Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Contrast, Balance, Harmony


This is a photo I recently took at dusk up above the city of Saint George. This photo has a whimsical quality, with two friends sharing a moment perched in the natural alcove of the sandstone, a quiet retreat from the city. They have their backs to the community, a brief rejection of the city and its associated concerns.

A contrasting line runs diagonally, separating at almost 45 degrees the foreground from the background. The dawning night-lights of the city and the waning light from the sunset creates a striking balance of light and shadows. The eye is first drawn to the girls, but after a moment wanders to the background, pondering their separation from the city down below. There is harmony in the juxtaposition of the warm, red sandstone and the cool blues of the approaching night. The tones all work together to draw the viewer momentarily into this world.

For residents of Saint George, this image is at once familiar and yet a mystery. There is the Saint George temple in the background, instantly recognizable for anyone who has spent time up on Dixie Rock, yet where is this alcove? From those I have spoken to, this image conjures in them the desire to find this place for themselves.

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