This week, Tina Schell asks us to focus our cameras on an idea. The concept of harmony is wide-ranging from an artistic perspective, personal interaction, an architectural design element, or even a higher plane of coexistence. You can read Tina’s challenge post here. Reviewing my gallery of photographs, I can find a few that demonstrate some basic principles that Tina suggested. In the opening photo, the sameness of color, lighting, and shape in the design of the Colorado State Capitol building rotunda is an example of the principle of harmony in architectural design.
Tina points out in her post that colors that are close to each other in the spectrum create a harmonious feeling. Even the ugliness of a strip mine can exhibit a color harmony that softens the unattractive remains of a played out mine.
Another definition of harmony focuses on a team working together to accomplish a goal. In this case the horse and rider are working in harmony to win the barrel race.
The team of Clydesdale Horses is world-famous. Those beautiful animals have two goals whether they know it or not. They must work in harmony pull a ceremonial wagon adorned with a corporate logo. As we all know, the primary goal of this team is to sell Budweiser Beer.
For my last example, I focus on the harmony between the natural world and its inhabitants. In this case, a Rocky Mountain Sheep finds harmony in life in the high Rockies. Before you think I have some sort of death wish to climb mountains and get into the face of a wild animal, this image was captured at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The ram, a taxidermy specimen, is set in a multimedia environment consisting of a beautifully designed foreground of natural materials and a back wall mural featuring high peaks somewhere in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
Of course, I could make some comment about musical harmony but it’s hard to show audio harmony in an image. I’ll just leave it at that. Thanks to Tina for a great challenge this week.
John Steiner
Great job exploring several wonderful examples of harmony John. Your image of the strip mine really gives it a beauty that is totally unexpected. And your action shot of the rider and her horse is outstanding. thanks for the thorough and creative response.
Thank you very much, Tina. It was great fun exploring my library looking for examples.
These are great photos, John! Well done! Cher xo
Thank you so much!
Stunning shots for this theme, John. The horse and rider is my favourite. 🙂
Thanks! It is one of my all time favorites!
Great photo John! thank you.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting !
All these pics are some of my faves from your website over the years. It was fun to visit them together in one post!
It was a harmonious collection. 😎
I enjoyed seeing your post. Especially like your opening shot of the rotunda at Colorado State Capitol building and the strip mine!
The horse and rider are my favorite. Great shots.
Thank you for stopping by and commenting!
I love your interpretation, John. The horse photo is stunning.
Thank you!