A single figure small

A weekend in the Yorkshire Dales gave me an ideal opportunity to practise this exercise. Escaping to the countryside brings out a natural urge to open the lens wide and capture the vibrant, green landscape.

The people are the main subject in this shot, however it is the landscape that determines the mood of the image. The rippling river and soft, wild grasses give a sense of calm to the scene. The expanse of space around them gives a feeling of freedom.

The near central location of the subject should aid to stabilise the image, however I feel that the sense of movement is maintained. High contrast as the river merges from white to black creates tension and a sense of movement. The small, bright red accent against a mass of vibrant green hints at a slight sense of danger as the men row through the rapids.

It takes a moment to notice the figure in this image, I wonder if I only noticed him at all because I already knew he was there. I have included it in my set to show how this type of image can fail. I feel that I have set him too close to the edge of the image, making the whole thing feel unbalanced.

Taken in the same spot, I feel that this shot was much more successful. The image feels more balanced and the portrait orientation highlights the height of the rocks.