World Press Photo of the Year - BJP March 2012

Samuel Aranda's photo of a mother holding her injured son in a mosque in Sanaa, Yemen, has won this year's World Press Photo of the Year.
A stunning shot and likened to Michelangelo's - The Pietà - s sculpture of Mary holding the body of Jesus. Described as ' a moving, compassionate moment' by Aidan Sullivan, the jury chair and from Getty Images UK.
I too find it moving and shows the despair of the people involved in the Arab Spring although it still holds a sense of mystery with the mother's face hidden by full veil, and yet her compassion is fully evident without the viewer getting a glimpse of her expression. We are left to imagine her heartache which can possible be more touching than seeing it in full.
Aranda mentions that the 'composition was unintentional' and just taken in the chaos of the situation. Which just goes to show the power of the photograph however it is taken, be it planned for weeks, months etc or snapped in a millisecond, it has the potential to be everlasting in our thoughts and provoke many questions to be pondered over and emotions to be checked.
A worthy winner by a long shot and hopefully I will manage to see it as it tours along with another 100 images from the competition in 2012.

Part 1 - Exercise 7 - Positioning the Horizon

Part 1 - Exercise 7 - Positioning the Horizon


This exercise is designed to learn and understand the positioning of the horizon in a photograph. This can be as below with a distinct typical landscape with the horizon splitting the sky and land or water as in this case, or can be of different areas of colour or light and shade. But in each case the positioning of the horizon is of equal importance.

Image 1 f11 1/125s ISO 100 24mm

With the horizon placed at the bottom in image 1 there is a greater emphasis on the sky and with some interesting clouds it allows the eye to wonder over them, as they swirl up from the horizon.

Image 2 f11 1/160s ISO 100 24mm

Image 2 gave a slightly higher horizon although still fairly low. This allowed more interest in the water where the eye would go along it before rising up into the sky again and around the clouds. Slightly more appealing than image 1.

Image 3 f11 1/160s ISO 100 24mm

In image 3 the horizon was placed in the middle and with this it becomes less interesting but it also gains more depth. With the bland foreground it is possibly not as a appealing to look at, although with a more interesting subject the horizon placement will have its use.

Image 4 f11 1/125s ISO 100 24mm

With the now higher horizon in image 4 there is even more of an emphasis on the water and some reflection where it now becomes the major focal point. 

Image 5 f11 1/100s ISO 100 24mm

Image 5 has the horizon set higher again once more putting more emphasis on the water and the pebbles in the foreground. It still has depth although little attendance is now being given to the sky and the clouds.

Image 6 f11 1/100s ISO 100 24mm

Finally image 6 has the horizon almost at the very top with which I find myself giving my full attention to the pebbles before drifting slightly up into the water, but paying virtually no attention to the sky. 

With each image there is a different outcome from the different position of the horizon and by doing this exercise it is apparent that each has its use. For this particular scene I would say my preferred position has to be that in image 2 where the horizon is placed between the bottom and half way. With some interesting clouds with the exaggerated sky there is enough to explore and while its not that clear a reflection there is enough water showing to gaze at. Image 3 is also interesting with less sky though more reflection and water the depth from the horizon manages to grasp my attention and is surprisingly successful considering before this exercise I would have shunned away from putting the horizon in the middle for this type of scene.

Part 1 - Exercise 6 - Balance

Part 1 - Exercise 6 - Balance


In this exercise I was to examine 6 of my previously taken photographs and try and find the balance in them.

Each image has what I think are the dominant parts marked by red boxes and a 'weighing scale' interpretation is sketched below.

Image 1

Image 1 has 3 dominant areas, which I feel almost form an S shape as the iron staircase and shadow twist and curve from corner to corner. The drop off of the shadow in the bottom right would leave the image slightly unbalanced if it wasn't for the supporting pole above it which helps even the whole thing out.

Image 2

Here image 2 is a simpler composition with the twisting path surrounded almost in symmetry by the trees either side. The more dense trees on the left help balance the more dominant trees on the right which are more in the foreground. The path starting left of centre snaking through to the centre also helps to make the image a straightforward symmetrical composition.

