RHYTHM

Just as in music, there’s something satisfying about having a kind of beat operating in a picture. Of course, music requires a beat, while it’s not all that common in imagery; but when there is repetition, it’s worth investigating how to make use of it. Repetition has its boring side, without a doubt—things just appearing one after another too predictably. But when there’s a distinct set of subjects that in some way align and flow, it can give the image an unexpected structure. You might think that a group of similar objects is hardly a recipe for the unexpected, given that so many things are made in multiples. However, your unique treatment and viewpoint could make a huge difference. These are a famous group of memorial arches in Anhui ...

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