Does framing make a difference?

San Antonio River Walk - Left - without framing (cropped) - Right - with framing (original)

There is something comforting about a scene with framing.  The images above are the same, except the left one is cropped more than the right one.  I actually like them both, but I find the one that is framed by vegetation is less harsh and more appealing.  The dark elements surrounding the central image draw your eye into the center, but I think there is more to it than that.

I think there is something primal going on inside our brains.  

We have had 6 dogs (so far), five of them dachshunds.  I have noticed that they are more comfortable when they have something above them.  Indoors, this could be a table, a bench, the insides of a box on its side.  Outdoors, it could be the branches of a bush, a den, or perhaps an overhanging rock.  It all stems from the primal urge to seek shelter and protection.  My guess is that there is something similar going on in our brains.

Framing not only draws our eye into the image, it also gives a mental sense of shelter, being under something that increases our security from the elements and would-be predators.  This is totally conjecture on my part, but I can't help but wonder if there is any truth to the idea.  Look at the two images, from one to the other and back again.  Is the one with framing more soothing to you, does it appeal to you in some indescribable way?  

Maybe framing has nothing to do with this.  Perhaps it comes down simply to helping us focus on the central image with greater conviction.  Or, maybe it does nothing at all.   What do you think?  Does framing make a difference?

Thanks for reading.     www.ericspix.com

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