Image 3

Image 3 has a dominant subject just off centre to the right and in the foreground. The balance has to come from the slightly further back mushrooms running from centre to left edge. 

Image 4

Here again the image is almost symmetrical although this time the 2 dominant balloons to the right, 1 in the foreground and the other in the background balance out the larger more dominant balloon on the right and very much in the foreground.

Image 5

Image 5 has a large dominant tree just left of centre being balanced by the smaller 4 figures spread out from centre to the right edge. 

Image 6

In image 6 I found it harder to try and find balance. All I could find was possibly the dark clouds in the top left down to the sea horizon balances the taller figure of the child on the right foreground.

I have to admit, I found this exercise hard to get my head around. I understood the idea of balance but to look for it I found difficult. Although after completing it I now understand the point of the exercise because after studying not only these chosen images but many other from my collection, I feel I am already looking at images differently and trying to figure out the reasons for balance instead of just looking at an image and getting a feeling that it is balanced. 

This exercise has definitely been very informative and I feel I am already getting the benefits of this course by studying and examining my and other photographers images in a lot more depth. This is making my viewing much more enjoyable and exciting.

As is stated in the notes, I agree that a simpler composition with fewer and more distinct elements are more obvious in showing the balance.

Part 1: Exercise 5 - Focal Lengths and Different Viewpoints

Part 1: Exercise 5 - Focal Lengths and Different Viewpoints

This exercise is to show the difference of just changing the lens to changing my viewpoint aswell to create a different perspective altogether.

Image 1: @300mm 1/60s f9 ISO 100

Image 2: @10mm 1/25s f7.1 ISO 100

Image 1 was taken with a 300mm lens from some way away. The statue of the dancing miner tilting his hat t, looks as though it may be quite small, it is hard to get an idea of the genuine dimensions of it from its surroundings. In image 2 though it's almost as if he is standing upright or even leaning back as opposed to leaning forward in image 1. The shrubs in the background now look as though they are quite far away compared to image 1 where they seem to be very close. I was very close to the statue with the 10mm lens but it was still possible to get all of it in the frame although the image doesn't portray how close I actually was.



 This has shown me the contrasting perspectives that can be obtained of the same subject by using different viewpoints as well as different focal lengths. Each extreme has its place when again deciding on what desired look and feel is the objective when setting a scene for a potential photograph.

Part 1: Exercise 4 - Focal Lengths

Part 1: Exercise 4 - Focal Lengths

This exercise is to show the effect of using different focal lengths by changing lenses or zoom.

I was to take shots of a open scene with some detail in the distance, using whatever lens extremes I have available.

Image 1: @300mm 1/125s f11 ISO 100

Image 2: @70mm 1/60s f11 ISO 100

Image 3: @50mm 1/60s f11 ISO 100

Image 4: @24mm 1/80s f11 ISO 100

Image 5: @10mm 1/40s f11 ISO 100

I started with a 300mm lens in image 1 and focused on the youth hostel set on the banks of Loch Lomond. The angle of view closes right in to the building and practically none of the surrounding landscape can be seen. Changing my lens to 70mm, image 2, the view widens quite a bit, allowing me to slightly move the composition and bring the water and part of the swan in the foreground into the frame. At 50mm, image 3, there is only a slight widening of the angle of view from the 70mm position but in this setting it already brings more interest to this particular view. Now moving to 24mm in image 4 I managed to bring a lot more into the shot, allowing rocks and another swan to bring an interest to the foreground and show the surrounding hills in the distance. Finally image 5, using a very wide 10mm lens, it was possible to get a complete composition for this particular setting. It was now possible to bring the bird watchers sitting at the shore, the intrusion of the tree on the right and now the hills in the distance are less domineering and more complimentary to the scene. Image 5 is essentially focusing at the same point  (the hostel) as in image 1 but with the extremes in focal length almost could be in different places. 

I have found with this exercise that there is a great need to consider the effects available by using different focal lengths and to think carefully when choosing which to use when assessing what desired effect I am looking for in my set up for a shot.



