Empirical Geometry
Flag photographs are those where the shadow of an object becomes the dominant subject in a composition. The solid source of the shadow may or may not be visible within the image.
The photograph we have here is all about how light form a single source, in this case a window, creates a modified replica of the hanging light fixture. This is an interesting composition because of the visible information making up the graphic pattern. There are five elements in this scene; the square cutout in the wall, the light fixture, the shadow, the window light on the wall and the negative space.
The photographer could have, if they wished, even reduce this simple composition down to fewer and fewer elements. For instance the cutout in the wall could be eliminated. This would let our imagination determine where the fixture was coming from. Or the cutout and the fixture could be removed and leave just the shadow, light and negative space and ask the viewer to wonder at the source of the subject. I do not mean to say that one is better than the other just different ways of working with the same compostion.
Click on Image 
Crop #1 
Crop #2 
July 7th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Jim, I have worked on this picture so much; changed the cropping several times, added and diminished light; enhanced the colour and contrast; etc., etc. etc. that one might even suspect it has become an obsession to me, and I had never thought of any of both the suggestions you give. Wow! It opens a new dimension for this photograph and I thought I was done for good with this picture. I don’t know if to thank you or not!!!! (of course I do) I will go to work on it again. Thank you, both are magnificent suggestions, I appreciate it. Jorge