View and Respond 8

I chose to write about the photo of the people on paddle boat with their four dogs moving down the street after a Halloween flood in Garfield,Texas. I think the dominant photo compositonal rule is rule of thirds, the placement of the boat is in the far right side of the photo. This photo also has a short depth of field making the only thing in focus the boat and part of the water. The depth of field creates a more visually pleasing photo, but still allows you to see the underwater mailboxes to show the situation. The people are also parallel to each other and the mans paddle creates a diagonal line affect drawing your eye across the boat. The photographers shutter speed also allows you to see the glistening water and the movement of the boat through the water. I think this is effective photojournalism because you can see the distress on the people's faces and the act of them getting their dogs to safety, it effectively tells their story. I also think the bright yellow color of the boat provides a nice focal point.