Composition: Brake Wheel

Consider this nice brake wheel image (captioned version here). It has some appealing character- istics. A nice contrast between the round brakewheel, with the rounded shapes inside the rim and the angular running board with its shadow in repeating diagonals, and underlying that the horizontals of the ribbing on the boxcar. Interesting textures, including both the wheel and the wall of the car. A very nice shot (by Bill Grenchik.

By contrast, the next image (captioned version here) has, in my view, a stronger composition, more interesting and more dynamic. Why do I like Nick DAmato's shot more?

First, Bill's shot is taken from a face-on angle, which I find inherently less interesting than an off-center angle. An off-center angle introduces depth and diagonals, which often add life to an image. Having a third dimension is important in bringing life to what is, after all, a two dimensional image. Depth is important.

Here, the depth comes from two sources. Obviously, the angular view puts the far side of the car end further away from the viewer. More subtly, the brake wheel casts a shadow which necessarily falls behind the wheel and thus generates a perception of depth, creating an implicit sense of in front/behind, although in actuality the shadow may be no further away from the viewer.

Second, Nick's shot has lots of diagonals, the obvious one being the top of the hopper running from upper right to middle left. But the brake wheel and its shadow form a second, implied diagonal from upper left to lower right. The diagonals form an X which, along with the depth, add to the dynamism, which the horizontal composition of Bill's, with the wheel on the left and the running board and shadow on the right, lacks.

Also, I'm not personally a fan of the somewhat 'up' angle in Bill's shot. I find it off-putting - insufficient to create a strong dynamic, yet not quite right as a flatter scene. All in or all out for me, I guess.

Of course, there are lots of things to like in Bill's shot and there are a number of things I prefer, starting with the textures. Also, the sky separates better from the car because the car is dark, and I'm not a fan of how the wheel shadow is cut off in Nick's shot. Both have something to offer, and for that matter opinions will vary and some will like the first one more.