Shugaku-in Rikyu (E-84)

William said there are two types of pictures: one is “found” and the other is “made (constructed).” According to him, this image falls into the latter category. The landscape of Shugakuin Rikyu is so beautiful, yet also so large that William had difficulty photographing it. In a “found” picture, you have to find the vantage point from which to take the image, but in a “made” photo you have to create it using the elements before you. Besides the rather obvious contrast between the brightly lit Chitose bridge in the background and the dark stones in the foreground that firmly ground us in the scene, there are many unusual elements that William ingeniously “arranged” to create this vertical composition. One of the most interesting is the converging diagonal lines of the mountain ridge and its reflection. It is fun to look through this photograph and find other such devices. Forget your everyday life and immerse yourself in this image.