Project 21 - Diagonals

For this project I had to take 4 photos which use diagonals "strongly".  As you will see, I produced more than 4 photos !

This is of a honeysuckle flower.  The main part of the flower is quite vertical, but the open flower leads off on a diagonal to the top right of the frame.  I particularly like this one as the eye is directed strongly off to that corner.

                               

This is a photo of a 'plane at a local airshow taken in June this year.  The pilot had put his smoke on and the movement is implied from the bottom right to the top left.  The smoke leads the eye to the 'plane and the 'plane directs the eye beyond.  There is enough space in front of the 'plane in this image for the 'plane to move into, and that makes for a pleasing composition.

                                              

This is a photo of the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team taken at a show near here in July this year.  The team is forming a lovely diagonal across the frame and the movement is from top to bottom.

                                       

This is my older son at the top of the CN Tower in Toronto Canada, taken in June 2008.  The window frame is making a diagonal in the photo and is mirrored by my son's posture.  Your eye is led upwards along the length of the diagonals.

                                

This is the staircase at my house and the banisters and foot rails are making opposing diagonals across the frame.  This is quite a "busy" image and the eye moves constantly around the frame.

                                   

This is a photo showing the window detail of a building in Montreal, Canada.  It is similar to the example in the coursework of the balconies, showing the "powerful and diagonal effect by compression and repetition" by shooting using a telephoto lens at an angle to the building (as I was at ground level).  I have included it in this project because of its similarity to the one in the coursework.

I enjoyed this project, I find the use of diagonal lines in photography can give a stronger photo with more impact.  They can imply movement and cause the viewer's eye to move around the frame easily as they give direction.

Project 20 - Horizontal and Vertical Lines

For this project I had to produce 8 photos showing examples of horizontal and vertical lines.

Firstly my vertical lines

Trees growing tall and straight.  I also like that the trees are reflected in the lake and the trees in the background are out of focus.  As the trees are shown only in part, the vertical aspect is emphasised.

Support pole on a building site.  There are horizontal lines around it, but the upright pole is clearly the main subject in this image.

The vertical pattern in a fence panel, together with the vertical fence post.

Vertical soldiers on a flight of stairs. 

The trees give the natural vertical lines - the others are man-made.

My horizontal lines

The horizon which is probably the most obvious horizontal line in nature to photograph.

Breeze block wall - the blocks form a horizontal line across the frame.  Your eye is drawn from side to side.

Wooden joists.  The joists are photogrpahed in horizontal lines and the shadows add more horizontal lines to the image.

Stairs giving horizontal lines to this image.

When shooting this project I became incresingly aware of the lines around us.  I found it easier to find vertical lines to shoot; tall buildings, people, bus stops, trees etc.  I particularly like the lines created by the contrast in light as shown in the phot of the wooden joists above.  I also like the direction and movement implied by lines, for example in the photo of trees above, your eye moves along the height of the trees.  I was also intrigued how a line of verticals can equal a horizontal line as in the photo above of the stair soldiers.  Your eye moves up and down the soldiers but also horizontally along the line.

I intend to return to this project at a later date when I have a bigger collection of photos, as I enjoyed looking at the way the different orientation of lines within an image works.

Project 17 - Positioning a Point

In this project we are reminded that there are essentially 3 classes of position : in the middle; slightly off-centre; close to the edge.  I had to take 3 photos with a single point which was placed in a different part of the frame in each of the photos. 

In this photo the white flower is positioned centrally in the frame.  The image is static, with no sense of movement being suggested. 

In this second image the white flower has been placed slightly off-centre to the right of the frame, but still close to the horizontal centre line.  It is a slightly more interesting image as the eye is drawn to the area of grass on the left of the image and then back to the flower. 

                                      

In this final image the white flower is placed close to the right side of the frame and below the horizontal centre line.  In my opinion it is the best composed of the images.  Your attention is drawn to the position of the flower in relation to the frame.  By drawing a line mentally through the flower (point) vertically and horizontally we can see that the point is placed roughly in accordance with the rule of thirds.

Planning the next few projects

I have emailed my tutor and now have to concentrate on getting the second assignment to her in September.  This meant that I was able to relax and enjoy a week at Center Parcs last week.  While there I did take a few photos which I think I may be able to use for some of the upcoming projects.

I also have sorted out some photos I took recently on a building site, specifically with Project 20 - horizontal and vertical lines, in mind.

I am planning to shoot more tomorrow, and then I can complete some projects and get them on here.

As expected, the summer holidays and ferrying around the kids is taking priority over everything !  I also need to buy the school uniforms this week, as the next three weeks are already full !

Hey-ho !