'The California Beach' (In Threes)

These three are just one part of the threes and thirds that I see (interpreting

liberally) when I view this photo of a beach scene in the Los Angeles area one

recent December. Your ratings, critiques and observations are invited and

most welcome. If you rate harshly, very critically or just wish to make a

remark, please submit a helpful and constructive comment; please share you

photographic knowledge to help improve my photography. Try your hand at

finding the other 'threes' and 'thirds' (being liberal of course), if you wish.

Thanks! Enjoy! john

I like the stark, graphic quality of this image.

Yes, this photo is extremely stark, but it's a studied starkness, with tonalities that 'mean something'.

I'm interested in someone who can attach some meaning between my request for critique and the tonalities in this photo, as well as two parts of the remaining composition (being generous to one part).  

It is a very studied photo, as that discussion may reveal, if it does take place.  Otherwise, in about a week or ten days, perhaps, if it doesn't happen, I may comment. 

I'm interested in thoughts from those who follow my work and are excellent commenters, as anyone else who has a fertile imagination and a good command of photographic principles.

Thanks for the comment, Steve.

john

John (Crosley)

It's obvious of course, that this photo has three subjects, but that's not all.

In fact, this photo (with a little stretch of the imagination) is about three sets of threes.

Of course there are three silhouetted subjects, but more than that, there is nearly a 'rule of threes' (no such rule of course), blending of the beach (black), the sea (light gray), and the setting sun/cloudscape, darker gray.

In fact the three levels of grayscale are quite close to an equal division of the grayscale, and this 'raw' photo was processed that way in color and when it was converted to black and white, it hardly needed any adjustment to make the black, light gray and darker gray triad on the grayscale.

Compositionally, if one allows a little leeway, this also might be a 'rule of threes' (no such rule of course) photo, with the beach being one third (really, it's more, but then so what?), the sea being a third (or so) and the sky/clouds/sunset, taking up another third.

It's not so precise in its three divisions that it looks composited by a graphic arts student as a first year student project, but with leeway, the photo is divided into three parts, and those three parts are three nearly co-equal parts of the grayscale or at least the setting sun is on the grayscale about as far from the beach (black) as from the sea (light gray).

I was hoping someone would make a comment or suggestion, but no one did, so I am putting my thoughts here.

It looks like quite a simple photo.

In my mind it's 'three sets of three' and deceptively simple.

Any response or thoughts?

john

John (Crosley)