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.