Contrast. Contrast can be a strong tool to help an image stand out. Contrast can be in the colors, tones, textures, or – if you’re lucky – between image’s subjects themselves.
This image was taken on the Donaukanal (hyperlink) in Vienna. I took many pictures of the amazing graffiti along the canal that day. However, seeing the couple with their feet dangling over the canal, while enjoying a peaceful lunch in the midst of the riotous graffiti made this a must have image. Of all of those pictures I took that day, this one stood out.
Some would say that contrast is a negative: that contrasting elements compete with each other and tend to confuse rather than improve the image. That can certainly be the case, and that might be why I chose to present this in monochrome. The young couple enjoying the Little Danube would be lost in the bold colors of the graffiti. By making this a monochrome image, the viewer can focus on the contrast between the wild graffiti and the relaxed young couple. Maybe a better name would have been “Peace Among the Chaos.”
Putting my travel agent hat on for a moment. If you have the good fortune to visit this part of the world, make sure you explore the Danube. It is every bit as beautiful and enchanting as real travel agents will tell you. Whether you are heading downstream toward Bratislava and Budapest or upstream toward the Wachau Valley, the trip will be worth the time spent.