Part 1: Exercise 2 - Object in different positions in the frame

Part 1: Exercise 2 - Object in different positions in the frame

In this exercise I was to place a subject in an even background and place it in different areas of the frame:

- right in the centre
- a little way from the centre
- close to an edge or corner

I found a sign on an interesting even brick wall that I felt I could use for this exercise, by making the images black & white I think it helped make the background stand out and emphasise the small sign within it.

Image 1: 1/15s f10 ISO 100 70mm

Image 2: 1/15s f10 ISO 100 70mm

Image 3: 1/15s f10 ISO 100 70mm

Image 4: 1/15s f10 ISO 100 70mm

These are the 4 images I have chosen as examples for this exercise. Image1 is the centred shot, image 2 the slightly off centre, image 3 in a corner and image 4 at one side.

I am surprised with these images because the one I feel works best and the most comfortably in the frame is image 1 (in the centre of the image). This is because I would rarely think of centring a subject in the frame as generally it is not easy to view and can make the image very structured and rigid. I would usually prefer a slightly off centre (image 2) or close to one side (image 4), but within this background where the bricks are very prominent I feel the centred subject is in the right place. It is possibly the pattern and tones of the surrounding bricks but it is almost as if there is a light, thick circle, hallowed around the sign which helps break up the rectangular dominance of the image.

The other images seem to me to make the sign a distraction instead of a part of the overall image and when viewing the eye gets lost and does explore the entire image where as with it centred the eye can work its way outwards to explored the surrounding bricks, missing none out.

I've found this exercise very interesting and only emphasises that there is never a set rule for placing a subject in the frame and never to get stuck with one concept and explore all positions before going with my final shot.

Only after downloading the images did I realise I had some motion blur in image 2 and this is something I should take more care with when simply increasing my ISO would have given me a more comfortable shutter speed for a handheld shot. Noted for future.





Part 1: Exercise 1 - Fitting The Frame To The Subject

Part 1: Exercise 1 - Fitting The Frame To The Subject

For this exercise I have to experiment with how much space the subject takes up in the frame of the viewfinder.

Image 1: 1/50s f8 ISO 100 29mm

Image 1 was to be taken of a subject where it was visible in the entire viewfinder and taken without too much thought. This was obviously a advertising board for a art & craft shop. I took this shot from a lowered position but relatively quickly and with the above settings for exposure.

Image 2: 1/80s f8 ISO 100 24mm

Image 2 was to be taken with more thought and as tight a fit to the frame as possible. I moved straight on to the subject and with the widest focal length of this lens managed to fit the board into the frame.

Image 3: 1/400s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

Image 3 had a requirement to only be a part of the image, so here I decided to take this from an angle looking across the board showing the necessary lettering to still be able to identify it. I also used a wide aperture to focus in on the red star and lettering to get the viewers attention of what the subject is and allow the eye to drift from this to then explore the remaining words and the frame of the board.

Image 4: 1/640s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

Image 4 had to have the subject as only a quarter or less of the frame and be within a composition that stresses its surroundings. I moved back from the subject and somewhere between the angle of image 1 and image 2 I found what I felt was the best composition to stress its place in the surroundings. Again staying with the wide aperture of image 3 I aimed to throw the background out of focus but leaving it clear enough to show the setting in which the board stands. A vignette preset in lightroom also helped images 2,3 & 4 emphasise the setting and subject.

Finally I had to make some different crops of my original image and see what alternatives I could have come up with.

Image 5

Image 6

Image 7

Image 5 is where I cropped to an almost 6x4 frame but feel there is something missing above the board that almost gives the same impression of a head being cut off in a portrait. Image 6 is a square crop and with a little insight into the foreground pavement and some give above the board it feels a lot more pleasing acceptable to the eye. Image 7 is fairly extreme although it gives both a comfortable position of the board in the frame and enough of the shop doorway to help place the board in its surroundings without being too distracting. A wider aperture could have helped to focus in on the board but in this original shot I had went for an average f8 setting.

Overall if I was to choose a shot/crop that works best at showing the subject in its surroundings but keeping the viewers eye on itself and the information it displays I would have to go for image 4 where the aperture and composition make the necessary difference to the original quickly taken shot.