Form and Content

 

When I took a photo class many moons ago, my teacher told me that I was good at form/composition but weak on story/content. I had balanced compositions, strong lines, etc, etc, but my pictures weren't about anything. They were just design. I think he was right. I worked at it.

   I think the above photograph is pretty well composed. It goes from dark to light, there are repeating vertical lines in the concrete and the wires, there's a triangle of meters, and it's simple. (I am wondering about the line on the far left, though. Should I leave it in so the eye doesn't fall out of the frame? Or take it out to emphasise the dark/light progression and remove a possible distraction?) But does it say anything? Maybe. An electrician might have something to say about the quality of the meter and wire installation. A painter might have some opinions on how the paint was applied. I have neither of those trades, but to me this looks thoughtfully done and haphazard at the same time. I probably made this photo because I liked the composition possibilities and because, frankly, this is very neat compared to some of the electrical work you see outside buildings and I wanted to record it.

   Anyway, hope you like it, for whatever reason.