I found an interesting site about symmetry for this challenge - call me an idiot, but I wasn't quite sure how to go about this challenge, and this site gave some good examples. It also has links to other sights as well.
//www.adrianbruce.com/Symmetry/
How can I get help with the symmetry challenge without breaking any rules or morale issues?
Send me an email with your questions/issues. Attach a low-res image if you want (or include a link). I will help if I can. I will be on and off line for another 2-3 hours or so. You will not be breaking any rules or moral issues (although it may hurt some people's morale to realize you're gonna win this week!)
A symmetrical image will generally be an image in which one side "mirrors" the other in some way. This could mean up and down, left and right, angles, etc. I'm sure we'll see some very creative images in which symmetry is "stretched" in some way or interpreted in a creative way (at least I hope we do!). So the image of the castle from Harold1066 is a good example of symmetry because the turrets mirror each other, the sides of the bridge mirror each other, etc. Symmetry can be found in repeating patterns, or simple structures. I'm anxious to see what kinds of photos we'll get!
The challenge says 'use symmetry and balance to compose your photo'. A symmetrical photo isn't required - though I fully expect a non-symmetrical photo to be marked down.
You know, I hadn't thought of that, Ed...well, shoot. My shot is not traditionally "symmetrical," though if you look at it for more than a moment, the traditional symmetry is there.
Oh well, it's a good shot for this amature...and I'm happy with it :).
I thought I understood this challenge completely but I was having trouble finding a subject that appealed to me. Then I went to the web...oh wow now I am confused when looking at examples of symmetry I found quite a few different aspects, 3 dimensional, photos that are balanced by different objects, architectural photos, now can I ask what everyone is thinking as symmetry? Is it the traditional symmetry that one side reflects the other or is it something else?
I thought I understood this challenge completely but I was having trouble finding a subject that appealed to me. Then I went to the web...oh wow now I am confused when looking at examples of symmetry I found quite a few different aspects, 3 dimensional, photos that are balanced by different objects, architectural photos, now can I ask what everyone is thinking as symmetry? Is it the traditional symmetry that one side reflects the other or is it something else?
I looked at symmetry as both balance in the overall shot and the traditional mirroring. My photo has both, but you might have to look very closely to see the mirroring because it isn't on a traditional right/left or top/bottom axis.
I was thinking it was repeated patterns. Am I wrong?
symmetry - the correspondence in size, form, and arrangement of parts on opposite sides of a plane, line, or point; regularity of form or arrangement in terms of like, reciprocal, or corresponding parts
Likewise, my shot is at an angle, so the symmetry is from upper left to lower left. And the symmetry is soft, so the two sides of the picture are almost identical, but not quite. We'll see what happens with that in this persnickety group!
interesting stuff here on balance and symmetry, summarized below:
and symmetry is also discussed a bit here with some photo examples, indicating that the photo doesn't at all have to be a pattern or a mirror image, but that the subject of the photo is centered and the frame balanced equally on each side of the subject.
However, as we all are too well aware, none of this really matters; just have fun and take your best shot of what you think fits your idea.
i really like that photo and think it fits the challenge well, but it took a couple of seconds for it to 'click' in my head. it could be improved, go here for more comments . . .
Are mirrors allowed or does it have to be natural? Not that I was planning on using any, just curious so that it stops me wandering down that road if I did choose to!
Mirrors are fine. The challenge doesn't say the use of mirrors is forbidden.
The only thing to watch for is that some voters may regard it as 'false' symmetry.
I hope people will not expect perfect symmetry otherwise people would submit a half picture only and the website could display the ;irror part automatically ;-)
