Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro__10.0 sec at f / 19__ISO 100

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro__10.0 sec at f / 19__ISO 100

This morning, I made this image in my studio using window light.  My assistant John challenged me to make a new image for posting here, which is a good thing since I haven’t photographed much lately.  So I pulled out this stone I collected many years ago.  As I photographed, I played with how the lines in the stone related to the image edge, rotating the stone for each frame.

I have been writing a lot of critiques lately for my BetterPhoto courses, and this has reminded me of the importance of how lines move through the frame.  When you compose an image, look carefully to see the graphic forms of a subject or scene.  Generally speaking, diagonal lines are more dynamic than those which are parallel to the frame’s edge.  Of course, some subjects like trees are naturally parallel and it would look odd to tilt them.  I have included a second image to show how different the two photos are when the stone was rotated.

Let me know your thoughts on which one is best!

Cheers, Bill

I am currently offering two BetterPhoto.com courses.  The four week course starts on Wednesday July 1st.
NEW! Inspiring Nature Photography: The Essentials (four week course)
Portfolio Development Course (eight week course