Two Photographers, Same Subject, Different Perspectives

Christine McCarty - Ravenel Bridge - Charleston SC

Nancy Bowers - Ravenel Bridge - Charleston, SC

The coastal sounds and ocean air seem to awaken the creative juices in Nancy and Christine. Remember Nancy’s “Princess” and the two women “Frolicking on the Beach“? And Christine’s recent “Dock Reflection” at the Outer Banks? The images above continue the tradition.
The Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge in Charleston crosses over the Cooper River but does more than get you from point A to Point B. Like the Sydney Opera House in Australia, it has a life and grace that goes beyond the utilitarian and gives the impression that it is organic with it’s surroundings. One could easily take a photo every day for a year and not come close to exhausting the possibilities. Christine’s shot is all leading and converging lines, repeating pattens, shapes, reflections and sunrise colors balanced by the horizontal lines of the river bank, the horizon and the cloud patterns. The eye is inevitably drawn to the open area near the top of the support tower with the sun breaking through the clouds. Nancy’s view shows the bridge in a more gentle mood, quietly majestic in the distance. Even the bulk and size of the foreground ship can’t compete with the graceful form created by the shining cables and center support tower. Both images are perfect examples of how effective the Rule of Thirds can be and how important framing is to convey a scene just as the photographer intended.