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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Forty-Nine: Creating an echo with rhythm and pattern > Churchyard, Chinese Camp, California, 2008
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20-MAY-2008

Churchyard, Chinese Camp, California, 2008

The focal point of this image is the relationship of the rounded tombstone to the illuminated window on the other side of the church, appearing just above and to the right of it. The tombstone is facing a symbolically glowing arch of eternity. To support that concept, I gather into the frame as many repetitive elements as I can, particularly the three full windows that rhythmically echo the thrusts of both the tombstone and the illuminated arch. Those windows flow horizontally across the frame, and that flow, in turn, is supported by the horizontal pattern of the church siding. The vertical iron rods rising around the grave and the stone wall that supports them also flow horizontally. Meanwhile, a tree protrudes into the frame at the far left and then explodes into illuminated greenery at the upper right. The glowing light seen through the leaves repeats the glow through the window.

Leica V-Lux 1
1/200s f/5.6 at 10.7mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Phil Douglis23-Jul-2016 21:31
Thanks for noticing that window in the window, Flo. Your comment makes me realize how important that window on the other side of the church is to this image. It offers an exclamation point to this composition.
cits_4_pets23-Jul-2016 17:34
Well composed and nice emotional impact. Love the vision of window in the window. Excellent!!!v
Phil Douglis11-Jun-2008 20:33
I have used rays of light myself, Jenene, to suggest a spiritual dimension, but they have to be used subtly, or they will be seen as cliched. I agree wholeheartedly with you on this -- the rounded shape of the glowing distant window, the foreground window, and the tombstone create a subtle rhythm that suggests the eternal cycle of life and death, and does it without drawing on an obvious cliche approach.
JSWaters11-Jun-2008 04:23
Often the concept of spirituality is illustrated with rays of light (I've used it myself). This is a subtle way to express that concept and it's connection to the cycle of life.
Jenene
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