Contrast, Balance, Harmony

http://www.ejphoto.com/joshua_tree_page.htm

First off, I recognize that this picture is a bit of a photography cliche.  It is perfectly balanced and boringly symmetrical.  However, I chose this image for very specific reasons.  I love the Joshua tree.  This website features many great images of these trees from the Joshua tree national forest in California.  I chose this particular image because I felt that it perfectly demonstrated the ideas of contrast, harmony, balance, and the Gestalt principal.

This picture is full of examples of contrast, from the extreme contrast between the silhouettes of the trees and the background of the sunset, to the contrast between the size and shapes of the trees.  This is one the main reasons I chose this pictures over the others.  The contrasts force the viewer to focus on the unique shape and natural design of the trees.   These trees have a very distinct look, and removing their color and light while illuminating the outline with the soft glow the setting sun allows the eyes to fully appreciate their beauty.

One of the things about this picture that makes it so pleasing to look at is how balanced it is.  You could almost cut the image down the middle from top to bottom and have the two haves be identical.  Its rare to come across a Joshua tree that is symmetrical, most of these trees tend to be very lopsided and abstract in their appearance. This image takes these trees and lays them out in a way that feels balanced.

Texture is another important part of this picture.  These trees are extremely rigid and rough.  This is very easy to feel with the contrast of the dark branches against the blue and orange background.  You can see the sharp spikes that cover this tree very easily this way.

The Gestalt principal says that an image has a figure and a ground.  The figures in this image are the trees, the ground is the beautifully lit sky.

The color in this piece is absolutely breath taking to me.  I spent many evenings in the California desert watching as the sun went down behind these beautiful trees.  I didn't take this picture, but I have seen this scene so many times, and this picture captures it so perfectly.