The Art of photography

The

Principles

at

Work:InPursuitofExcellence

M

OTTOSTEINERTPansPedestrian, 1951

Apatternofradiatinglinesandconcentricringsis

givenhighestpriorityinthepictureaboveItis

firststatedstronglybytheprotectivegridatthe

baseofthetree,thenechoedweaklybythe bricks

otthestreet.Thepassingpedestrianmighthave

figuredmoreprominentlyinthepictureifhewere

completelyvisible,
but

heisblurred,exceptfor

onefoot,byaVt-secondexposure—afootnote

thatmakesitclearhewillsoonbegonefromthe

scenebutthe arrestingpatternwillremain.

Adazzlingstudyofformispresentedinthe

pictureopposite,whichestablishesa

complementaryrelationshipbetweenatree

and

thesurroundingvalley.Thecylindricalformofthe

trunk(justenoughoftheleafytopisshownto

indicatethetree'sidentityandscale)andthering

formofthevalleyareconcentric,conformingto

eachotherSeentogether,theysuggestthe

energy

latentin

a

carousel,forthevalleyappears

readytospinaroundtheaxis ofthe

trunk