Old and new

Old and new

A single photo, embodying the changes of the past century (or so) of the American west. A mule driver in Grand Canyon, mounted on his mule, riding along the rails of the Santa Fe railroad, headed for the Santa Fe train approaching in the distance.

In this picture, compositional elements help out quite well in framing this message of contrast and change. 

The rail, responsible for movement along a prepared path, runs through the frame in parallel diagonal lines, signifying the change itself. 

Vertically, in the foreground, the rider, almost toppling in his pose.

In the background, in a solid, restful horizontal, the train.

And old and new connected by the dynamic line of the railway.

The thought in my mind when first I took the photo was the stark contrast between the train and the rider; by instinct, I framed the image so that all other components fell into place. Revisiting the picture, I see the message above, in addition to the neat contrast and framing I originally picked it for, and see it as a comparatively strong message.