Assignment 1 - Feedback

I have now got my feedback from my tutor.  On the whole I think I did OK with Assignment 1 - and I have had some good constructive feedback.  I am pleased that my tutor has taken the time to go through each photograph in detail.  The main point that came through was that I was being too "literal" with my interpretation of "contrasts" (for example, my image of Large/Small).    

 

Where I could improve- "in a visual world my frame of reference is always the frame itself". Thus, I should have framed my tower, so that it filled the frame and gave a visual sense of being large.  As for my "bee" - I should have made this smaller so it was small in the frame. 

 

The frame is the reference - and the image on the right has been cropped, I have done this portrait style to allow me to crop out the sky more, and hopefully get across the visual perception of Large. I could have added a reference point in the image, for example someone standing next to the tower, to show the enormity of it.

Here the bee is large in the frame. This is contrary of the requirement of small.  The shot on the right, shows the bee, smaller in the frame - my original image does not allow me to zoom out anymore than this.











Many/Few

I could have improved this image with removing the distracting light from the background of "few".

I re-worked the image, to crop close in. I then blurred and darkened the background, so as to make the banana flower stand out more.  In hindsight I would have chosen a less busy background.

 

 

 

 

    My tutor, said this shot of Many was good overall, but that the lighting effect  slightly distracted attention from the names on the bamboo. In this shot, I have adjusted the lighting slightly to highlight the names.

 

 

 

Opaque/Transparent

 

 

 

 

As suggested by my tutor I removed the twig in the left hand side of the frame.  This has made for a more pleasing composition, which demonstrates the "opaque" glass better than the original composition.

 

 

 

Light/Heavy

 

My tutor commented that the "light-weighted-ness" that I was trying to get across with image of the boy dancing with the balloon - did not work as well as it could because of the heavy stone building in the background.  I have sought to desaturate the background and have added more light to the foreground, to give a sense of light-weighted-ness.   One thing I personally like about this photograph, is the boy's  (my son ofcourse!) form is almost ballet like - with the hand just slightly touching out to the balloon.   One of my favourite photographers is Joyce Tenneson (cf:http://www.tenneson.com/)     who captures, "light-weighted-ness"   superbly.   I guess I had her style in mind when I took the shot of my son.

 

 

 

the image conveys light-weighted-ness more -  and is visually more pleasing.

Conclusion

Objectives:

 

1. See the world in a VISUAL sense -  how to achieve this = consistently challenge myself, study photographs.

2. Work on lighting -  try to be aware of where the light is and how it falls on a subject (cf: bamboo/banana flower, in "Many/Few") how to achieve this = practise and study images.   One  good example of a successful portrait is the chiaroscuro image of my son. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is an image I took which also demonstrates "light-weighted-ness" in terms of the subject, the overall blown out lighting and the sheerness of the material.

 

3. Composition -  focus on how the image is composed - be aware of the elements and placement in a frame. (cf: Boy and balloon), how to achieve this = practise, post editing, cropping if necessary.

Assignment 1

 Assignment 1

Preparation for Assignment 1:  Contrasts.  

 (refer also to my earlier posts on Assignment Preparation)

This is how I approached Assignment 1.

Planning Steps. Summary:

•                 Determine my objectives

•                 Breakdown the tasks to achieve my objectives

•                 Establish milestones and the time to complete them

•                 Allocate resources (plan, shoot locations – time to do research)

OBJECTIVES:

After reflecting on the various readings that I have done for the Assignment on Contrasts (refer to the bibliography at the end of this note) my main objectives in participating in this Assignment were to:

·    try and awaken my perceptions of what “contrasts” mean in the sense Itten had intended,

·    to try and experience “contrasts” with my senses – (including  reading about the conceptions of contrasts from the Bauhaus),

·    to produce a series of my own contrasts which hopefully exhibit of the type of contrasts I've chosen,

·    to try develop an awareness of the elements of design that exist around us, and in doing so, challenge myself into thinking more creatively and;

      in doing the above  help myself to develop good strategies in planning an Assignment which will force me to adopt good study habits.  

Breaking Down Tasks:

·       I began early  in the course by reading about and thinking about and identifying the requirements of Assignment 1.

·    Over the weeks, I kept a file entitled “contrasts” in Adobe Bridge and would add any shots that I thought exhibited qualities of contrast. (Unfortunately, I have not had the time to devote to a Flickr page outlining my images, but this is something I will consider  doing, going forward in the course)

·     I looked at examples of contrasts on the web,

·     looked at OCA study guide on compiling a learning log (this is on ongoing process - and would like to streamline or fine tune my blog a bit more).

