HW1- Photo description

In Matthew Pillsbury’s sitting on the highline 2011, techniques and compositions are used to convey messages and engage viewers. This image is located on the High Line, found in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. There are two subjects in the photo that appear as dark, hazy silhouettes sitting on steps and the rest of the background is brightly lit. From this image, overall moods perceived are lonely, sad and mysterious. The reasons being are that both subjects being spaced apart emphasizes detachment and loneliness. Second, The time of day is night and the figures aren’t distinguishable through sex which gives off a mystery. lastly, the top figure’s pose. The person’s body language reads lonely and sad. When a person faces the floor, that is a sign of insecurity or deep thinking.

Pilsbury used three great principals which helped this image become a success. The first composition used was the rule of thirds. Subject matters are placed along lines to direct attention in ways other than center. The rule of thirds is a technique in photography used as a guide to capture subjects in areas that attract the eye more. Another technique used are leading lines. In the background, there are many vertical lines to help with eye movement. Because vertical lines go up and down, that is the direction a viewer’s eyes would follow. The last but probably most important composition used is contrast of lights and darks. Since the subjects are dark, the use of a brightly lit background behind them both helps make the subjects more noticable. Contrast is visually appealing and would always grasp a viewers attention due to the great difference in value between the two. Another technique used was slow shutter speed, this is what gave the figures their hazy appearance because they were moving. This works well with the dark setting because the people almost appear as if they were ghosts.