Part 2 - Elements of Design - Exercise 3 - Horizontal & Vertical Lines

In this exercise I had to go out and photography examples of vertical and horizontal lines which tend to induce feelings of stability in an image.
The aim is to find some of the different ways vertical and horizontal lines appear to the eye and camera.
Firstly I will show and discuss 4 vertical examples then 4 horizontal.

Verticals

Vertical 1

I used the wooden slats of a small fence for my first vertical example. A fence in itself tends to suggest stability and with the vertical shoots of grass from the top of the wall giving a secure base to the longer wooden slats, I feel the whole image gives a very sense of strength and stability. It was a winters morning and so kept the vibrance low to highlight the sparse growth of the grass. The clear blue sky was used to contrast the busy vertical slats.

Vertical 2

Here I used the vertical lines of the path which continue up through the image with the lamppost continuing the vertical stability of the image. I kept the lines running through the middle of the image to try and help stabilise the image and feel with the horizon and side walls there is almost a suggestion on a standing cross in the centre of the image which splits the scene almost equally into 4 quarters. I feel this creates a steady image with a strong vertical line that emphasises to the viewer immediately.

Vertical 3

In vertical 3 I tried to use one single strong vertical line in an otherwise haphazard surrounding. I used a small aperture to get a slower shutter speed, this was primarily to show the motion of the blowing grass on the sand dune. Although this also allowed sharper focus of the more static grass at the front/bottom of the image while the main focus was on the sign post and sign. The rigidity of the pole in all the confusion of the wind swept grass gives a feeling of strict order, this is then supported with the written warning of the sign itself which I feel gives the whole image a feeling of freedom that as you explore the image more is quickly brought back into check by the strength of the vertical signpost which then leads to the sign warning itself. I then find that the eye again wanders back into the image only to repeat the whole freedom/order contrast all over again.

Vertical 4

Vertical 4 has an immediate feeling of strength with another centrally positioned vertical. This time I feel the lines (the fence posts) aren't quite so strong themselves but that it's the vertical lift of the stairs that create the strong line. Cutting through the image equally also gives that feeling of static and the natural vertical growth of the grass also heightens the vertical concept giving the whole image a strong visual direction from bottom to top. Again the low vibrancy was used to give the feeling of the cold winter morning and allowing the darker vertical steps to be the main point of interest.

Horizontals

Horizontal 1

Here I used another set of steps but tried to highlight the horizontal strength by using the strong shadows they create. I used a flat horizontal crop to help support the lines. I feel that my eye climbs the steps, going along each one then once at the top it wanders out across the top of the lawn which acts as a strong horizon throughout the whole image. The chimneys in the background are a slight contrast to the strong lines but stick with the overall line of travel by running along the same horizontal as the rest of the image. The low vibrance was used to emphasise the strong black shadows of the steps.

Horizontal 2

In this 2nd image I used the horizontal lines of the black seaside bench against the more erratic stone wall. The wall has its own rigid straight horizontal that I feel is only strengthened by the bench and the long shadows created with the low winter sun. I also see this image as 3 horizontal strips all sitting on each other, the path, wall and bench and the strip of short grass on top, I suppose think a sandwich. But the main thing for me is the bench (being somewhere to sit), that looks as if it sits securely on the path and is thus implies a safe secure place to rest.

Horizontal 3

This image shows many strong horizontal lines, from the sky, to sea, to shore, to beach, to wall then onto the path, even the clouds are in a static horizontal position with only the small drainage circular whole as a useful contrast. The panoramic crop is also intentionally there to heighten the strong lines. The dark wall is the main line with the others feeling as though they are running along with it. This feels to me to be more of a design than an image to explore, with the shades and colours being the main intrigue.

Horizontal 4

With horizontal 4 tried to play with the same design concept of horizontal 3 but with more of a contrast and interest for the viewer. The sky, horizon, beach and crop are similar but this time I used the man pushing his trailer along the beach as a vertical contrast along with the few sprouts of grass to hopefully create more interest. I experimented by placing the man on the right of the shot instead of the usual left that generally draws the eye across the image looking at where he is going. I placed him here to try and give the impression that he has just walked along the long horizontal line of the beach. I'm not too sure it works as I am feeling he does tend to draw my eye to him and in doing so alienating the left hand side of the image. I turned the clarity way down on this to try and create a smooth pastel sky and sea which in turn would hopefully give a more safe static feel as this was taken in quite wild conditions.

