The Red Chair.
Susan says:
his is an interesting example of what choices must be made for great design. Alone on a grassy parkway this abandoned red chair makes a unique design statement. Balance, coherence, line, texture, color, contrast, empty space…
Of course, it was Lucia’s decision about where to place her camera, which settings to use for depth of field and the best time of day to take the photo. Without her decisions the compelling design wouldn’t exist. The role of designer is clear.
Lucia says:
It’s all about the lighting. Susan is correct in thinking that the time of day had anything to do with why I captured this scene. I walked by the red chair earlier in the day and seeing it sitting out there alone on the parkway made me laugh. I wondered if it would make an interesting photo, but decided to pass. Later in the day as the setting sun created dramatic lighting, everything changed. The colors stood out with the red against the green and the shadow of the tree on the sidewalk softened the background.
Keep it Simple
If you were to use this photo as a guide to your design, I would say the takeaway would be the simplicity of it. Keep it simple. You may feel the need to fill all the space, but be courageous and trust that less is more.