·     planned shoots – at the Auckland Museum, the Botanical Gardens,  Marina, Urban scenes and Industrial landscapes.

What I observed: 

I researched the history of the Bauhaus and Johannes Itten's list of 27 Contrasts noting the rationale and the methodology for devising them in the first place.  I did further reading, and looked up examples on various websites (see bibliography at the end of this note).  I applied this knowledge when I thought about potential shots.  As a result my awareness for form increased – a positive knock on effect is that I have more of an appreciation for contrasts in everyday life.  Itten intended his students to experience contrasts by making use of all their senses to develop a feeling for the subject through a personal observation.     I can say, in the short amount of time that  I have devoted to this Assignment that I feel I am developing an insight into the fundamentals of design principles in photography.  I am sure that this is something that evolves over time - and will continue to do so.

Milestones:

·        to have thought about my choices from the list of contrasts,

·        to have identified potential contrasts (by 15 August or thereabouts)

·        to have whittled down my selection and chosen my final images (it took me   ages to conclude my list)

·        to review and reflect on my choices (by 24 August 2012)

Allocating resources:

My main focus was on actually getting out with my camera and taking shots of  the pairs of contrasts which I had decided on.   In future I will begin  the image selection process earlier on (refer to my recent post which outlines a criteria for image selection)  On reflection,  I realise it takes effort in preparing images, and that I do  need to do spend time on cataloguing and completing the Meta data for my files... something which I am hit and miss on.

My Selection

 Large: Industrial Gas Tanker

 

 Small: Bee on flower in hot house

 

I had been carrying a very small note book around, and had seen the gas tanker (if that is its correct name) I made a note of its location and went back with my camera.  Originally, I had thought of this for a curved/diagonal contrast.   The huge gas tanker was the exact antithesis of the small bee on the small flower.

 

 







Many names on many bamboo shoots

 

Few - banana flower (visible for a few days only)

 

This to me is probably one of the most creative shots that I have taken - in reality the bamboo stalks were huge, and I was quite struck, initially by the contrast of the "natural" with the graffiti left my people on the bamboo.   When making my image selection, I decided to use the bamboo as an example of "many".  In contrast, I photographed, a female banana flower (two pods) and chose this to illustrate "few" - not only literally, but the flower or pod, only lasted for a few days.  As a consequence, the Auckland Museum hot house, have asked for this photograph, so I am quite pleased about that. 

 

 

 

Pointed cactus spines

 

Blunt sculpture

 

 

I had the cactus in mind for the contrast of pointed and against this, I thought of a sculpture of a large oval smooth stone.  The stone, invites you to touch it, (thinking of Itten, using feeling and senses to experience contrast).   There is also a contrast of feeling when you touch both objects.. spiky and smooth.

 

Transparent: - fish swimming in pond

 

Opaque: - berries through  frosted glass

 

The water is almost invisible and contrasts nicely with the opaque glass, of a window. 

 

 

Light (strong sunlight sky viewed from under a fern )

 

Dark - chiaroscuro

 

The bright light of the sky above the fern, is typical of a cloudless day in NZ. The light is very intense.  I have not altered this image at all in terms of its saturation - this was the shot. I wanted to contrast the light with a dark lighting set up.   I took a portrait of my son to represent chiaroscuro and positioned him to get a light falling on one side of his face, at a 90 degree angle.   I did not want to photoshop his cheeks to remove the redness - that's what he looked like on the day and it is an accurate portrayal of him.  I think the shadows contrast nicely with the bright  sky of the first image.

 

 

 

 

 

Hard

 

 

Soft (spider's web)

 

The metal hook was once used to tie up yachts.  I saw the spider's web and immediately though of "light" or "soft".  I had thought about using this for "light" (but choose the balloon see below)  

 

 

 

 

High contrast - Gecko

 

 

Low contrast - tree branches

 

Freeman, lists three categories of types of Contrast - one of which has to do with contrast in the sense of colour: see   http://thefreemanview.com/observations/composition-contrast-and-the-bauhaus/ (accessed 7/8/12).      I thought about this and photographed, tree branches which I then overexposed to get a light background.  The Gecko was shot on a low aperture, and this is how vibrant the image was. 

 

 

 

Light - balloon

 

 

Heavy - shipping containers

 

 

My son found a balloon and I photographed him playing with it. I particularly like "lightness" of the image, he actually looks like a dancer.  I wanted to contrast this with the containers. I had been meaning to photograph, containers on the wharf, for about 18 months.  

