The above representation is supposed to be an overhead view of a manta ray swimming close to the surface of the water, with the sun shining down upon it. The major technique I used to achieve balance in this photo, was symmetry. Notice how the outline of the manta ray, the shades of light and the circles are perfectly symmetrical via an vertical axis straight down the middle. I used the outwardly expanding circles in the center to represent ripples in the water, and they helped to give of a feeling of being in water as well. The fact that these circles can also be viewed as converging inward on that dark point in the middle is another attempt of mine to balance the photo by making the whole composition seem to be centered. 

Initially, I did not have the 4 diagonal lines carving out the right angled triangles at the four  corners; there was just another bigger circle, but I wanted to create an effect where it seems like we are peering at the manta ray through a lens of sorts, and the lines were added in for such effect. I then used straight rays of white in each of the four corners, in order to contrast against the circular lines so far in the photo. I felt that the straight lines help to give the composition a sense of direction, drawing attention to the direction in which the manta ray is moving. Lastly, I experimented with a bunch of different color gradients, but ended up choosing the above color schemes, as those best represented clear water and sunlight to me. 

Instability