The photograph I chose was Steam Rising, New York City, USA, 2000 by Michael Kenna. I really like this photograph because it looks very mysterious. The reason why it looks mysterious is because of the light around the building which gives it an aura that makes it look like it’s glowing and also the steam looks like smoke that’s rising which adds a haunting effect. The photograph is taken at a upward angle which kind of gives the building a pyramid look, which I think is adds to the mystery and looks intimidating. I like the simplicity of this picture because you don’t have to try to figure it out, as soon as you look at the photograph you get a feeling of mystery and you can clearly see the building rising out of the steam.
http://www.michaelkenna.net/gallery.php?id=14
This building is balanced right in the center which makes the photograph symmetrical. If the photograph was not symmetrical it would not have be as powerful and would be easily over looked. The contrast of light and dark add to the mystery because the top of the photograph is shadowed and dark which contrasts with the light around the building which makes the building look like its glowing. The angle of the shot makes the building have a pyramid shape which makes it look like it is rising. All of the lines in this photograph are very straight and clean which makes the photograph pleasant and easy to look at.
the symmetry is very strong in this photo and as you correctly state its predominant feature. The glowing light and the steam almost make this random juxtaposition of two building look like an alter.