo has harmony because of the woman standing still, to me she is at ease and a quiet observer in a bustling city.

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