Assignment 2 - Elements of Design, My Tutors Comments

Feedback on assignment

Your work shows good imagination and creativity in picking up on the

influence of Andrea Michele Landini’s 'Magic Trip'. It would have been worth

while quoting the book using the harvard reference system - a guide to this

can be found on the OCA’s website. Other than this I think that this is a great

approach to the brief presenting images that are a novel and refreshing theme

to illustrate the brief.

There’s a balance to be struck between meeting the brief to illustrate the topic

and creating an interesting image that falls into the theme. Quite where and

how you strike the balance is up to you; however, some of your images have

the balance favouring the theme and placing illustrating the brief second.

In some instances, I feel that your foreknowledge of the scene colours your

description and interpretation of the image. Others, who don’t have this

knowledge, perhaps don’t see or recognise the elements in the image that

you see. For example, your image of two points. Of itself this wouldn’t matter

but I suggest that your foreknowledge distracts you from other possibilities for

the image.

In this case your distinct and irregular shape image - I find recognising the

road sign hard if not impossible. This doesn’t matter; but I suggest that the

images as you have it contains several shapes and as such may be

distracting. I suggest a tighter crop to simplify the image and concentrate

attention more on the fulfillment on the brief.

I particularly like your introduction of elements of the car to the image that lifts

the image out of the ordinary interpretation of the brief. Your creativity is ably

demonstrated. An example of this is your illustration of diagonal - window

washer.

A couple of suggestions on this image: the placement of the screen wash

nozzle - you have it very close to the top of the frame; would it be better to

place this on the top left third intersection? Another suggestion to strengthen

the notion of lifting the image out of the ordinary might be to sprinkle water

droplets on to the bonnet of the car. Just thoughts to add to an already good

image.

There are one or two images that might be improved technically. A couple of

them seem to have suspect focus.

Examples of this are where you have dust or other ‘specs’ on the car body.

See the image ‘flying high’ where the specs are blurred and compare this to

the narrow lines image where the specs are sharp. Y0our ‘U-turn’ image also

seems to be unsharp. The actual handle rather than the reflections should I

feel be sharp.

Suggestions/thoughts on the images are as follows:

Single point - good image that works well. The fence posts in the top right of

frame are perhaps a little distracting in terms of moving attention away from

the post box. Suggestion: move the camera view to put the post box top right

of frame.

Two Points - good image that fits the theme but not convinced about ‘two

points’ there is a strong diagonal which makes for a good composition but

there are several ‘points’ along it.

Several Points - Yes a good image but the several points are fairly uniform

and the dark area on the left of frame is perhaps distracting - how about

rotating the image and cropping it to lessen its impact:

Your second image (signs of the tree) I feel is the better of the two. I

particularly like the rippling of the paint work on the right of frame as this keys

the viewer into the two scenes in the image - the reflection and the actuality of

the car body work.

Horizontal and Vertical Lines - As you say a simple shot that mets the brief

and the theme but it is perhaps a little ordinary. I wonder if an increase

contrast might help - see what you think:

Diagonal - A good shot again - I’ve already commented about the positioning

of the nozzle.

Curves - Yes a great image - I particularly like the contrast between the

straight blurred lines in the top half of the frame and the curve of the handle in

the bottom half. That you only include part of the handle also works well

leaving the viewer to extrapolate this ‘missing’ aspect.

Distinct Shape - I’ve already commented on this one. I like the ‘sharp’ dust

specs that again give the viewer the two aspects: the actual car panel and the

abstract shape.

Triangle - Both good shots. I prefer the first one: it’s sharp and shows the

triangles well while keeping within the theme of the set of images. THe

second image I feel while has the triangle of the two ‘blobs’ of the signs and

the edge of the handle, it suffers from the distraction of the cars at the bottom

of the frame. Also I feel it would benefit from having the specs on the right of

the frame sharp as this would be in keeping with ‘Distinct shape’.

Rhythm - Yes a good image but this is one image that I feel you have the

balance between theme and brief wrong. Yes the eye can be thought to

bobble across the tops of the trees moving from left to right, but I think that

there are too many other distraction in the image that are concerned with the

theme. There are better images (in terms of meeting the brief) amoung your

images on your blog exercise for rhythm; but I realise that they don’t fall in

with the theme.

