Excercise: Positioning a point

“Straw Bale”. Having the bale towards the bottom right hand corner helps give a sence of scale to the field.

  

“Buoy”. Putting the buoy in the top left helps lead the eye up into the image.

“Boat in centre”  Having the boat in the centre give a sence of space and isolation.

On images two and three I had to remove some distracting bobbers, and in image three a couple of small boats.

The relationship between points.

The ferry is dominant, but because it is heading towards the yacht it takes the eye towards it, and helps balance the image.

Even though the white buoy is brighter and closer,the eye is drawn to the one with the face on it,it also helps that they are at a angle.

As advised the eye does not know were to settle, it is very unnerving, the eyes seem to look right in to you.

Multiple points

For this exercise I used a crystal, and some coloured stones I already had.

The lighting was provided by a LCD table lamp on the background,a LED video light on the right, and a LED ring light around the macro lens, I also used a pice of black card on the left, to help give some contrast.

Although the pattern on the blue stone first drawers the eye, there is enough detail in the crystal to hold its own

With three stones it gives a classic triangle,the eye moves from one to the other.

The circular stone catches the light to add interest, but still retaining the triangle.

Adding two small stones turns the triangle to a square, leading the eye to the globe.

Adding a further three stones helps form a circle, the globe still is the main point of interest, but the white rock helps to balance the crystal, with the darker rocks forming the outer edge.

Lines

Horizontal

This shot was taken at a local track, when I was helping another photographer, I did not have time to set up properly, as it started to rain, the image is underexposed, but I think it works in black and white for the subject, as the white bar on the hurdle stands out.

This shot was taken at a local outdoor swimming pool it was a local swimming clubs 125 year anniversary, I borrowed a very fast lens but still had to up the ISO to 3200, I love the reflections in the water, the edge of the pool gives the horizontal line.

This shot was taken on a recent holiday to the Lake District, the pier gives a sence of depth to a very tranquil scene,it was taken at sunset, the mist came down, but gives a very moody shot.

This image was taken on a sunset shoot with Dawn, even though she is in red, I find it does not distract from the horizontal lines of the gate.

Vertical

This image was taken at a local classic car show, it was a lovely sunny day,which gives great reflections on the chrome.

This is the local communications tower, I converted it to black and white as I found it consecrated interest on the tower.

This is part of a local park, even though the trees are not very close, they give a vertical line, as the closer trees do not have leaves. I had to remove two benches that were in the background, as they were a light green and were destracting.

This is a new office block the blue lights add to the image without them it would be very boring, they also help take the eye through the image.

Diagonals

This image was taken at a local garden centre, I converted it to black and white as it accentuated the diagonal lines of the roof.

This was outside a local leisure centre, I left the sign in colour as I found it got lost if the whole image was in black and white, and it looked dull in colour as it was a very overcast day.

Even though the red life buoy is very small in the overall picture, it drawers the eye along the wall in to the picture, and to the figures.

This was taken outside were I work, I borrowed a super wide-angle lens to accentuate the length of the arcade, and to make the buildings form a diagonal.

Curves

The curves here lead through the picture and give a feeling of tranquility.

Both the sea and the seaweed form a curve, the space between gives a sence of movement.

These flumes are at a local leisure centre,they are due to be removed soon so are in a state of disrepair so I converted to black and white, the vertical post help give a sence of speed to the curves.

This sculpture was set up to celebrate the millenium, I like the way the curves draw you into the image, even the lady in the red dress is looking in.

Assignment 2: Elements of design

Flowers and plants

Single point

This flower was taken in my garden, it was a dull day, so I used a LED ring light to help lift the colours, even though there are two buds in the corners, the fact that the flower is so much brighter, gives a single point, dominating the composition.

Two points

This was taken in a local public garden, the two potted palms give two distinct points, helped by the plain wall.

Several points in a deliberate shape

This design was made by our local parks and garden department, to celebrate a local dramatic society`s drama festival.

A combination of vertical and horizontal lines

I could not find a suitable planting locally, so I used some asparagus, lighting was a LED video light to camera left, and a ring light on the end of the lens, to give detail, the image was then turned clockwise.

Diagonals

These two flowers were taken at the same time as the one above, having the two flowers together make a natural diagonal.

Curves

This flower bed was on the outside of a local roundabout, which meant they had to curve the flower bed`s to follow the contours.

Distinct even if irregular shapes

This was taken in a local public garden, the succulents have a very distinct shape.

Two kinds of implied triangles

The flower beds above form an implied triangle,with the apex at the top.

The flower beds on the image above give an implied triangle with the apex at the bottom.

rhythm

The window boxes give a rhythm, that is also helped by the flower beds below, and the vertical pillars and the windows, as they are repeated across the frame.

Pattern

This arrangement was made to celebrate a ten-year anniversary of a local bowel cancer charity, using different coloured flowers gives a very distinct pattern.

One thing I did find, was that most of the shots, could have gone into more than one group.

Exercise: Rhythms and pattens

Rhythms.

On this image there are two separate,but combined rhythms,the first on the left, is broken by the slightly blurred figures,and the derelict wall in the centre,

the second part starts after the derelict wall and is stopped by the figures in red.

On this shot the pylons create a rhythm, even into the reflections that are a continuation of them into the calm water.

Exercise: Real and implied triangles

Real Triangles

The sails on the yacht form a natural triangle.

By using a wide-angle lens the perspective of the pontoon converges to the top of the picture.

The mast gives not only one, but two inverted triangles. An inverted triangle could als be achieved by a high viewpoint shooting down.

Implied Triangles

To make a triangle with its apex at the top, I decided to use some DvD`s, as I wanted to use something that would give some catch lights, to make the objects stand out.

The lighting was provided by a LED ring light, and a small video light on the right.

For a triangle with its apex at the bottom I used some napkin rings with some etched detail for interest, the lighting was the some as for the CvD`s apart from I used the other side of the ring light, camera right, and put a blue gel over the video light, the colour balance was also taken a little lower.

The closeness of the mother and her two son`s heads, make a natural triangle, enhancing the family bond.The use of black and white avoids the distraction of colour,to concentrate on the figures.

The triangle is a great way tp hold the viewers interest within the image, as it moves from one point to the next, but not being led out.

Exercise: Using lines in composition

 

Of the two supplied photographs, the one of the bull fighter the curve in the dirt,leads the eye to the bull fighter and the bull.

The image of the horses is less direct, but the horses heads help lead the eye to the handler.

The stepping-stones take you to the people, with the bridge also helping to direct the eye down to the figures.

Having the floats coming from the bottom left corner lead down the length of the pier.

The road arrow points to the boats,directing the viewer to the main subject.

The path leads to the subjects, the figure on the left looking to the right directs the viewer to the group on the right.

The lines of the running track lead the eye to the three runners,having the lines both sides does focus attention on the centre lady.