Newly familiar as I am with the 10 Top Photography Composition Rules, this image was my favorite in my own opinion. Upon reviewing its compliance to the rules, it seems to follow almost all 10. It practically includes the implied lines for the rule of thirds, which simultaneously serve as leading lines, guiding the viewer through the image. It has some symmetry in the placement of the keys, but the abstract viewpoint upsets the pattern, creating a focal point in the dead center (the short keys with the archaic detailing). The background is simple enough to keep the viewer’s attention on the keys, and the image is cropped to just include this minute area of the larger hardware store captured in the other images.
This image is perhaps the least related to the focused topic of the photo essay “Remembering Hardware,” but by far the best standalone image. Matt Brandon emphasizes that each image should be of a high enough quality that it could stand by itself in his piece on photo essays. He would categorize this one as the detail shot that is intended to “spice up the soup,” in Brandon’s words. Each of the others in this photo essay are of the subject. By showing the shopkeeper going about his amazing life, they each serve the context of the story, but that is not the intention of this image. This captures a detail, an easily overlooked but beautiful image that a photographer had to search for. This image displays the organization and attention to detail of Mr. Kramer, while simultaneously portraying the timeless beauty of his craft.
As far as my personal experience with the image, it’s amazing how such a simple subject evokes so much. First the literal: it serves as a testament to the complexity of the store and the knowledge, patience, and dedication that is put forth by the proprietor. The next thing is the surprising nostalgia that overtook me for the 1800’s, and I must admit, for my childhood favorite book series, Harry Potter. There is something so attractive about those old keys and the houses and rooms they could have opened the doors to centuries ago. The bottom left corner of the image and the modern looking keys up top serve to ground it in a more modern context, drawing the viewer back to reality. For me, this was the perfect installment in this photo essay for the viewer more inclined to the aesthetics and the abstract.
Leave a Reply