The photo that stuck out the most to me in “Paradise Paved” was photo 2/14. It shows a woman stretching after spending a night sleeping in her car in a Walmart parking lot. However, the composition of the photograph is quite impressive. The yoga instructor stretching with the glow of the sun behind her depicts a tranquil and peaceful scene- which one may not normally associate with a Walmart parking lot. While there are other main points within the photo such as her car and Walmart itself, the sun depend her truly makes her become the central focus. The background, though full of numerous items, does not overshadow her.  The separation between her, the car, and Walmart creates enough room for the photo to not be overcrowded.

Although it may not be necessarily obvious, I enjoy the depth of this photograph. When viewing the photo I first looked at the woman, then her car, then Walmart. After looking at the photo numerous times in this fashion I found she is in the front of the photo, her car behind her, and Walmart is behind both of them. The layers may not be important or essential to the photograph, but they stuck out to me and I believe it is what causes the photo to not be cluttered.

This photo also seems to truly capture the essence of the yoga instructor. Her bare feet, flowing skirt, and relaxed expression and posture shows that she was comfortable spending her night in the parking lot. In the description of the photo she says she was able to find peace and bliss spending a night here and that is very well depicted in the photo. Also- having trees on each side of the photo creates a beautiful and simple frame that fills what could have potentially have been empty spaces in the photo and adds to the serenity of the woman in it. The balancing of all of the elements photo (yoga instructor, car, Walmart, and the trees) is wonderfully done and creates an interesting scene and a layered- yet simple photo.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/09/29/magazine/look-walmart.html?_r=0