Photography: Undefinable Elements

I normally consider a number of things when composing a photo including: the framing; format (portrait or landscape); balance; focal point; DOF; perspective, exposure, etc. — these are conscious considerations based on experience and knowledge of what works. I’ll make these photos knowing what I liked or was trying to capture.

Then sometimes I get the sense a composition is “right” without being able in the moment to define why or what makes it “right.” These moments result in photos with “something” but “something” undefined.   

This was one of those photos my subconscious requested.

Perhaps in this case it was a simple pattern — the mind loves patterns. There’s 3 main subject trees/tree groupings arranged in a triangular pattern, 1 large Hickory tree on the left, 2 beech tree trunks in the front middle group, and the dark tree on the right has 3 main trunks — 3-1-2-3. My subconscious may have found this pleasing. Or perhaps it was simply the varying tonal range of those three subject tree groupings — I can’t be sure.

But, for me it has “something.” I don’t see it as a great photo but I do find it pleasing. I also knew when I took it, it was destined to be B&W.

I’ll spend time during post-processing trying to identify what it was that attracted me to an image such as this, not to learn something of the image but to learn more of myself.

I like there’s an undefinable element to photography. It gives individuality and creativity room to roam and adds a little mystery. :-)

Post-processing included the use of Adobe Lightroom 2, Photoshop CS4, and Nik Silver Efex.