Lessons Learned: Constantly compose

I was roaming the streets of Castine one morning just after dawn, and I found a number of instances where slivers of sunshine streamed between houses and trees casting spotlights on colorful leaves on branches and lawns.

This particular one I found interesting not only for its golden light falling on the lawn and its leaves, but also for the composition opportunities.

The Rule of Thirds, which I'll cover in detail in another Lessons Learned article, is loosely reapplied here, along with an obviously strong diagonal composition of the lit lawn (almost corner to corner, top right to lower left) and the gentle "S" curve it forms.

Notice how the background is divided into thirds with the tree trunk, the bushes and white house behind them, and the dark corner of another building on the right. The shadow in the lower right corner supports the three-section composition as well, ending at about the same place as the dark third at the top right.

My Lesson Learned here is the photographer's mission of creating order from chaos by arranging subject matter in an eye-catching manner within the rectangular photographic frame. Here we have a frame divided subtly into thirds, interrupted by the brilliant diagonal splash of color that softens into a slight "S" curve.