Like the notion of “a pinch of salt” as an illustration of the topic. The focus

tends to be on the van but as this is recognisably little it also fits the bill.

Would try for a squarer crop and not use rounded corners.

Pattern - Another good image that shows your good observation and

creativity. It makes a good interesting and well composed image. But consider

the brief - pattern... this supposes a repeating (probably single) pattern that

extends beyond the edges of the frame. In your image the main pattern is the

squares of the carport but thees are then dominated by the strong diagonal

midway up the frame and then further dissipated towards the top of the frame

by the other shapes/objects and colours.

I’m not saying your image is wrong or bad just alerting you to where your

pursuit of the theme is overwhelming the brief.

Assignment 2 - Elements of Design

This assignment is set to incorporate the insights I have learned so far in the course by showing a set of photos of a similar subject that will in turn show a given list of effects.

I decided to find a subject of my own and one I found interesting to photography but obviously allow me to fulfil the criteria of the assignment. My subject is called 'From Within' and is a series of views that I found by looking inwards to the paintwork of my car which in turn distorts and manipulates the everyday scenes we see as we drive around our environments.

This idea was inspired by a photobook I was given by someone returning from Italy one year, which was by an Italian photographer Andrea Michele Landini called 'Magic Trip'. It exhibits a set of photos of his local towns' scenery, streets and people through the reflections captured from his car, giving abstract interpretations which I found intriguing.

When taking the shots I learned each time the variations available dependant on my viewpoint and where I decided to focus. The waves of the paintwork lying just beneath the gloss finish gave a particularly intriguing effect to the images, giving the impression of an oil painting created by an artists paint brush. The distortion could also be used to assist in some of the criteria required for the assignment too. I was amazed at how many different views and perceptions could be found simply by moving around the car and changing my viewpoint or area of the car to look through. I found my favourite aperture was f4 which helped to narrow the depth of field to get my desired focal range, so not all, but the majority were shot this way.

Generally this was a subject that was fun to shoot but which hopefully produces interesting images for the viewer as well as fulfilling all the required criteria of the assignment.


Single Point Dominating the Composition

Postman's Dream
f8 1/13sec ISO 400

Here I found an old post box by the side of the road encased in an old sandstone wall. I placed the post box slightly off centre to bring some dynamism to an otherwise static picture. Positioning it on the left allowed the shadows of the trees to be explored, which also give a suggestion of some movement from their size and the texture from the paint.

Two Points

Choices
f4 1/125sec ISO 400

These two points come from one subject, the bridge. It was the distortion created by the reflection from the curved wheel arch, and moving ever so slightly that gave the illusion of two footbridges side by side. The precise points that stand out for me are the apex of the left hand bridge and the top structure angle of the right hand bridge. The right hand bridge is sharply cropped which gives a little sense of mystery to its destination. Strange perspective created in the left bridge gives the feeling of moving off into the distance and hence an uneasy dynamic. The manufactured stretch between the 2 points also manages to heighten the sense of choice required in choosing your path. 

Several Points in a Deliberate Shape

Picture Pain
f4 1/60sec ISO 400

An engraving shops advertising board was one of my shots for several points in a shape. I see many shapes made from the group of squares and rectangles but they maintain the same static feel. Structure and containment seem to be the general feel of the whole image with the large board holding the smaller frames within and unwilling to let the viewers eye wander from it. In the shade the image was also quite dull which in my opinion adds to the dull, mundane general feel to the whole image.

Signs of the Tree Lines
f4 1/800sec ISO 400

I decided to add this image because I liked the effect the shape created by the 3 signs and the tree had on the image. I felt that by being on the left it pushed the eye right, over the rest of the image opening it up from a small tight point to a wide open space until we look down the line of the gap of the door panel.

A Combination of Vertical & Horizontal Lines

Another Whole of the Wall
f4 1/100sec ISO 400

A simple shot of a brick wall perhaps, but I feel there is enough to engaged the viewer to look further than the structured vertical and horizontal lines of the mortar piecing the bricks together. The paint waves from the car create a blur that throughs up a question of motion which is a contrast in itself when we think of a static wall. The short diagonal shadows aid this and also help direct the viewer to the imperfection that is the hole from a decayed brick, just giving a little more to think about when viewing.

