Part Two: Black and White

Converting to black and white:

As recommended by Freeman in Part Two of the course materials at page 71, it may be helpful to tackle this part of the course in black and white. The rationale is, that our attention is more focused on the graphic elements of the picture when the image is shot in or later transferred to black and white. As you can see with my exercise on single points, the greenstone is very vibrant, and the colour itself (although  it serves as a point) a monochrome image would help the viewer to focus more on the graphic elements in the composition.

 

I never actually set out to photograph in black and white, but occassionally,as a post production strategy convert colour to grayscale. A well crafted black and white image tends to bring out the tones, contrasts, and is much more dramatic than a colour shot. Freeman(1), in http://thefreemanview.com/observations/when-black-and-white/(2) -  gives a quick overview about when to use black and white. I think the main point too, is to shoot in colour and then convert to black and white otherwise the camera's processor will throw away valuable information that you could use to edit your image.

For example, I am working with Camera Raw and I alter the hues/saturation channels before converting to grayscale.  At the moment I am merely experimenting with what looks good. 

 

 

Some of my images which have appeared extremely dull (shot on a grey day) have been more effective once converted to black and white. I guess it is the sense of drama. I am not too certain though, that I have mastered the technique of getting the right blend of tones when I adjust my colours before converting to grayscale. I guess it a matter of personal preference but I need to do some online research into the various techniques for adjusting tones.

 

I converted this photograph of bamboo to black and white, and in doing so, the contrast of tones really stood out. The colour image was fine, but the verticle lines stand out more in black and white.

 

 

 

This is a photograph by Toshihiro Oshima which I accessed from http://www.digitalrev.com/article/toshihiro-oshima-virtuoso-of-visual/NTY4NA_A_A. (accessed on 8/9/12)   His black and white work is amazing, full of drama and very soulful. This composition highlights the contrasting tones of the white kimono and the shadowy background.

 

(1) Freeman, Michael,(2007).The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos, The Ilex Press, page 126

(2)http://thefreemanview.com/observations/when-black-and-white/ (accessed 7/9/12)

Exercise Horizontal and Vertical Lines

Exercise: Horizontal and Vertical Lines.

Lines have a stronger graphic qualities than points.

Here we were asked to look for specific examples of horizontal and vertical lines.   Looking back through my images, I noticed I have many verticals and diagonals, but not too many isolated examples of horizontals.  Here I have tried to isolate the horizontal, i.e., subordinate the content of the image to the line.

1.  Here you can see the horizontal line of the grass, and then the top of the sign (the vertical line of the post, actually makes this image a  more dynamic).

2. I went for a walk and saw this sign and immediately thought of the horizontal lines of the frame. The actual top and bottom of the frame form horizontals along with the actual lines on the sign.

 

3. Here you can see the horizontal  line at the edge of the sand, then in the background there is the  horizon which forms the second horizontal line.  I chose this image because I wanted to highlight the number of horizontals which surround us in everyday. As Freeman states [1]  horizontals are more static than verticals and because our own frame of vision is horizontal, the horizontal lines are visually more comfortable. 

 

 

4. The rough  wooden steps make interesting horizontals.

 

I particularly liked the horizontal grain on the wooden board walk shown in this photograph.  Just goes to show you that lines are absolutely everywhere.

 

 

Verticals

 

 

1. Vertical lines, on a shipping container (which had been made into portable toilets). I was drawn to initially to the uniform shape of the container, then to the vertical lines on the container itself.

2. vertical lines are visible on the sides of this 3-D poster board.  This was a very bright image, but in black and white, it serves to highlight the vertical lines on the sides of the display. The fixture contrasts nicely with the background.

 3. vertical lines in the form of pipes on the outside of this gas tower. I like the contrast of vertical and circular here. The image is dynamic the circles pull the eye one way and the vertical direct attention another, upwards.

 

4. the railings are vertical lines - I found a  small grave yard, and this fence caught my eye. Initially, I was caught by the contrast of the rusty railings and the growth of the grass on the grave. I have closely cropped the photo to give greater effect to the vertical lines.

 

In conclusion:

 

Horizontal and Vertical lines have a much stronger graphic impact than points  they: (i) divide the frame and (ii) direct the viewers gaze around the frame whilst having a more dynamic quality.  As Freeman states at page 77 of the course materials, the frame of a photograph has vertical and horizontal sides, the eye uses these as references and it is easy to detect any tilt in the lines of the picture. Horizontal lines are more static and comfortable, they "express stability, weight and calm" [2]  and do not require as much explanation as vertical lines. Vertical lines  have a stronger sense of movement, they add drama to an image and somehow have stronger vectors carrying the eye in a dynamic movement.

 

I actually re-read some of the early chapters in The Photographer's Eye[3] - and it was easier this time round to digest some of the information on placement, dividing the frame and horizon. I think the exercise on points has helped to absorb the concept of movement, division and placement.  Sitting on top of this, is the principle of dividing the frame and the various principles which advocate the various proportions or rules, on which the frame is divided.   I think the exercises on graphic elements are helpful in understanding the basic principles we looked at in Part One. It is always worthwhile revisiting the basic elements, each time I hope to glean something new from this practise. 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Freeman, Michael,(2007). The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos, The Ilex Press, p,72

[2] Freeman, Michael,(2007). The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos, The Ilex Press, p,72

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

 

 

 

 

Other examples - although the concrete blocks form a repeated pattern, they also resemble vertical lines.

Here the vertical line of the edge of the wall, dissects the image and directs the gaze along its length. Interestingly, the shadows in the background, are both vertical and diagonal.

