According to Google the second definition for the word echo is:
A close parallel or repetition of an idea, feeling, style, or event.
Whenever possible I like to incorporate what I call visual echoes into my work. In the included image the main subject of the photograph is the relationship and similarities between the two cheetah faces. Since the face on the left is sharper it becomes the main anchor point in the image. The second out of focus face becomes a secondary element. Our brains find the similarities within the shot visually interesting, the comparison between the two faces pulls the viewers eye around the frame and holds their attention.
Of course visual echoes don’t need to be so overt. Some examples of a more subtle visual echo could be. The image from last week where the horizontal line of the elephants and the horizon line in the image echo one another, or a shot of a beach and sky where the ripples in the sand and clouds are similar to each other. Be on the lookout for visual echoes. Try to incorporate them in your work to add interest and layers to your photographs.
Good Luck and Good Light!
Steve
Image: Cheetah Siblings, Serengeti National Park, Africa