Exercise Implied Lines

Using Lines in Composition

As the previous exercises have shown, lines are a useful tool in composition and direct the viewer's gaze in the path the eye is intended to follow.    Implied lines work in the same way - the brain seeks to resolve the completeness of the line, and will naturally imply a line so the eye can follow a path.  In essence the eye and the brain are working together to resolve incomplete things.   An implied line is an example of Gestalt's Law of Good Continuation -  the brain implies a line to resolve its direction(1).   Essentially, the eye follows a line and it tries to construct or continue this from the implied surroundings or suggestions - and the stronger the encouragement, eg, diagonals and curves, then the eye will resolve or complete the flow of movement.

 

 

Exercise Implied Lines:

 This exercise is in three parts.

 

Firstly, we were asked to identify the direction of the implied lines in the following photographs.

 

 

Photograph 1: There are two distinct lines intimating motion. One moves up the bulls back and over the Matador and along the outstretched cape.  The other prominent line, flows down the back of the matador.    I have  looked at this image a few times, and can also see a circle at play, one which curves along the ground by the Matador and moves around up the bulls back and down the back of the Matador - this is a good example of Gestalt's law of Good Continuation at play. 

 

 

Photograph 2: Again, the eye seeks to resolve a line of movement for it to follow. Here, there are two distinct diagonals travelling up (or down) from the ground up each mule. Secondly, there is a curve which flows from the left hand side of the image across over the top of the mules, and up and over the farmer.  The gaze or eye line from mules towards the farmer is a good indication of the direction of the implied line. 

 

 

In the second part of the exercise, we were asked find three existing photographs and identify implied lines.

 

 

Photograph 1: The diagonal line is very strong in this photograph and dissects the frame, the other lines are implied by the directional gaze of the boys looking down into the stream. There is a sense of movement and flow in this image.

 

Photograph 2: Here there is an implied diagonal line which travels across the back of the ducks (the ducks are arranged in a diagonal line).  There is also an implied line from the eye line gaze of the ducks to the ground.

 

Photograph 3:  Here there are a number of implied lines, the diagonal lines travelling down the back of the boy to the floor and another diagonal down the boys arm.  There is an inverted triangle in the shape of the boys legs and an eye line in the gaze between the two children.  There is also a curved line, moving down (or upwards) the girls arm - this  curve is in contrast to the sharper lines of the diagonal and appears more elegant and smooth.


The third part of this exercise involved me taking the following two photographs which illustrate implied lines.

 

photograph 1. In this image, the implied lines are the eye line gaze from the small child to the toy. Our line of vision is immediately drawn along to the path of the child's gaze. Other lines which suggest flow and movement are the implied horizontal and vertical lines along the boys arm.  Considering the boy as a shape - I can see a triangle. Shapes are another element of design which we shall cover in the exercise.

 

 

 

 

 
photograph 2. The implied "eye" line gaze draws our attention in a diagonal line to the laptop. In the background the side of the day-bed forms another diagonal.    

Conclusion:  Reflecting on the exercises above, I now appreciate, how a "suggestion" for eg, in the form of an implied "eye-line"  or an extension of visible movement, can direct a viewer's gaze.  Lines, points, curves and diagonals can be used subtlety to direct a viewer's gaze and add flow and movement to an image. Freeman points out that the use of such graphic elements animates a picture - for example if a line in a picture moves out of the frame, then the eye naturally moves back to see more - this creates tension and activity (2).  

 

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestalt_psychology accessed 26/09/12)
(2) Freeman, Michael, (2007), the Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos, The Ilex Press, p 44

Martin Parr

I first became aware of Martin Parr, when I accidentally inherited a book exhibiting works by  Magnum Photographers.    I flicked through the pages, and what struck me about Parr's work was firstly the humours images of the public at the seaside, and secondly the very vivid use of colour and close crop- which stood out against the other images which were mostly black and white.

