The photo I chose is Carnegie Hall and CitySpire Center, New York, New York by Michael Kenna.This is a photo of a skyscraper located in midtown manhattan.The first thing I noticed about this photo is how the shades of color go from dark to light, a negative and positive space.This photo gives me a calm and dark feeling.A photo you can just stare at and analyze every detail captured.I think the intention of the photographer was to show how high the skyscraper is compared to other buildings around the city.Another thing that I noticed is the reflection of the skyscraper on the bottom, it looks like there is water causing the reflection in the photo.The colors of the photo also fits the aesthetic of New York so well at night time when you can see all the lights from the buildings shining.
Three elements that are the most important in this photo are figure to ground, symmetry, and patterns and repetition.Figure to ground helps create a mood of the photograph because the light background brings more attention to the dark shade of the skyscraper.It also gives the look of the sky in the background since skyscrapers are so tall it seems like you can see the sky.Michael Kenna also uses symmetry in the photograph that creates a reflection feeling.If you flip the photo horizontally or upside down it is balanced.Patterns and repetition is shown in the photo with the little dark and light windows across the building.
Knowing Michael Kenna’s work, I am sure this is a straight photo. That said I have no idea what we are looking at. How did he get such a reflection in the air in Midtown Manhattan? Baffling. Though maybe the four dots in the upper right are a clue. Are we looking through a window, that somehow causes the reflection?
As you state the dark buildings against the light ground really stand out. The reflection creates symmetry. the windows on the building facade create patterns.