Symmetry, timing, and simplicity
From Frank Siteman/ DPA instructor in Boston
To view more of his images please visit http://digitalphotoacademy.com/portfolio/frank-siteman/
Symmetry, timing and simplicity are the backbone of many stand-out images.
This photo was taken while on a casual, end of day walk along the shoreline at Old Orchard Beach in Ogunquit, Maine. As the sun was setting behind me, only the clouds were being directly illuminated, creating a scene with an intense, warm-cool (yellow/blue) color contrast. Adding to this, was the reflection of the sky on the mirror-like, smooth sand beach, that appeared with each retreating wave, making the timing of the exposure an important factor. Choosing a wide angle allowed for the inclusion of the most real estate (keeping both the actual clouds and their reflections on the sand) and enabled me to work with a slowish shutter speed of a 1/15th sec with an aperture of f/8.0, holding focus from the foreground to the horizon. This was a situation where breaking the “rule of thirds” allowed for a more dynamic image. Camera was Canon 5D, ISO 200 and using a 24mm focal length with a 24-105 IS lens.
