The image featured here was taken at the 2008 Burning Man Festival, a 30,000+ arts and culture gathering that takes place every September in the barren desserts of Black Rock City in America. I rendered this portrait as a metal print, which recently won first place in the WPPI NYC @Photoplus 16×20 Print Competition in the Individual Portrait Category. Here, you can see me with the metal print and winner’s award :)
TIP OF THE WEEK: Shapes–both singular ones and patterned, repetitious ones–often govern the composition of good photographs. They create compelling images because a sense of intrinsic order and inherent design reigns. The background of a subject isn’t always just there as a secondary element. Here, the patterened “background” exemplifies and supports the circular and triangular shapes of this man’s hair, glasses, and necklace. The design elements come together to create not only a cohesive, but a visually arresting, whole.
I am curious Catherine as I have read some stuff on colour theory and how to use colours to convey emotions, is there something similar for shapes or are they just left as compositional elements? Or are they both?