https://www.birdsasart-blog.com/baa/2014/02/25/one-better/ The blog of bird photographer Arthur Morris Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:42:58 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://www.birdsasart-blog.com/baa/2014/02/25/one-better/comment-page-1/#comment-845012 Fri, 07 Mar 2014 11:48:33 +0000 http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/?p=18534#comment-845012 Definitely the older image.
Groups of three almost always look better balanced than groups of four – uneven numbers look more balanced than even ones.
There is direct eye contact with two out of three monkeys in the first image which is more engaging with the viewer and their faces are arranged in a pleasing curve.
The monkeys in the second image are not only looking away but their eyes are not even all looking in the same direction (look carefully) leading to a sense of a lack of engagement.
I would be tempted to crop out the pair on the right.

]]> https://www.birdsasart-blog.com/baa/2014/02/25/one-better/comment-page-1/#comment-825959 Thu, 27 Feb 2014 01:54:31 +0000 http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/?p=18534#comment-825959 This choice is very nearly too difficult to make. If I couldn’t have both I would definitely be disappointed and miss the one I couldn’t have. If for some presentation reason I were looking for a ‘portrait format’ I would choose the 3 shot with the young one so preciously burrowed between it’s parents. Odd numbers of subjects are traditionally considered compositionally stronger than even numbers, but that is to put form over content. The 4 shot reminds me of the scene in Kubrick’s 2001 of the family group. The content dynamics are just as strong and the horizontal suits the group of four just fine. The total seven individuals are all too priceless to choose between. How much space do you have on your wall and what shape will work best?
The newer camera technology with the 4 shot pleases me and perhaps the photographer’s already superb taste and technique are more evolved in the four shot, but it is still a ‘choice too far’ for me.

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