Image Research

Image Research & Critique

    What first drew my eye to this photograph was the way the multiple instances of horizontal movement break up the space in contrasting ways. The barge in the middle ground appears to stoic, long, and dark. The small boats in the foreground, however, create horizontal movement through a softer, lighter movement. The structures in the distance create another line cutting across the composition, gently retreating in space.

The reflections in the water offer a grainy softness that contrast the harsher angles of the large barge. The water’s surface appears pretty textured, and the ripples extending from the sailboats break it up quite nicely by offering larger streams and greater movement. There is a lot left up to the imagination with this photograph, which I like. I get to wonder where the boats are coming from and where they are going. The sky and water meet with almost the exact same shade of grey, which lets me guess what the weather was like that. Though there are no people in the shot, I know that people are operating the various boats, so I also wonder who is in them and what they are thinking about.

Overall, the photograph employs many successful compositional techniques. It captured this scene in a way that is exciting to explore with the eyes. It is not difficult to stare at it for several moments, as there are so many shapes, textures, and lines to discover. I especially love all of the detail in the barge that I can see, the intricacies of the various elements that make it work. It was only on my second or third inspection of the image that I noticed the small, dark rocks in the bottom righthand corner, that balance out the sailboats traveling to the left. As I look at this image, I feel peace thinking about what it feels like to be on a boat on the water.

 

    I choose the image because I am an absolute sucker for well-captured architecture. If I look closely at the image, I can see some people milling about. Though this photo is a faraway look at life in some town I have never been to, in a time that I did not experience, I get to enjoy this small slice of it. I can see that the town extends backwards into the hills. I bet it bustled with life being so close to water.

The trees to the right of the line of buildings offer an elegant break from the manmade, geometric structures with their organic shapes. I like that the tower creates a clear focal point and it, along with its reflection, divides the pages vertically, while the street cuts across it the other way. I love looking at the light buildings, the dark windows, the tower that completely disrupts the space. The line that divides the structures and the water threatens to be centered but extends diagonally just enough to create interest. The reflection in the water is so crisp and only slightly ripples the mirrored image- showcasing the stillness of the water that day. The almost white sky and its reflection down below creates contrast from the busy and detailed center of the photograph, giving the eyes rest.

The windows create repetition, and their various shades maintain interest and depth in the image, breaking up the space with darks and lights. The image captures a beautiful balance between man-made and nature, sharp and soft, dark and light. The incredible combination of these elements drew my eye and compelled me to just keep looking. After looking at the image for so long, I felt like I had been there. I think a successful photograph is a place is able to give the viewer a fleeting moment of believing they are there.