That was good, can I have thirds?
Friday April 18th 2008, 12:01 pm
Filed under: "Wrapped in Comfort",Knit

Wanda’s Flowers shawl in Lisa Souza’s Petal yarnShawl notes first: Wanda’s Flowers pattern from “Wrapped in Comfort,” Lisa Souza’s handdyed Petal yarn, 50/50 silk/merino and very soft, started Sunday and I finished the last four rows Thursday. I went down one needle size from the book, using a 5.5 mm (American 9). This pattern is not as wide around as a lot of my shawls, and at only 279 stitches across the body, it works up fast. (Don’t let your gauge stray too tight, though.) Shawl pin is handblown glass by Sheila and Michael Ernst in a flower design, one of their smaller and simpler pins. I had enough yarn left over from the one skein that I used that I could have done half a repeat more, one more flower’s worth going downwards.

Now. The rest of this post is in response to a query about my photographs. All I ever needed to know about photography, I learned in third grade. My daughter’s third grade teacher way back when, actually, who casually mentioned to me one day, glancing at an art project of my child’s, that oh yes, she had taught the kids that pictures are most interesting if you can divide them up into threes. The eye likes odd numbers of things, not even: she demonstrated. A tree, standing alone. Perfectly centered square in the middle? Boring. But put that main feature so that it’s taking up roughly 1/3 of the space, or 2/3, especially if it’s somehow on the diagonal relative to the frame, to somehow give it motion: interesting. Thirds up and down, thirds side to side, either, or, better yet, both. If you can’t do that, make it at least off-center.

amaryllis on the back patioWhen I thought about it later, I realized I’d instinctively gone by that basic idea for a long time, but nobody had ever put it into so many words for me. I’m sure my little sister learned all about that in her art lessons growing up, but somehow my piano teacher never said boo about it. Wait–come again, maybe in effect she did: all those piano pieces with codas to go back and play the beginning part again at the end? Thirds.

(Note that this amaryllis photo does not perfectly conform to what I just said because WordPress balked at the extra pixels.  There’s perfection, and then there’s real life.)

Alright, class, homework is to go shoot your best flower picture. Okay–there’s the bell. Class dismissed!

And Canada, we are NOT having a snow day tomorrow.


6 Comments so far
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That bloom just gets lovelier by the day!

Comment by marianne 04.18.08 @ 2:26 pm

I once took a photography class that talked about lines leading the eye etc. VERY useful! I actually took a couple of good pictures using that idea. i’m still no expert, but there you are. I really love the macro feature on my camera. the up-close and personal along with the blurriness fadin ginto the background…. it appeals to me.

I love the flower!

Comment by Carol 04.18.08 @ 6:30 pm

Now I know how You take such lovely pictures! Will have to try your method and see if I can get my flowers to come out as nice as yours 🙂 Thanks for the tips!

Comment by Danielle from SW MO 04.19.08 @ 4:22 am

Love the Wanda’s Shawl..such a gorgeous color!!

Don’t you love early influence so helpful as the photography lesson. Thanks!…now where’s my camera..

Comment by Toni 04.19.08 @ 6:13 am

YOU are So BEAUTIFUL!!
What more can I say?

Comment by Sheila E 04.19.08 @ 10:40 am

I love the shawl it is a beautiful colour. You look gorgeous in it.

Comment by Vicki 04.19.08 @ 9:28 pm



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