 

Cotton(1) suggests that Parr pushes the bounds of documentary photography, in that he combines intimacy and satire like no other photographer. Parr captures intimate moments which occur in the nitty gritty of everyday life, he puts his subjects under a microscope allowing them to act naturally in their own environment.   Through this  Parr, has the ability to convey the loaded meaning in a captured glance or ordinary sequence of events.   Many of Parr's images have a  unique British anthropological feel to them recording moments in the great British tradition which he states  are sadly dying out. One image I particularly like is a close up of a chequered table cloth in a greasy spoon cafe. There is something quintessentially British about this.    Being British, this is something that strikes a chord! we just get it!    I love the satire evoked in looking at ordinary people in their own environment. One such photograph which springs to mind, is the image of the woman sunbathing (Parr's - euro watching, Benidorm, Spain, 1997) - the image is (unintentionally?) humorous - and is a great example of Parr's use of vivid colour.      To achieve this Parr,  often uses a macro lens to focus in close on his subject. This combined with the use of flash and high saturation produces, his unique trade mark.

 

The following articles illustrate Parr's work - and the interview, through Lens Culture is rewarding to listen to.

 

 

 

 

 

the above image of the sunbather was the one that first grabbed my attention in my Magnum book.  It has to have been one of the influential factors in the British TV series, Benidorm.

 

Conculsion

Parr's images are striking and valuable in that they are an anthropological comment on elements of society, which in some cases are disappearing.  His images also illustrate how effective it is to use highly saturated colours to convey a message or highlight elements of behaviour.

 

 

images courtesty of Martin Parr accessed through Lens Culture at

http://www.lensculture.com/parr.html

 

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/photography/6349041/Martin-Parr-Parrworld.html?image=12 (accessed 02/0912)
http://www.martinparr.com/index1.html  (accessed 6/9/12)
http://www.lensculture.com/parr.html  (accessed 25/09/12) ( -interview with Jim Casper
 well worth a look)

(1)Cotton, Charlotte, (2009). The Photograph as Contemporary art (2nd revised ed), Thames and Hudsen, p 183

Exercise Curves

Exercise Curves.

Curves have a sense of grace, elegance, movement and direction. Curves are similar to a diagonal because they pull they eye in one direction.  Freeman, comments that curves are a useful second device in the controlling the way in which the viewer looks at a photograph. He states that curves are harder than diagonals to compose, and whilst a diagonal is straight line of any direction that is altered by viewpoint, and curve must usually begin as a real curve. (1)

The following photographs use curves to express, elegance, movement and direction:

 

 

1. the curve in this photograph is almost like a diagonal, it draws the eye in whilst moving the viewer around the frame in a smooth curve - this example also highlights perspective drawing the eye into the distance. I shot this vertically to enhance the curve - the image is more dynamic with the curve taking up most of the frame.

 2. the petals form natural curves, expressing movement from the centre of the stem outwards and around the frame. The curves are elegant, smooth and movement flows around the outside of the flower as well as from the centre point. The diagonal stem works well too, to enhance the dynamic design elements in the image.

 

 3. the Lilly pads floating on the pond are each elegant circles, but they also represent a curve emanating from lower right to top left and then middle in the way they float naturally. I decided to crop this image closely to enhance the perspective and the curve shape is similar to a diagonal in that it draws the eye in one direction of movement.

 

4. the building here is curved and expresses movement which is highlighted by the strong curve (almost diagonal) directing the gaze from the top left hand of the frame around into the centre - the movement is unresolved as it disappears out of view, suggesting a tension and dynamic qualities. 

 

conclusion

I find curves atheistically pleasing - they are elegant, graceful and smoother than diagonals. Whilst completing this exercise, I was reminded of Part One of the course, and the exercises on balance, a curve is a strong graphic element which can direct the gaze around the frame. It is interesting to see how curves create dynamic tension, pulling the eye around the curve in the direction of the flowing movement. One of the most simple examples of this, is the "S" shaped path by Brassi (which I featured supra) taken from http://www.atgetphotography.com/The-Photographers/BRASSAI.html (accessed 9/9/12).  See how the "S" shape draws the gaze from the lower left hand side of the frame, and pulls the eye in a curve up to the top of the frame giving a gentle elegant dynamic flow to the image.

 

 

Freeman, Michael, (2007). The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos, The Ilex Press.