Exercise Multiple Points

This exercise involved setting up a scenario of multiple points - the object here is to show how a group of objects implies not only a network of lines or connections but also, by implication shapes.  The implication is that multiple points produce an effect that they joined (see the progression of images below).


I chose dice and pieces from my monopoly set for my arrangement. 

1. a single point placed off centre - dividing the frame.

2 points.. when you add more points the relationship of the objects implies a network of lines, the simplest of which is the line between two points.

3 points.. a network of lines, implying a triangle (I haven't added the lines as yet, see final image below)

 4 points.. the eye travels from the lower right hand around and up to the left and back..

 5 points..

6 points.. the eye travels over the points following the implied vectors, from right to left sweeping over the image.

 7 points, the eye sweeps over the image, in a circular motion

8 points..I have added an intersection of lines to highlight the division the points make

 9 points

10 points...

When I started this exercise, initially the relationship between the points formed triangles - as I began to add more points, the predominant move of direction was in the form of 2 circles. 


Conclusion.

The relationship of multiple points implies a network of lines, that the points are joined.  With 2 points, the eye, moves from one to another quite easily without much explanation.  When more points are added you can see movement or vectors which direct the eye as it travels over the image.

It is interesting to see Gestalts' Law of closure in play, in final arrangement, I see 2 circles (or a circle on the right hand side and a triangle on the left).

One thing I noted was that it was actually difficult to arrange the objects to make them look natural and not too set up! I wanted to make them look as if they had fallen onto the table

Exercise: Positioning a Point

We are asked to take three photographs in which there is a single point placed in a different part of the frame.

I began this exercise by reviewing old photographs which I had taken, and realising that many of my compositions were busy. For this exercise, I decided just to focus just  on one point in the frame. This might seem overly simplistic but it will help me going forward to identify the graphic elements in a photograph.

1. Here the gemstone is a point in the lower right hand of the frame.  It is near the right hand edge of the frame, its position gives the it a sense of direction/movement, i.e., its not static. 

2. Another gemstone, off centre this time, again, the placement which closer to the left hand edge of the frame, give a sense of dynamics.. the eye looks to the stone first, then travels right to the empty space of the right hand side and then around in a circular motion to the left and back on the stone again.

 3. A greenstone placed, top right hand of the frame.  This is an example of how colour is a graphic element - the stone stands out.  I could have turned this black and white, but wanted to remind myself of how colour can act as a point too! The eye is drawn to the greenstone, and then travels in an anticlockwise motion around the frame.

 

I have kept the above examples very simplistic - I wanted to see if there could be any dynamics in the frame with just one simple point. As shown though, the point dissects the image dividing the frame - and that in itself is a dynamic effect on the frame.

The fish here is in the lower right hand of the frame, and its position in relation to the right hand edge of the frame, gives it a sense of movement and direction.  There is a balancing effect with the  position of the fish in the frame, and the reflection of the water which moves in a diagonal line from the top left hand corner of the frame.

Part Two:

Introduction

 



The objective of Part Two:

is to focus attention on identifying the graphic elements in a photograph.  We must learn to think of a photograph, in terms of an arrangement of light - i.e., how the light is organised, how it falls. The light tones and dark tones, give rise to shapes and forms.   This approach involves looking at an image in an abstract way.   The aim is to facilitate how we view composition, we need to be able to identify the graphic elements in an image, to assess how the elements interact, and to learn how to use them for structure and movement in a composition.

I am wondering how I will fare in Part Two - I am usually drawn to strong colours and shapes, and as the introduction states this may be something of a distraction.

The exercises on elements of design - will cover points, lines and shapes - that together form a 2-dimensional image.

The first project involves points.  As Freeman states in the Art of Photography course notes at page 72 " The point is the most fundamental design element. In a photograph, for a subject to qualify as a point it has to be small in the frame, and contrast, in some way, with its surroundings.."

Before embarking on any exercises, we are asked to jot down examples of situation which would make a clear photograph of a point: I thought of the following:

1.single yacht at sea (with sea filling out most of the background)

2.rock on the beach, with sea in distance or empty landscape.

3.cottage in a field occupying small part of the frame,

4.toy car positioned on a bench top, or in a light box - occupying small part of the frame

5. sole tree in a field, shot from wide angel to increase distance.

6. lone bird against wide blue uniform sky


We were asked to look through past photographs to identify points. Here are some examples - although, I have found it difficult to find very simple compositions with just "one" point.

1. The yacht could be considered to be a point, but the Island in the background, does detract the eye a bit.

 

2. the shell is off centre

 3. the boy is in the centre of the frame

3. the fern is slightly off centre

4.the larger boat is off centre and is balanced by the smaller boats off centre to the right

 

 

5. the container ship is high on the left and is a point along with the smaller yacht to its right.. however the reflection of the clouds in the water is quite distracting.

Part Two

It has been almost a week since I wrote up feedback for Assignment 1.    I have had a short break for 4 days (which was a total surprise) in Queenstown the South Island. I have many photographs to edit and publish and I have been continuing to read Cotton's book on  Photography as contemporary Art.

Whilst I am reading through the introduction to Part Two, I thought it would be extremely useful for me to read Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain  (Edwards Betty, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain,  1993, HarperCollins) [ISBN 0006381146]. An artist friend of mine said that this would be extremely helpful in viewing photographs, not just as images, but in terms of light, and graphic qualities.

I have also recently studied photographs by Martin Parr, and I will shortly add a post on my review.

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.