This image, which is undeniably simple in every way, utilizes the rule of thirds, diagonals and vectors to move the eye through the image and generate energy. The bottom line of the "tic tac toe" board coincides with the depth of field just behind the small stone on the pavement. The upper horizontal line runs along the horizontal stone wall and through the housing development. Due to its natural highlight, the yellow road line serves as an excellent diagonal to move the eye from the bottom of the frame towards the far horizon, which lies exactly in the upper center of the photograph. The stone itself lies in the intersection of the lower and right lines, where subjects can be placed in photos to generate interest. I should also point out that this image contains quite a bit of contrast, considering the size and texture of the stone and its shadow compared to the asphalt. The greens, blues and reds of the background are in stark contrast to the grays, blacks and synthetic yellow of the foreground.
When I moved to the desert, I was stricken by how prehistoric the landscape here feels. This rock has been in existence since before there were roads, or people, or asphalt, and now it finds itself in the most unusual of places. Imagine the things this rock has seen, perhaps it once rested at the bottom of a prehistoric ocean, or was created in the heart of a volcano. Roads were meant to be traveled on, and this picture suggests that this rock has farther still to go. I don't mean to make a travel blog for a stone, but this thought could be applied to all of nature using the rock as a metaphor for the persistence of the natural world. That message alone is exciting and positive, and looking at the yellow line, I cant help but hear a refrain of "Follow the Yellow Brick Road." Follow it, little Rock.
"We need the tonic of wilderness... We can never have enough of nature." -Henry David Thoreau
