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 !

Project 16 - Defining a Point

In this project I have been asked to list as many types of situation I can which would make a clear photo of a point, thinking about the types of background, types of subject, lighting etc.

For a subject to be considered a point in a photograph it must be small in the frame and contrast with its surroundings.

• small object against a plain background
• dark coloured subject against a light background
• light coloured object against a dark background
• object with a strong focal point within it ( I am thinking about the flower close up in the coursework folder for project 16, page 102, where the centre of the flower contrasts with the dark petals around it )

Specifically :

• poppy in a wheat field
• horse in a field of green grass
• car on a road
• aeroplane in  the sky
• dog on a beach
• kite in the sky

Colour can be an important factor in determining a good photograph of a clear point, but we shall be covering colour later in the course. 

I looked through my photo collection and also photos I have saved from magazines, for ones which I felt were good examples of the use of a point.  I have attached a couple of my favourites.

When searching for one of an aeroplane in the sky, I found it difficult to find one with the 'plane small enough in the frame.  This shot is of a Mustang and was taken at a local air display earlier this year.  Althoough there is a large cloud popping up in the frame, the darker and distinct shape of the 'plane is strong enough to be a good point in the image.

                                     

This image is of a poppy in a field of unripe barley.  Here it is the colour of the bright red poppy which contrasts against the green-yellow of the barley creating the point.  The background is actually quite fussy, but the colour contrast emphasises the flower, and the eye is drawn to it.

Preparation

I spent the weekend (well, Sunday mainly) preparing for the next part of the course, which is Elements of Design.  It covers points, lines, shapes and (a bit later) colour. I'm quite looking forward to this part actually. I've been planning what photos I already have which I can use, and what photos I need to take (there's a lot!).  I'm getting a bit confused with the difference between "rhythm" and "pattern" so I'll have to look into that in more detail, perhaps a nosey around some blogs may help point me in the right direction.  If not, I'll have to post on the OCA forum...

I must also email my tutor and let her know that the next Assignment will be late (surprise) - the kids are on school holiday now, and while they are old enough to make their own entertainment, I find I am being called on for my taxi and cooking skills !

Assignment 1 - amendments

My first assignment came back some weeks ago with suggested amendments from my tutor.  So I shall post the amendments here together with the comments she made which led to the amendments, if that makes sense?

Black
My tutor commented that using a black subject against a black background presents technical problems, eg lighting, which I should have addressed in my notes.  She also wondered if the foreground blur in the image is too dominant.

When I shoot I tend always to use natural light whenever possible.  I like the softness of natural light as opposed to harsh studio or on-board flash light.  When I took this particular image, i did find that the sunlight was quite harsh, it being around mid-day.  I was shooting in the sun room, so i found that if i closed the blinds (which are a light oat colour) the light was diffused enough for the black of the coal to be quite true.  I also adjusted the lightness levels in photoshop slightly, just to darken the black a bit more. 

Having looked again at this image I can see what my tutor means about the coal in the foreground being too dominant.  I often shoot with shallow depth of field, but I agree that the coal in front is too large in the frame to be blurred in this way. 

                                        

I looked through my shots and came across this one, where the foreground coal is in focus and the smaller lump at the back is blurred. 

White

My tutor commented that this was a straightforward and simple composition.  She suggested that I expand my notes.

                                                     

I bought a pot of snowdrops at my local garden centre mainly with this image in mind.  The pot had been left outside for a few days and the water droplets on the petals are actually melted snow !  I positioned the snowdrop, still in its pot, by the front door which has frosted glass and so diffused the light nicely.  Again I used natural light as flash lights would have been too harsh, and there was enough natural light to get the image I wanted.  The white background is the back of a sheet of mounting card (I have several in various colours which I use for my flower work).  I trie several shots, focussing on different parts of the plant, but this one was the best.  I was a bit concerned that there was too much "green" in the image for it to represent "white", but I think I was wrong to worry.

