During our last class, we visited the Williams Conservatory. I took over 170 pictures! I was also definitely almost late for my next class… It was a really enjoyable experience though, and I’m glad we went. Five of my best photos follow, along with a description of the creative devices present in each photo.
The dominant creative device for this photo is color. There are different shades of green throughout the picture, and then there’s suddenly a bright red leaf off to the side. Your attention is brought to the red leaf. This photo also displays the creative device of the rule of thirds. The red leaf is kind of off in its own little third on the left. Pattern could be another device present with the polka dots on the leaves. The brain is drawn to patterns, which makes the image more pleasing to the eye.
This photo has the dominant creative device of leading line. The line down the center draws your eye right to the leaves. The device of background is another major creative device, as the relatively dark background makes the viewer focus on the two leaves. They pop against the dark backdrop. There are also elements of the rule of thirds. The leaves fall right in the middle horizontal third, and the stem runs down the middle vertical third. The water droplets on the leaves add a bit of texture, keeping the image visually interesting.
Symmetry and patterns is the dominant creative device of this photo. The leaves radiate outward from the center of the stem, and the amount of stems makes a repeating pattern throughout the piece, making it very visually interesting and satisfying to look at. It could also be argued that another creative device present in this photo is color or contrast, with the natural but stark differences between the white and green of the leaves. There is added texture by the water droplets on the leaves and the layered leaves. The layered leaves also add a bit of depth to the photo. With so many devices and patterns in this photo, your eyes simply keep moving throughout the photo.
Rule of thirds is a major device of this photo. Each of the two major leaves and the single stalk is in their own third, which separates them out and makes the photo visually appealing. Rule of thirds is equally represented with the device of balance. The big leaf on the left is nicely balanced with the stalk and the smaller leaf (behind the stalk) on the right. This photo also shows depth with the slight blurring of the leaves in the background. This photo is very easy to look at and it’s not in any way weighty on one side or the other, which helps to make it appealing.
Texture is really highlighted in this photo as the dominant creative device. With all of the little leaves overlapping, it creates a visually interesting image that keeps the eye moving. You could also argue that the photo uses focus because the leaves in front are the only part in focus, drawing the eye to them. With all of the bright green, color is another device used. This photo would positively pop on a white wall.
There were several photos that I took and was really excited to see, but once I checked them, they weren’t as good as I hoped. But to balance it out, there were also some that I just kind of threw up and snapped and they turned out really well. I wish I had had more time and more storage space to take many, many more pictures!
My pictures also looked very different when I checked them on my phone versus on my computer and I couldn’t figure out why… It took me a long time, but I finally realized that I have my blue light filter up really high on my phone, giving every photo a bit of a yellowish tinge.
I’m hoping to post some of my other favorite pictures from the conservatory soon, and as soon as that’s done, I’ll add a link here too!
