What makes a photograph compelling? This is a question I ask myself whenever I am shooting. Creating balance in a composition is the trick and there are times when it really pays off to center the subject symmetrically.
The bow of the boat leads your eye to the fascinating limestone karst formations on Halong Bay in Vietnam.
Ship’s Bow, Halong Bay
Staring into the eyes of a Great Horned Owl is mesmerizing and choosing a centered close-up accentuates his intense gaze.
Look Into My Eyes
Subjects in threes create a pleasing symmetry.
French Quarter Blues
Textures and colors are the focal point in this image of a wrought iron gate.
Recoleta Iron, Buenos Aires
Columns are an interesting challenge in composition.
Columns and Door, Legion of Honor
Shooting a mirrored landscape reflection is a great way to use symmetry.
Maroon Bells, Aspen
This church door in Sydney called for a centered composition that made the lines, details and colors stand out.
Church Door, Sydney
“One doesn’t stop seeing. One doesn’t stop framing. It doesn’t turn off and turn on. It’s on all the time.” ~ Annie Leibovitz
The Weekly Photo Challenge is Symmetry.
Jane Lurie Photography 
Haven’t visited you in awhile… Have missed your posts!, love the blue Sydney church and that owl… Wow!! Hope you are well! See you soon back at KI!! Love, Linda
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Love your terrific comments, Linda. Thank you!
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I don’t know how most people comment week after week regularly. I know that I have been very lax in following your work even though it shows that I follow your blog. But after today with this post and the others I have peeked at, I will make more of an effort to visit if, for no other reason than to improve my own work by learning from you! What fantastic work individually and as a whole.
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You are very kind, Emilio, thank you very much. I’m glad you like what you see and enjoyed the images. It’s very difficult to keep up with it all. Hope to see you again soon. PS The only way to access your site is through your Gravatar. Otherwise, I get a warning from WP when I click on your address. Thought you should know.
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Your photos never deceive Jane, they are all superb 🙂
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That’s a great compliment, Jocelyne. Thanks so much.😊
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Perfect photos of symmetrical scenes… So inspiring!
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Thank you, jojoompong. I am very happy you like these.
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I always do enjoy seeing the world through your eyes 😉
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Thanks so much, Cynthia. Glad you like these.
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Great photos! Really good composition, framing and the light is beautiful 🙂
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Thank you, Angeliqa. I’m happy you liked this series. Appreciate your visit.
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All wonderful examples of subjects and scenes that work well centered. The tension off-centering provides is not the goal for every photo. Order and tranquility are often better conveyed through symmetry as in your images here!
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Denise, Thanks for your thoughtful comment. Appreciate it!
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Beautiful photos Jane ~ you have got an incredible eye…and something I think is really quite difficult to develop. The ‘look into my eyes’ is my favorite…something perfect and striking, with the mystery that eyes always hold of what is within those eyes.
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Thank you very much, Randall. Your work is very inspiring to me so your comment means a lot.
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Hi Jane. I love this series. You have a marvelous eye for composition. Have a great day.
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Good morning, Mark. That’s a nice way to start my day. Thanks very much.
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Wow… what a diverse series here for the theme!!!
Each one is unique and my favorite is the reflection of the mountains and sky in the lake (Maroon Bells, Aspen), can’t we ask for a more symmetrical image… I really doubt 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing…
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Hi Sreejith– That’s a favorite landscape- thank you. I’m glad you liked this series!
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Love this Jane…awesome composition and very nice b+w processing!
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Hi Deb– Thanks so much and happy you like the B&W. Appreciate it!
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What a great series of images Jane. Happy to have been introduced to your site which I look forward to following. Thanks for the visit and best wishes.
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Thanks so much, Andrew. Happy you enjoyed them. Appreciate your interest!
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La foto de Maroon Bells me ha gustado mucho, un gran trabajo
Saludos
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Muchas gracias, Pepe.
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Really wonderful shots … Loving the owl…. Crazy!! How did u ever get that???😘
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Thanks, April. The owl was at the Birds of Prey Center in SC. Glad you like these!
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….klasse arbeit! gruß alois
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Thank you very much, Alois.
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Wow! Incredible beautiful pictures! Pure inspiration!
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Thanks so much, Daniel. Glad you enjoyed this set.
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The answer to your question of what makes a photograph compelling… That’s easy: JANE LURIE!! 😇 💕 🌵Barbie
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You must have been a teacher, Barbie– very good at Q&A’s! 😉 Thanks so much for the smile and for stopping by!
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All terrific choices Jane, but I’m drawn to the columns in B&W. Hadn’t seen that one before. Beautiful
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Thanks, Tina. This was an interesting theme.
