Wednesday, January 11, 2012

X Factor

Balconies of the Fox Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia  © Doug Hickok
(Click on image for larger view)



When I visited the Fox Theatre in Atlanta last summer, my goal was to frame an image that illustrated the variety of brickwork on its facade. 
The X in the brickwork of this foreground balcony caught my eye, so I sought to make it the focus of my photograph. But, I also wanted to include the rounded Moorish arch over the window as a counter balance to the X.


 Just as I was thinking about my composition, the sun came out from behind the clouds, illuminating the X. This emphasized the X, while leaving the background window in shadow. Lastly, a tilt of the camera... just enough to make the horizontal lines slightly diagonal... made the image more dynamic.


Composing a photograph is sometimes like putting a puzzle together. When something unusual happens, like the burst of sunlight, then that extra twist, the X factor, puts the final piece in place.


13 comments:

  1. Brick works are a Gem and rare where i live ! I think !

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  2. yes, and the result is awesome! a very good composition, offering the best of the sight.

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  3. I have seen that theatre hundreds of times, Doug, but have never seen the x-factor. You have EYES, which is what makes your work so special. :)

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  4. So beautiful composition!I would love visiting this place.The facade and details are wonderful!
    Léia

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  5. Took me a moment, but I got where you were going with this one :)

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  6. Fantastic detail, Doug. And yes, I agree, working on composition can be quite like a puzzle.

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  7. You have magic EYES to penetrate what people cannot see.
    Very special composition.

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  8. Very nice composition: you caught a fantastic light over this wall!
    Have a nice day.

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  9. a brilliant image, doug, taken from a very clever and effective angle and showing very interesting and unusual details°!
    the way this wall is decorated looks quite eclectic to me, rather a mixture of oriental and european styles! the combination works, however, as it did in numerous buildings along vienna's ring street, when during the 19th century this eclecticism dominated architecture!

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  10. Wonderful geometrics and excellent composition Doug--very cool shot!

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  11. nice of you to walk us through how this shot happened.. very lucky of you to be there at the right time too.. nice work.. :)

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