This week's assignment is Rhythm. We are aware of rhythmic patterns in music and they exist visually as well. It can be pleasing and soothing or somewhat erratic, but it keeps our eye moving in a repeating pattern. Fence posts, ripples in water, as well as shapes that echo each other such as circular patterns of different objects, are all examples of rhythm in composition. These elements should compliment each other, creating a flow that is pleasing to the eye.
Rhythm is not necessarily a consistent pattern. Think of a series of fence posts drawing your eye down a road, basically the same, but with some leaning or broken. The movement is there, but the pattern isn't necessarily consistent. Clouds can also show rhythm in that same way. Rhythm that varies is usually more interesting than one that looks like wallpaper! You want your eye to move with the pattern, not stay stagnant.
Here are a few sites that you can check out for descriptions of rhythm. Thanks to Jody Gall for finding some of these.
http://photoinf.com/General/Robert_B...ual_Design.htm (go halfway down the page)
http://www.earthboundlight.com/photo...aphically.html (about 1/3 of the way down)
http://www.photographyicon.com/pattern/index.html
http://digital-photography-school.co...in-photography
In this shot I tried to show rhythm with the ripples in the water and the masts on the boats, both actual and reflections.
As always, the rules...
Please note the change in closing time.
1. Your image you submit should be taken between the 18th of February and the 4th of March. Each week as an assignment closes on the Wednesday, it will be AUTOMATICALLY deemed *CLOSED* after 8am GMT ( 3am EST) and any posts after that time will not be eligible for the assignment competition.
2. Your post must include "Assignment: Rhythm" (to show your permission to count it for the contest) and the date the picture was taken (to show that it is a valid entry).
3. EXIF data should be intact. It helps if you can include the main points (including camera, lens, date taken, ISO, shutter speed and aperture) in the text of your message.
4. Only one entry per member (if you can't restrain yourself until the end of the first week you can post two or three separate pictures but your entry should be in a separate post and the only marked with the text above).
5. Remember the cross-site image size limit (800px on the longest side).
6. If the image does not exist in post at the end of the contest, it is disqualified. If you modify anything on flickr and re-save the image then the link is broken and the message needs edited to link the picture again before it will be included in the contest.
For everyone, please do not repeat other people's photos by quoting them until the contest is over. If you want to comment on or discuss an entry you can use a link to it (or just delete the picture from the quoted text).
7. If you are looking for the winners of the mini-contest, please check the front page of the
DPS blog Saturday late afternoon (EST) or
here.
Since we've done a few weeks on Composition, let's try a one that may scare a few of you, "Self-Portraits". If you've never tried one,
read this. If you are an old hand at it, get creative or use it as a chance to try a lighting technique or unusual composition.