My records show that my last post was the 100th on the Earth Images Blog.  Please no parties. 

When we compose our photographs the one question that warrants asking is should our composition be a careful methodical exercise, or should it be quick and instinctual.  My personal belief is that the methodical comp is usually the best.  Still you should leave yourself open to those serendipitous moments, that contain quick judgements.  In other words never close your photographic mind to anything.

Namesake…why they call them Snowy Owls.  Whether you would agree with what I did or not, appraise the compositions below.

Who goes there?….Great-horned Owlets.  The owls made my artistic decisions for me here.  No need to make interesting choices when your subject does it for you.

Bighorn Ewes & 1/2 grown babies.  How about the choice of a pano (crop)?

1/2 grown babies.

White-tailed Jackrabbit.

White-crowned Sparrow.

“Over The Edge”…..Mesa Falls, Idaho.

Everthing goes somewhere….Mesa River, Idaho.

Okay…..I’ll admit that this is a strange composition.  It is funny how our perspective on things like composition, is all about the context in that it is shown.  I made a lot of pictures of this frog.  If I showed this image mixed with my straight in the eyes portraits and my profile shots, would it not be more acceptable?  The previous waterfall image is also a rather unique comp.  Depending on the viewer, for this to be successful it would likely have to be shown within a grouping of the many traditional comps of this falls that I did make. Then again,  maybe you would think it was a smart creative choice the way it is.

Lupine field, Illinois.  I used to make my share of “field of flowers” pictures.  They are fine but a simple compositional anchor, like say a tree trunk or large rock will make it stronger.  Somewhere on this blog (maybe Ill. Beach S.P.) is just such an image.

I believe this wildflower is similar to the Purple Prairie Clover.  Of course it is pink/white/blue so it may be something totally different.  This comp is one I use a lot.  One sharp flower with soft out of focus flowers in the background.  The out of focus blossoms on the right allowed me to take the vertical flower that is in focus, well out of the center of the picture frame.  Comps like life can benefit from a little balance.  Notice I said balance and not symmetry.

One thing is for sure.  We all have creative urges and when they call to us it is important to answer.  Whether it be woodworking, sewing, song writing, photography or whatever,  I believe it is what completes us as human beings.  What we do within our creative choice, such as composition in photography, is what makes answering our creative urge a personal statement.