Weathered Cement Pipe

I found these weathered cement pipes piled up at the Nygren Wetlands Preserve near Rockton, Illinois. The juxtaposition of these man made pipes sitting in the middle of a wetlands preserve caught my attention, and I had to shoot them. In fact, with the exception of a nice old tree, these were the only things I photographed that day. The Sandhill Cranes I had hoped to photograph were off somewhere else.

So, let’s talk composition. There are many, many styles, types or rules of good composition. I’m sure most of you have heard of the Rule of Thirds, and while you will see the Rule of Thirds come into play in these two photos, there are actually several other types of composition in play. The photo above, for example, demonstrates informal balance (between the pipes and Mother Nature in the background), circular shapes, repeating patterns, and texture.

This photo demonstrates low camera angle, formal balance (both items having equal weight), circular shapes, repeating patterns, and texture.

I’m sure there are many other types of composition that can apply to these two photos. Those of you that study compositional rules can probably name a half dozen rules right off the top of your head. Which brings an important thought to mind. I was always taught that a good photographer knows all the rules of composition and how to use them. A great photographer knows those rules so well, he (or she) can successfully break them.