Use Patterns to Create Visual Rhythm

Whenever a shape, color or texture repeats itself, it creates a pattern. Patterns make great stand-alone photo subjects because they intrigue the eye; our curiosity gets the best of us and we have to examine them. Ever walk past a spider's web and not pause to examine the intricate architecture? Patterns work best when photographed against a dark or simple background and when the pattern itself becomes the dominant element of the frame. Here I photographed a colorful pattern of lobster floats in Stonington, Maine by contrasting them against the dark stack of lobster traps.