The Golden Dream

I very much enjoyed this image on a subjective level. Atheistically it is pleasing to the eye, the colors are striking and the glass-like quality of the water draws the viewer in.

Objectivly speaking, at first glance I thought it was a water scape. Only after looking a bit longer I realized there was a figure over by the bridge. The view then asks who is this figure, what are they doing? I enjoy the sense of mystery that she lends to the composition, it adds another dimension on top of an already beautiful scenic shot. And I think she softens the severity the bridge might have had if she were not in it.

The only thing I struggled with on this image is the division between the upper and lower halves. For some reason there does not seem to be enough tension there. I do enjoy the mirror half and half aspect; the reflections appear more dreamlike with the larger bottom. Usually I would like to suggest it should be rule of thirds, with the water only taking up only one third. Some of the extra lightness in the water would be removed, and I think it may benefit the composition. If you just hold your forearm up to the image you can get a general idea of how it would look. Rather than so much of the initial attention paid to the water, it would be brought to the figure instead.

The balance of the canopy of trees overhead, vs the beautiful colorings in the middle, and the reflections on the lower half all come together to create an above average image that is enjoyable to view.