 

Final image displaying both contrasts:

 

Straight/Curved.

 

This is the "Cloud" built as a venue to celebrate the Rugby World Cup 2011.  The curved roof, is quite an architectural feat,  it resembles a large caterpillar. In contrast to the curved roof you can see the straight lines of the poles to the right.   I like the way the curve draws the viewers eye into the photograph. The straight poles, also form a corresponding line which add a sort of symmetry to the image.  (If my photoshop skills were any good, I might have got rid of the car in the background).

 

 

 

 

REFLECTIONS

 

 

Assignment 1 has crystallised for me, that planning is absolutely essential to any work.  AND you can't start too early.   Also, from a practical point of view, it is a good idea to write notes in a small book or blotter pad, and carry this around with you - this helped me and I have returned to a few locations which I had jotted down.   

 

I have devoted a lot of time to this Assignment, and maybe part of that was due to me over analysing things,  I find this exasperating,  I just want to be able to "do it".  This probably has something to do with lack of confidence - or just lack of skill at the moment.  I know I am improving and  hey, that is why I am doing this course.   Going forward, I also have to work out a way to be more productive in the allocated time that I have - even if this means, getting up at 6am to have an hour to myself - before my twins wake up.

 

I have however, gained some insight into the principles of the elements of design. By some process of osmosis, the principles in the exercises in Part One, are sinking in.  I am quite surprised too, at how much I have learnt - as a result, this has been a positive experience.  I had concerns about how effective distance learning could be.  Ideally, I would love the time to join in more discussion with the OCA forums and other students - again, this is something to factor in going forward.

 

 

Comparison with assessment criteria:

 

1. Demonstration of technical and visual skills

 

 Technical:  Not really a 100% sure how to answer this.  I need feedback.  I shoot everything in manual mode, and I have hardly done any post editing.   I am a total novice at Photoshop (but am doing a brief introductory Photoshop course).    I used Camera Raw to adjust some curves and tonality in some images, and of course I have cropped photos that required it.

 

Visual:   I have improved in my visual awareness.  I look back a photos I took 18 months ago, and actually find them banal!  Therefore I am pleased that I feel that I am progressing.  I particularly think more about composition visually. I hope I have conveyed this in the Assignment.

 

 

2.Quality of Outcome

 

I need feed back on this.   I feel that I have produced some acceptable images. This is the first Assignment, so I am looking forward to some constructive feedback on the images.  At the moment, I haven't done much in the way of tidying the images up.  I feel, I am a bit of a purist. I like to shoot in Manual - (In fact I have only used AV priority once - manual allows me to be more creative.. I like shots that sometimes look like they have gone wrong! i.e., with a bit of motion blur or something interesting).  The quality of outcome, will hopefully improve as I do.

 

3. Demonstration of Creativity

 

This is what I want most from this course! Anyone can take a photograph - but does it stand out, does it say something.  This is what I want to get to.   At this level, I am wondering just how creative I am supposed to be.  I am trying my best.   Is creativity subjective?   (some of the Deadpan style of photography, leaves me to question this...I am thinking of the head and shoulder shots of young Muslim girls) What is creativity.  For me, it is something which takes a photograph out of the realm of a snapshot.  I think I have achieved this much anyway.  I am reading as much as I can, in the time that I have. Again, I need to structure this more..   Charlotte Cotton's Photograph as Contemporary Art, is a great insight into the world of creativity - and has helped me formulate ideas.   Using Itten's idea of "contrasts" and extremes, I have tried to be creative in showing examples. 

 

 

Conclusion

 

I have enjoyed Part One and found the exercises very instructive.  In terms of the Assignment, I think I have grasped the basics of what Itten had devised to help his student's embrace the fundamentals of the principles of design.  I realise I have a long way to go. 

 

This if the first time I have ever had a web page or blog, and I would like to perfect the style of my blog a bit more. I will look at this in the next few weeks.

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

 

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/phbh/hd_phbh.htm (accessed 7/8/12). 

 

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

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/apr/27/bauhaus-art-as-life-barbican (accessed 1 August 2012)

http://thefreemanview.com/observations/composition-contrast-and-the-bauhaus/  (accessed 7/8/12)

http://www.oxfordartonline.com/public/page/lessons/Unit4Lesson3 (accessed 7/8/12).