So this is my attempt at exercise 3 where I have taken 8 images showing horizontal and vertical lines that in turn generally give a sense of stability. It is only in studying these images and making my selections that I have managed to get the real feeling that each line gives and how strong horizontals and verticals can have an impact on an image.

Part 2 - Elements of Design - Exercise 2 - Multiple Points

The exercise required the set up of a still-life to show the implication of lines and shapes created by the positioning of objects. To link them attractively in a relationship that is active rather than obvious and static.

The following set of photographs show each addition to the still-life step by step with a note below giving my thought when doing so and what I felt it did to enhance the final composition. All the images were taken with the camera fixed to a tripod and using 1 strobe light from the left of camera.

Image 1

This was my starting background. A grainy piece of loft flooring with a circular saw sitting just on the top edge of the shot.

Image 2

I placed the first object in the lower half of the image to be almost symmetrical to the saw with the circular shape coiled and the end piece almost pointing back up towards the saw which I felt directed the eye up into the image.

Image 3

Here the steel wool was placed in the middle of the shot to break up the gap between the saw and the coil bringing everything closer together.

Image 4

I felt the image needed a contrasting shape so placed the piece of straight copper pipe diagonally across the image which helps highlight the implied straight line of the lettering on the flooring. The pipe seemed to dissect the image creating 2 parts to the image but still being connected with the lettering from top to bottom.

Image 5

Another circular object was placed here to try and create a link to saw from the main grouping with there being an implied straight line of circles running from the bottom to the top of the image.

Image 6

Again another circular shape was added keeping the line (although deliberately not straight) from bottom to top created in Image 5 but this time bringing them closer together by being placed in the space between the saw and the main grouping.

Image 7

This time I added the group of rawlplugs to the main group but had them point towards the bottom left of the image similar to the piping. I started to feel the whole image begin to have the implied shape of a backward C from the saw down the lettering and out through the pipe and rawlplugs.

Image 8

The plastic nossil was placed alongside the main group with another straight line down from the saw and lettering. this begins to create a triangular shape in the front portion of the image.

Image 9

This object has both straight and curved elements to it, by placing it next to the nossil I felt it continued the lines but also reinforced the circular shapes that where possibly getting lost in all the straight lines and triangle.

Image 10

The screw was placed in front of the point of the nossil to stop the eye wandering too far down the image and helps bring us back round towards the rest of the grouping.

Image 11

The spark plug was used to soften the straight edge of the pipe but maintain the line it creates.

Image 12

Here I put an object next to the lonely bolt in the middle of the image, the aim here being to try and bring it all together whereas before I felt the bolt looked too separated from everything. I was unsure about this one, I changed my mind a few times as to whether Image 11 was already complete and this object wasn't needed. Eventually I settled on the fact that something was needed to just bring it all together as a still-life.

Image 13

Here I have drawn the lines and shapes in red that were created in the still-life. The main one for me was the backward C or a J shape that runs from the top left through the saw, down the lettering, round the nossil and screw eventually coming back up around the coil into the main group of the image. In the main grouping there are triangular shapes, a network of straight lines and most obviously the circles. The implied straight line of the circles running up through the image helps bring the saw into the whole image and making it a complete group of objects that to me at least are "linked attractively in a relationship that is active rather than obvious and static".

Answer to Tutors Comments to Assignment 1

After reading my tutors comments I'll be honest it was a bit of a reality check for me. I suddenly realised how far from where I want to be my work and more importantly my mind set are. I realised I am really out of touch with learning and I desperately need to think differently in my image making to progress with the course.
It seems one of my main problems with assignment 1 was my basic understanding of the concept "a group of images that are unified by a particular theme". It hadn't crossed my mind to have one theme for a group of images which shows my naivety and lack of experience of what is needed in the course.
My tutor asks why I used some borders for some images and not for others, colour or black and white and different ratios even in pairs. Well I can answer them all in one simple statement, that I looked at each image individually and never thought once about how it would looked next to another never mind a set.
I am finding it hard to explain why I choose certain post production techniques other than what I feel is right for the image and this is one of the major lessons I need to learn. To think and asses the reasons for my choices, to discuss them and explain them to myself. This has now become my main objective in completing the course, to understand why I make choices and hopefully with this I will start to make conscious decisions when taking and producing an image.

"A key attribute to go hand in hand with the experimentation is to recognise issues, develop solutions and learn from mistakes"