Diagonals

Window Washer
f4 1/200sec ISO 400

For a diagonal shot I started to look down onto my car which in turn looked up at surrounding buildings. This is a building used for student accommodation in Glasgow's city centre. It has striking horizontal and vertical lines but when viewed through my car bonnet become criss crossing diagonals giving the whole image a dynamic feel. I found myself looking along all the strong lines of colour which is only interrupted by the sharp sight of the cars screen wash nozzle which reminds my that this is being capture through the surface of the car. I also thought it could be suggested that the nozzle was to wash the windows of the building and not the cars windscreen.

Curves

U-Turn
f4 1/80sec ISO 400

This time I chose to use the natural features of the car to produce the effect, by the curve of the door handle. I very active shot which seems to throw the eye around the inner part of the handle in an anti clockwise direction, going round and round continuously even though the handle has been cropped and incomplete. The blur paint like diagonal waves above, heighten the strong effect of movement even though this shot was taken very much from a stationary position.

Distinct, Even if Irregular, Shapes

Narrow Lines
f4 1/400sec ISO 400

An every day road works sign was distorted in my cars front wing to create this distinctive but irregular shape. I find it containing and slightly uncomfortable to look at. The left hand point does try and send us into the rest of the image but the blurring gets us lost. The paint waves could possible suggest an artists abstract interpretation of what we know is a regular triangular sign due to its common sight on our roads. The dust spots again remind us that this image is captured through an unusual surface.

At Least Two Kinds of Implied Triangle

Catapult
f4 1/400sec ISO 400

By using the front wing of the car and moving my viewpoint, a straight telegraph pole was deformed into a strong triangular shape. The cars headlight echoes the shape and gives a particular bold line dissecting the two. The implied triangle from the pole which has only an apex appears to be getting pulled back, creating a tension that is about to be released like that of a catapult.

Flying High
f4.5 1/400sec ISO 400

The implied triangle here uses the sign post, its destroy double and the cars line of the door with the apex on the small area of the handle that is just in shot. I get the impression of the triangle sitting high above the car park below, almost like an aeroplane flying over head. The line on the lowest sign helps direct us back along to the door handle just to reinforce the triangle. The triangle gives a suggestion of motion, which makes it feel like the clouds are all moving in the direction of the handle.

Rhythm

Happiness
f8 1/160sec ISO 400

The rhythm of these evenly spaced trees was shot through the rear wing of my car. The eye going from tree to tree creates the rhythm and I also feel the large curve running around the bottom and sides gives a swinging feeling similar to a large smile of happiness which takes the eye back round to the start of the trees to begin the rhythmical journey again and again. Again I like the painting effect which with the low winter sun, rare blue sky in the back ground and soft yellows allows it to be imagined that this could be hanging on the wall of an artists gallery.

Pattern

Horizon
f4 1/100sec ISO 400

Here I have chosen a reflection that shows all three depths of field found when using a cars paint work as a medium. At the front is the sharp structured squares of a carport's surface, then the distinct diagonal shadow separates and opens up the softer less structured surface which has the effects of blurring from the aperture setting. From here we begin to get the paint waves that create the dreamy artists painting feel until we reach the unstable, zany distortion and abstract produced from the curves and lines of the cars surface. There is an obvious pattern and with the sharp shadow line cutting diagonally across it gives a very graphic feel to it. I felt this to be an ideal image to finish on, one that shows all the areas explored around my car as I created this series of photographs.

 

Conclusion

Overall I found this section a real learning curve. There are things in a photograph that I liked before but never truly understood why and similarly when I took a photograph I pressed the shutter when it felt right, so possibly some elements of design come naturally and are setup subconsciously. Now with a little more insight into the effects of different points, lines and shapes in different positions in the frame and to each other I feel I have found myself looking out for shapes and implied lines etc in everyday views and even more so when I set up a specific shot. Basically I feel I have more knowledge than before and when required in creating an image I will think about what I aim to achieve and try my best to use these elements to portray this to the viewer. I believe it will take time to make this a conscious part of my image making but by continuing to take more and more photographs I hopefully can only improve and get my desired message across in my photography.

So as I hoped this is the reason I started this course, it may take me longer than I wish to get through due to my commitments elsewhere but if I gain a little knowledge about something I love to do then it is a screaming success and I look forward to the next section of this module.