Contrast, Balance, and Harmony

This year I decided to be my family photographer on our annual Kennedy family beach trip. I was really discouraged with how difficult beach photography is, but I was pleased to see that by the end of the week I had somewhat-mastered Manual mode on my Canon Rebel T3.
So let me introduce to you one of my favorite photos of the week, and probably one of the best pictures I've ever taken.

 I see the contrast in the colors of his swimsuit, eyes, and the water. They are all different shades of blue, but they all seem to connect the picture through colors. These shades of blue seem to create harmony throughout the photo as well, like everything in the frame is included for a reason. The colors also maintain the beachy theme that this photo exudes. I also like the contrast in the depth of field, Jackson is in the foreground and in focus, while the water and sand behind him are blurred. I also like the angle of this picture. He's looking up at me, and so the lower parts of his body become blurred and part of the background almost. In this picture, we're actually standing underneath the pier. So, the light pattern coming through that we can see on the water is from the spaces between the boards on the pier above us. I think this creates a sort of contrast as well between shadows and light, as well as creates an asymmetrical pattern as far as balance goes. I like that there isn't anything symmetrical about this picture because it makes it interesting to look at.