Whether it’s an intended ‘artistic destination’ or not, geometry is a strong part of composition, whether acute or subtle. From a theoretical stance, one of the first photographic rules taught to students is without doubt the infamous ‘rule of thirds,’ the idea being to visually break up your shot into three parts, horizontally and vertically. Using the resultant nine equal rectangular sections, the proposition is to place the most important or interesting features in your photograph along the intersections of these angles within your frame. Course, then the subject moves, does something unexpected and for the sake of photojournalism, all rules are thrown out and you go with gut instinct muttering; “Rules are meant to broken” as you go, under your breath. As a documentary wedding photographer the pace breaks during a day, and you indeed have time to take back that breath and enjoy piecing together the angles of story in a more geometrical fashion. I look back at my work and I see this happening usually more with my set ups. I like leading lines, and I think this serves that intention well. The footpath sign is pretty much on the third, and pointing in to the picture, your eye follows this line into the scene. The appearance of a groomsman does assist in a subtle sense too, bringing a little context to the overall composition. In technical terms, I know I was seeking a shallow depth of field, but at 1/8000 I’m on the edge, and in truth, I could have pulled back on my ISO. First frame of the day though, and reckon I was in that ‘warming up’ zone.
SHOOTING DATA: Canon 5D Mk2, 24mm lens, F3.2, 1/8000, ISO 320, under exposed by a stop.