Peparation: Assignment 1: Contrasts

 

Unfortunately, computer problems have prevented me from adding to my blog for the past week. In retrospect however,  I have been taking many photographs  for Assignment 1 with "contrasts" in mind. 

Preparation:

Assignment 1 background  reading:

Assignment 1 deals with Contrasts - contrasts between all qualities - before embarking on this course of study, I was unaware that the elements of design were influenced by "contrasts".   As Freeman states  "contrast" is one of the most fundamental principles in design (the other being balance) and this principle has its roots in the design theory espoused by the Bauhaus.

I began my research by looking at  the definition of "Bauhaus"  which I found on the following link:
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/phbh/hd_phbh.htm (accessed 7/8/12).  Bauhaus is based on the concept of the medieval cooperative of artists and craftsmen who combined their talents to build the great cathedrals of the day.  The Bauhaus  school "sought to bring together the fine and applied arts, human ingenuity, and modern technology in order to help construct a new rational, egalitarian, and ordered society"(1).   

In reading about the history of the Bauhaus I was fascinated to read that it emerged as one man's response the to horrors of WW1.   By way of background: The Bauhaus was the concept of Walter Gropius, a young German architect (later one of great visionary thinkers of the 20th Century), Gropius served in WW1, witnessing the horrors and devastation that War had to bring.  This had a profound effect on Gropius, who responded to the apocalyptic chaos with an idea to "start again from zero". His rationale was that only a new outlook for society based on design and architecture could provide the means for a shattered civilisation literally to rebuild itself - as a result the Bauhaus was created.

The character of the Bauhaus was influenced by the Johannes Itten. It was Itten who, as Gropius's "master of form", invented the Bauhaus's most lasting contribution to art education, the Vorkurs, the preliminary training course in basic forms, textures and colours for all students entering the school. (2)

 Itten devised a strategy to help students at the Bauhaus explore their potential for creative expression.    He developed the idea that being aware of contrasts would help students creatively. He  listed 27 contrasts which he used to develop and introduce creative composition. For example: contrast between light/dark, long/short, thick/thin. Itten thought it was fundamental that his students experienced these contrasts with their senses.   Freeman(3) points out that there are three categories, first, those that focus on image qualities such as brightness, focus (as in sharp and unsharp) colour (eg chiaroscuro and highly saturated colours) and time (stillness and motion blur); second, surface qualities such as texture, transparency, solidity and thirdly contrasts within the subject itself, for example human emotions, Nan Goldin springs to mind with portrayal of close friends, in the powerful series:  The Ballad of Sexual Dependency(4).

I have been mindful of the above three categories whilst compiling my shortlist of photographs for Assignment 1 and I am conscious that I am developing an awareness for the variety of contrasts which exist in everyday life:

Before embarking on Assignment 1,  we were required to make a selection of four contrasting pairs from photographs, previously taken (during Part One of the course).   The selection process has been good practise for me:

many/few

black/white

liquid/solid

straight/curved

I have actually found the preparation rewarding in terms of forcing me to focus more on my choices of contrasts.  It is quite a hard task to whittle them down and I do I often feel as  though I am over analysing matters.  I still don't feel as though, the elements of design come naturally - just yet!!  Although, I feel I have gained insight into some of the fundamental principles of composition.     This reminds me of something I saw recently on a notice board outside a Presbyterian an Church..  I kept thinking about this sign - so I decided to photograph it.

In the next few days, I will be compiling my final choices for Assignment 1.   I have kept a notebook with me over the past few weeks. This has been useful for reflecting on why I wanted to take certain shots. It was also useful to carry this around, even when I didn't have the camera on me, as it was great to draw something I had seen, and then later return to it, with my camera.  I did this a few times - and now I always carry a small note pad with me.  (Ive definitely turned into a geek! or at least thats what my family think of me.)

I am also hurrying to finish the "Photograph as Contemporary Art" - and will continue my summary of this, once I have completed the assignment.

(1)Freeman, Michael, (2007). The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos, The Illex Press.
(2) http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/apr/27/bauhaus-art-as-life-barbican (accessed 1 August 2012)
(3) http://thefreemanview.com/observations/composition-contrast-and-the-bauhaus/#(accessed 7/8/12)
(4) see- http://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/2009/08/12/boy-with-toy-hand-grenade/ (accessed 7/8/12)

Further reading: outlining the elements of contrast and the visionary focus of the Bauhaus.
http://www.oxfordartonline.com/public/page/lessons/Unit4Lesson3 (accessed 7/8/12).