Sour

My tutor said that she was disappointed that I had not included one of the images of my son tasting a sour lemon.  She felt the submitted image suggested "translucent" ratehr than "sour".  She thought I should have gone for a more expressive image.  This ties in with her final comments which suggest that I should try something "quirkier" now and again, and go with my instincts, even if it means following a more unusual route.

                                       

My son has a very expressive face and is quite co-operative luckily !  We sat in the garden so that we could use what sunlight there was.  I gave him a slice of lemon and shot away while he tasted it.  I chose this image as his face is showing a good and natural expression ( there is always the risk that a child will play up to the camera and over-act ) and the lemon slice is clearly visible, so the viewer is left in no doubt what is happening.

Many

My tutor asked to see some variations of the image - she guessed, quite correctly, that I had taken heaps !  She also asked whether I had explored suggesting movement.

The first additional image shows a vertical composition along the same theme.  There is some rape, but the majority of the image is taken over with red poppies.  The second image shows selective focus, and movement is suggested by the position of the poppies bending to the right and with their petals drawn very much to the right.  I like the image, but am not sure it conveys the idea of "many".  The third image shows the use of sunlight to back-light a subject, adding extra detail to the petals.  The image also has flare spots, which I don't normally like, but in this image I think they are acceptable.

Overall I think I still like the image I submitted originally the best, but it was nice to look at the rest of the images again.

Light

My tutor said that I had captured the soft floating movement of the light seed heads.  But she suggested trying a square crop to take in 3/4 of the dandelion head and everything to the right of it.

                                  

I do like this crop, and wouldn't have thought of doing it without my tutor's suggestion.  Again this was taken using natural sunlight on a fairly dull day, outside and using  black mounting card as a background.

Straight

My tutor suggested that the image would be more effective if cropped from the top to just above the tree line.

                               

This crop does emphasise the straight road, which I saw when out one day.  I made a mental note to return with my camera to get this shot for this assignment.  The crop ensures that the road acts as a perfect leading line from the front to the back of the image.

Curved

It was suggested that I should return to the idea of a direct pairing with the image for "straight" and use my "bend in the road" sign. 

I cropped the image down as much as I could to lose the distracting background, but I'm still not happy with it as an image.  The background is too messy still.  Although I can see the advantage of a "pair" with the image for "straight" I still think that the image of the bananas is better.

High

The suggestion for improvement here is that I include more written detail.

                                               

This is taken from the base of the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada.  I took it in July 2006 during a six week tour of the country.  It was completed in April 1975 and, at 1815 feet high, it remained the tallest freestanding structure in the world for 31 years.  Even now, it is still the tallest freestanding structure in the Western Hemisphere. 

Low

My tutor pointed out that there is a lot of distracting information in this image, and the subject matter is not clear.  She suggested making alterations by cropping or using phootoshop, or reshooting the idea, which is what I chose to do.

                                 

I liked the idea of shooting low to the ground, and thought that my garden would be a good place to do this.  In this image a solitary buttercup is surrounded by a ring of clover flower heads.  I like the simple composition and the suggestion that the image is taken from a low perspective is emphasised by the out of focus grass and clover in the foreground.  I focussed selectively on the buttercup to ensure that it stood out as a subject.

Black and White in One Image

My tutor commented that a zebra is an ideal subject for this brief.  But again I have to expand my notes.

                                     

This abstract of a zebra markings is my chosen image to demonstrate the two contrasts of black and white together in one image.  The image is straight out of the camera - I was shooting with this assignment in mind.  The image was taken at a local zoo earlier this year.  It is a Grevy's Zebra, also known as an Imperial Zebra.  In the wild these live in Kenya and Somalia.  The stripes on a Grevy's Zebra are thinner and closer together than on other species of zebra, and the pattern of stripes is unique to each individual zebra, just as a fingerprint is unique to each human.  The Grevy's Zebra is an endangered species.

My tutor also made suggestions about my blog as a Learning Log, and things that I should be including within it. This, along with her comments to make more comprehensive notes and outline any technical issues or editing, I hope will improve my photography.