STRUCTURES

Shoot intentions: 
In our busy day-to-day schedules, we don’t stop to notice the buildings we enter or the structures we pass. My aim is to photograph these places of architectural beauty and visual interest, in a way that makes the viewer appreciate them more. I am particularly interested in abstraction and distortion. Elements I will be looking at in particular include pattern, line, texture and curves. The cubist painter – Pablo Picaso, has inspired me by his unusual and extraordinary works of art. Similarly Alvin Langdon’s abstract forms are those which are eye catching and complex. When shooting I will start to look at things on a much larger scale with a different perspective. Themes I want to focus on include the intricate details of structures as well as looking at rigid shapes of buildings. 

Enthralled by the architecture in London, I chose to focus on a structure through obscurity. The variety of forms and shapes provide the viewer with a complex understanding of the composition. Subtly burning in the sky helped to emphasise the vignette around this composition. 

 

Desaturation was chosen to highlight the wide range of tones and textures involved in this photo. The ripples of the river provide an immediate contrast with the clear white sky, emphasising the calm mood of the photo. Significant elements of line, shape and form are all incorporated outlining the repetitive construction. 

Capturing this structure from below gives the viewer a chance to understand it from a different perspective. This could potentially confuse the audience of size and scale.


Printing at an aperture of F5.6 with a filter 2 1/2 provided a wide tonal range. An exposure time of 30 seconds was used when printing. Line and curves were key elements I chose to explore during this shoot. 










Aiming to incorporate line and curve in this image I chose to use a viewpoint from above, looking down. The twisted angle of this particular structure causes confusion and cannot be understood at an immediate glance. The viewer must take time to understand and appreciate what is in front of them.
Using the technique of solarisation enhanced the image and provided it with a high contrast of tones. 





A famous quote from Rodchenko stated:

“One has to take several different shots of a subject, from different points of view and in different situations, as if one examined it in the round rather than looked through the same key-hole again and again."

This has taught me to be creative in what I do, to look for the unordinary and unexpected. Taking simple forms, and making them seem complex. Providing a surprise element to the viewer is something I aim to achieve so that they can question the composition, and take time to understand it.

THE POWER OF LIGHT

Shoot intentions:Aim to capture trails of light in order to broaden the variety of  shots I have previously taken portraying movement. Experimenting with slow shutters and small apertures was an important part of the process.

The contrast outlined here is between the moving subject and the stationary background. A shutter speed of 1/8 was used to outline the extreme movement.

A tripod was used for this entire sequence due to the very slow exposure time being used. When capturing this particular image, zooming out whilst the shutter was pressed down created the 3D, blurred effect.









These images link together well, creating an abstract and vibrant sequence which is very appealing to the eye. 

LIGHT STRIKES

Shoot intentions: 
Fascinated by the influential light artist Michael Bosanko has inspired me to experiment when shooting, making the best of a situation to ensure my photos are the best quality they can be. All the images from his light graffiti portfolio are all raw, there was no editing process needed. This is one of the things I admire about him.
Colour is a key feature and effects the emotion of a composition.  During this shoot I chose to focus on elements of line, shape and colour.

Painting with light involved using a torch and coloured gels to create vibrant and abstract images. Using a slow shutter speed made sure the movement would be captured. Using a tripod ensured no camera shake would occur.

Experimenting with shutter speeds took some time to start. The contrast of the black background against the eye catching colours create an aesthetically pleasing composition, grabbing the viewers attention.

These images portray movement extremely well and are good examples of using long exposure times. 

Aperture: F22
Shutter speed: 2.5 seconds

Zooming in when the shutter was pressed down resulted in the three dimensional effect. Using light to create abstract images draws the viewer in confusing them of a scale between objects seeming larger than they actually are.

Aperture at printing: F8

Exposure time: 25 seconds

I chose to print on a filter 4 to create high contrast which would emphasise the movement in the composition. This extreme movement occurred by zooming out when the shutter was pressed down.  Just like a car zooming past in the blink of an eye, the composition's striking beam of lights echos this extreme speed of traffic.

Shoot intentions:
Aiming to look at my surroundings up close in search of the less obvious. I want to be able to photograph compositions and appreciate the natural things given to me. Focus on perspective, line and geometrics.




In order to outline tone and texture I chose to desaturate this image. Choosing to burn in some areas provided a clear contrast between the tonal range








Choosing a viewpoint from above puts the composition into perspective. The photograph almost looks distorted as if the pole is shooting out of it. During the editing process I chose to desaturate this image to provide a contrast between tones.








Focusing on pattern and texture, I feel this has been achieved well providing a range of tones and an aesthetically pleasing composition. 











Solarising this print as part of the developing process was an important experiment I undertook. The geometric elements stand out in this composition. Rows of cars, lampposts and the zebra crossing are all subjects highlighting line.

Shoot intentions: 
Find the abstract in the image, whilst capturing geometric compositions. Using a variety of viewpoints I intend to photograph elements of the environment that we come into contact with everyday. Focus on shape, line, tone, and texture.

Capturing something we walk over on a daily basis from an interesting perspective helped to make this composition unique. Adjusting the contrast helped to highlight the range of tones and textures.








Fascinated by the repetition of line, I felt intrigued to capture this formation. Slightly adjusting the brightness and contrast helped to add a vintage look which amplifies the ageing consequences one receives as a result of smoking. 





The webbed effect of this composition almost grabs the viewer in. Depth of field creates a sense of separation between the foreground and the background. Having studied the work of Jackson Pollock, an influential artist and leader in the abstract expressionism, I found myself looking through the viewfinder with a different mindset. He has taught me that an inital glance of a composition does not always express the true meaning. Sometimes one has to look deeper into the photo to understand the meaning or story. 

When shooting this image I was inspired by Polly Rockberger and her sequence "signs in the city". Looking at ordinary markings on the road I found a way to intrigue the viewer by capturing the subject from a different perspective.