Dungeon Canyon by Eliot Porter (Intimate Landscapes)

1. Photo draws your eye, catches your interest. 

I found it very eye catching. When you get down to the basic shapes in this photo it's very simple, but the way it's broken up still manages to draw you in. The stratification in the rocks in the foreground draw your eye in right towards the lighter colored one in the background.

2. Angle or point of view. 

I like the point of view of looking through an opening like this. It gives the photo differently layers that lead to the next. 

3. Makes the viewer think or react emotionally. 

I think this could depend on the viewer. As a geology it makes me think a lot. I wonder about what the rocks are and what could have caused the structures visible in the picture. I think to people less interested in that would just see it as a cool pictures of rocks, not much more. 

4. Has a message, or pushes barriers. 

I don't think there's any message or barrier pushing here... But personally, I'm not sure it needs this to still be an enjoyable picture. None of Eliot Porter's work is what I would call boundary pushing. It's much softer and more for the simple enjoyment of the beauty of nature. 

5. The subject matter is interesting. 

I find it very interesting. My love of rocks aside, the rocks are simple and the division of them is simple there's still plenty to look at. 

6. Tells a story. 

Once again, maybe to some people. I see a story. I see a story about how the rocks were formed, about what they might have been before formation and about where they might go after weathering. 

7. Catches the ‘critical moment’ when action is at it’s peak?

I don't think there was any critical moment to catch. The rocks have been there for a while and there is a very good chance they're still there. On the other hand it captured it still captured a moment that one day (not one day soon, but still one day) will no longer exist. 

8. Clear focus of photo (both the sharpness and primary subject matter). 

The photo is very clear focus wise, the primary subject matter could be slightly up for debate, but I sould call the furthest back, lightest colored rock the subject, but really I feel like the whole picture of the subject. In the end it's all the same rock, but the eye is most drawn towards that lighter part. 

9. Design elements: composition, framing, lines, movement. 

I think all of the design elements are well captured in this photo. I like the composition and framing of the rocks and think they're simple but strong. The edge's of each cliff is an interesting line that moves you through the picture and each ridge on the side of the outcrop draws you in deeper. 

10. Lighting interesting 

The lighting is a big part of how this picture works out and I think he did is very successfully. The on rock being highlighted and the others in shadow accentuate the one rock even more. And give this photo a main subject. 

11. Technically proficient (exposure, focus, etc) 

Every thing is focused well and exposed well to give it a nice contrast. 

12. Good printing: frame, paper, size, all match content. 

This is hard to tell in the book.....