Thank you to everyone that participated in the "Rhythm" assignment. The
guidelines for this assignment were to simply create an image using rhythm, or a cadenced pattern with a defined progression through the scene, to guide your viewer through the image.
Several people commented that this was a hard assignment, and they weren't sure any of the submissions were really very successful at meeting the guidelines of the assignment. I agree that it was a hard assignment, and I too had a difficult time creating a "rhythm" image that I was happy with during the week of the assignment. That said, I think this was still a useful assignment to help us understand the concept of visual rhythm and recognize how it could be used to strengthen a composition. This assignment had me looking at potential compositions from a different, and perhaps more creative perspective. I'll be keeping my eye open for rhythmic scenes in the future, and will keep trying to compose an image I like that uses rhythm effectively.
As I was thinking about the assignment, and potential images that demonstrated the concept of rhythm, I kept coming back to this image that Dave Leiker (prairiedust) had submitted for the "Focus Point" assignment. Michele had commented at the time "I love the grass that leads to the barn. It gives the picture almost a rhythm quality." And I agree, this image has rhythm, and is a great example of what I was thinking about with the assignment:
Wind-blown Grass and BarnPhotographed by Dave Leiker
Michele's
Cat walk image was the submission that intrigued me the most. For one thing, I had never actually seen a real cat walk, meaning one that was actually designed for cats and not humans. And the patterns in the image worked very well together. I found that the more I looked at the image, the more I became aware of interesting little details. This image held my attention more than any of the others, both because of the interesting patterns, and because of the sketchy details it revealed that left you wondering and wanting to know just a bit more about the person that lived in the apartment.
Cat walkPhotographed by Michele Bollhalder
Michele's
Duck making it's own way image also had several interesting patterns in the image, but was perhaps missing the "flow" that I wanted to draw me further into the scene.
Duck making it's own wayPhotographed by Michele Bollhalder
Michele's
Rothenthurm Bridge image was a very nice example of using linear perspective to provide a sense of depth and draw the viewer into the scene. It didn't hold my attention as long as some of the other images, perhaps because it was missing a human element, or something to pique my curiosity.
Rothenthurm Bridge
Photographed by Michele Bollhalder
Michele's
Happy Toes image brought a smile to my face, and other people enjoyed it as well, as evidenced by the image comments and votes for
People's Choice.
There's the human element!
The fact that there was a mismatch between the number of feet and the number of heads in the image also made the image more interesting, and held my attention just a bit longer. Thanks for sharing such a fun image and bringing a smile to my day Michele!
Happy toesTied for
People's ChoicePhotographed by Michele Bollhalder
Alan's (Ribot's)
Looking to Land image was an intriguing and nicely composed image. In an interesting sort of way, the composition drew the viewer into the scene along the periphery of the image, from the lower right corner, up and around to the upper left corner. It drew me in and left me wanting to see more, and upon reflection, this image was more successful than I originally judged it to be. Nice job Alan.
Looking to LandPhotographed by Alan Albrecht
I'm a sucker for perceptual illusions, and so loved Michele's
Stone road image, and the illusion of "waves" caused by the pattern in the stones. I wanted this fascinating road to lead me somewhere, but there was nowhere to go?
Stone roadPhotographed by Michele Bollhalder
Of all the images submitted for the assignment, Michele's
Here and there half and half image had the most rhythm, with my eye jumping rapid-fire along the "rungs" in the bike rack. (But again, I got to the end of the pattern and there was no place to linger.) I've awarded this image
Editor's Choice for Technical Merit because it was the best example of rhythm submitted for the assignment.
Here and there half and halfEditor's Choice for Technical MeritPhotographed by Michele Bollhalder
Lars often brings an interesting perspective to our assignments, and for some reason his
Get set ready goooe image made me smile. There is an impending implied rhythm to the image, with the feet poised to step off down the stone slabs at any moment (following the flow of patterns in the stone of course). It was an interesting image that piqued my curiosity and made me wonder where we were off to for the day.
Get set ready goooePhotographed by Lars
Lars'
Deep Down Rhythm image evoked memories of the mechanical hum and rush of the trains one feels in a lonely subway station late at night. Great job evoking that feeling Lars.
Deep Down RhythmPhotographed by Lars
I enjoyed seeing Rebecca's
The Tortoise and
The Hare images, and her commentary about the contradiction between their actions and the myth.
The TortoisePhotographed by Rebecca
and the HarePhotographed by Rebecca
Marilyn's
Snaking hose image was interesting primarily because of the different perspective. This image has great depth, and the hose definitely leads the viewer through the image.
Snaking hosePhotographed by Marilyn McKinney
Dave Leiker's (prairiedust)
Under the Overpass image was composed of wonderful geometric forms, and the deep blue "mysterious" light evoking the lonely time between day and night. The wonderful blend of colors, composition, and that mysterious feeling led to this image tying for the selection as
People's Choice .
Under the OverpassTied for
People's ChoicePhotographed by Dave Leiker
Marilyn's
Flowering Sunset image was a beautiful image that successfully brought together a close-up of her flowering tree with wonderful colors of the sunset over the mountains. Like Michele, I sense that there is "rhythm" hidden somewhere in the branches waiting to be revealed. Perhaps isolating a repeating (and simpler) pattern between the leaves and the mountain might have brought forth a bit more of the rhythm? I agree with Marilyn that this image is a great metaphor for the rhythms of the days and seasons.
Flowering sunsetPhotographed by Marilyn McKinney
Rick's image of the
Air Force Academy Chapel Pews did a great job illustrating the repeating pattern and rhythm of the pews and ropes. However, as with many of the images submitted for the assignment, once my eyes followed the progression of the pews to the front of the chapel, there was nothing interesting to keep me in the scene. Having photographed the Air Force Academy Chapel in the past, I know it would have been quite a challenge to place something of interest at the culmination of this rhythm. This image brings to mind a concept that I have been wanting to address in our assignments, and that is the concept of "working the scene." Stay tuned for a future assignment where we talk more about that idea.
Airforce Academy Chapel PewsPhotographed by Rick Pepin
Thank you to everyone that participated in this assignment. Viewers are encouraged to respond to this thread describing why you like a particular image, or think it was particularly successful at meeting the guidelines of the assignment.
Keith
