Pink Landscape

“Rhythm – a harmonious pattern characterized by the regular occurrence of strong and weak elements, usually lines and shapes.” ~ Freeman Patterson, Photographing the World Around You

Last week, as I was working on a presentation on abstract photography, I noticed a theme appearing in recent photographs that I wasn’t previously aware of – that of rhythm – a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound. At the same time, I was in the midst of my workshop on visual journaling, where we’re exploring themes and patterns in our photography and what they say about us. When I see a theme come up like this, I know it’s time to do some journaling. First, I check in with myself on what the theme means to me by doing word associations. Below are some notes on the image at the top of this post, Pink Landscape.

What does rhythm feel like? 

Once I’ve finished my own journaling, I then look to outside sources for further clarification. The order is very important – always consult your “inner teacher” first. 

In Photography

Freeman Patterson goes on to say in Photographing the World Around You,

“As in music, rhythmic arrangements are both orderly and dynamic, providing overall structure on the one hand, and a feeling of movement on the other.”

Patterson says that the order comes from the recurring shapes or lines (no one stands out) and the sense of movement from the fact that no one line or shape stops the eye. The eye keeps moving. In Pink Landscape above, the eye moves from left to right (for me). Overall structure (being centred) within movement (change). This is a way of being that feels good to me. Maybe I was feeling it as I travelled on my own during February – a joyful mix of feminine and masculine energy. I certainly felt quite blissful.

In Music

“Rhythm in music is the pulse at which the notes move over time. Music is a time based medium. Notes or sounds move along with a pulse. These sounds can be of equal distance in time from one another for simple rhythms or they can play against the symmetry of being equal to create interest. Syncopation occurs when the rhythm is set up to work against itself – you hear this in jazz, rock, or African music.” ~ CompositionStudy.com

In Poetry

Rhythm in poetry is characterized by a repetition of stressed and unstressed syllables.

“Rhythm, by any definition, is essential to poetry. The presence of rhythmic patterns heightens emotional response and often affords the reader a sense of balance.” ~ Encyclopedia Britannica

In life

“Rhythm is everywhere. In the heartbeats of our chest. In the language we speak. In the footsteps of our stride. In the bump-bump of cars over uneven asphalt. I remember a professor of mine recounting the day he got hip-hop; he’d been in Brooklyn, listening to the city pulse. Much of what fills our ears has a meter, whether we’re conscious of it or not.” ~ Finding Rhythm in Everyday Life, Boston Globe

Life is about finding that balance of structure and movement. There is a rhythm at the centre of all of our lives. Can you hear it? Can you feel it?

** Books mentioned have Amazon affiliate links, meaning I make a few cents if you purchase through my link. I only recommend books that I’ve read.

More on this Topic

4 Types of Visual Rhythm
Finding Rhythm in Everyday Life – Boston Globe