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I especially love your take on symmetry in the blue doors and the Halong Bay. Those two really let the viewer go beyond traditional ideas of symmetry and delve into ideas about balance and the role of proportion.
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Thanks, Atreyee. Both of those were rewarding – the result was what I envisioned which doesn’t always happen, as you know. I appreciate your thoughts.
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A really fine collection of pictures.
They are all really good in their own way – I cannot even pick a favorite one.
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I’m very happy you liked these, Rabirius. It was an interesting subject to think about. Thank you!
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Beautiful photographs Jane – the compositions and explanations are terrific.
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Thanks, Mary. This theme was interesting. Glad you like it.
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Love this — photos & text! 💕
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Hi Wendy– Thanks! The theme helped me analyze my compositions.
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Absolute stunning photos. I loved all of them. I really liked the last photo of Aspen. What time of the day you clicked this reflection when you found water to be so still…??
Thanks, Suyash
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Hi Suyash- You’re very kind, thanks! We went to Maroon Bells for a morning hike– it wasn’t super early but it was a calm summer day, however, by the time we got back after I shot these, the reflections were gone with the wind…
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Wow how wonderful! Morning is usually the better time to capture such reflections. Great that you got it for us 🙂
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Excellent compositions Jane, and the colours are stunning, but the 2 you have put in B & W are a perfect comparison.
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Hi Pauline- Thank you. I thought the b&w were a nice contrast. Glad you liked this series.
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What a well done description of centered composition as well as stunning examples of your work Jane. I found myself totally involved with each image. While, as you well know, there are so many rules of photography, like the Rule of Thirds, your work shows that they are simply suggestions to consider following. While off-center composition often adds visual interest and sometimes, visual tension, centered composition can do an amazing job of placing the viewer in the center of the action and give them a feeling of being right there with the subject. Your work is always a delight to experience and your talent and passion for photography, life and nature shows through in all your work. Thank you! ~Rick
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Hi Rick, How kind of you to respond so thoughtfully. I’m glad I managed to convey the idea of when centering is impactful and I agree, we more often compose off-center for interest. Thank you – your work is an inspiration so it means a lot.
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Generally you create more interesting and dynamic compositions by not framing the subject symmetrically. But sometimes – as these examples show – it’s exactly the right thing to do. Lovely images, Jane.
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Hi Otto– Agree completely. More often than not I am trying to place my subject off-center in the composition which I find to be more pleasing. This theme made me think about the images that worked better centered. So glad you liked them– thank you.
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Beautiful photos Jane! I’m a sucker for symmetry!
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Thanks, Michael! Some subjects demand it. Glad you like these- means a lot.
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Beautiful compositions, Jane. Loved the Legion of Honor, an all-time favorite when I’m in San Francisco, too. Maroon Bells is magnificent! You caught the best features..
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Hi Renee, Happy you enjoyed these- thank you. Those two are favorite spots. Great to hear from you and I hope all is well with you.
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Great photo, Jane 🙂
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Thanks very much, Javier. 😊
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Very nicely done.
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Thanks, Phil. Much appreciated.
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What I love about the ship’s bow photo: The symmetry of the the man-made, carrying one into the asymmetry of nature. The calculated device transporting one into the incalcuable mystery. The voyage from the known into the unknown. Love that photo.
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Cnawan – Your comment is thoughtful and insightful. Rewarding for me when a photograph evokes further thought. Thank you very much– it was a special moment for me creatively.
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I am so pleased to share in the beauty of that moment with you. You really succeeded in capturing it. Will have to make a point of visiting your site more often. Best to you.
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Best to you, to Cnawan and I look forward to visiting your site, too.
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Great seeing your symmetry in photos. Remember that owl flying over – silently! Miss you.
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Hi Leslee– So nice that you enjoyed this series. We do love our birds, don’t we? Thanks for checking in– miss you and hope you are doing great.
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Hey there Sister!
Hope you are well! I love the black and white ship’s bow in Halong Bay and the beautiful face of the great horned owl. Thanks for sharing!
Take care & best to Bob.
Ron
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Hi Ron! Great to hear from you– very happy that you liked this set. Thanks so much and I hope you and Joan are doing well!
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Great photos!!!
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Hi Steve– Thank you! Good to hear from you and I’m pleased you liked these. See you soon.
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Reblogged this on Santa's Reindeer and commented:
a beautiful post on symmetry….
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Thanks for reblogging my post, Santosh. Very nice.
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Beautiful images. My favourites are “look into my eyes” and “church door” : )
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Hi Nina, You are very kind, thank you. Happy you enjoyed these.
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Good Job! I like this!!!!
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That’s great, Dominique. Thanks so much!
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