This is my first assignment, I posted the images to my tutor today so with a bit of luck they should be with him in the next few days.
The assignment was about contrasts in all its different forms.
I was asked to look through the images that I had previously taken and find 4 contrasting pairs.
Here are the five pairs that I have chosen.
And the second
The new window was taken at a new development in Brighton. The window has a white metal cover. I had previously seen the old window image in a Post Office in Surrey, the window was made of metal and was painted white. I thought that they would contrast each other both in shape and design. The old design has a timeless quality, but I wonder if the modern window will still look as good in 50 years time?
The next images are of Brighton Pier
This image was taken from the beach with the pier above me.
The lighting made the white paint really stand out against the sky.
I waited a short time for the cloud mass above the pier to reach both ends of the shot as I think that it adds to the picture.
The roof of the pier also stands out for me together with the small porthole windows running along the side. I should have got a little more of the red box (on the right side) into the shot though.
And the second image
Not only does the type of people on the pier change from day to night, ie from families to younger people but the pier itself changes.
I think that the night-time lights bring the pier to life. I took a different view of the pier for the night shot so I could capture more of the lights.
I like the blue beam of light that is running across the sea towards the pier, it draws your eye in, however I don’t know what caused it!.
This image was taken in a market town in Surrey, I knew that a few weeks later I would be working at a dock yard where there would be large cranes so I captured this image.
My first set of images of it didn’t work as I did not have enough of the shop background so I went back and added the oval window on the left. Looking at the image now I think I should have cropped the bottom part of the image off. It does not add anything and in fact I think it is a bit of a distraction.
This image of a new crane was taken at a dock yard. The yellow crane really stands out against the sky and the lights of the town behind it.
This was one of my first attempts at night photography using manual rather than programme mode.
I was pleased with the result but the large spot light to the left of the image didn’t help me.
A lot more practice on night shots is needed.
I also like the safety barriers at the front of the crane , they draw your eyes into the frame.
This image was taken in the South of France. The beach and the roadway were packed with holiday makers, but right in the middle was this beach chair sitting on its own.
The sky and the mountain in the background add interest but I haven’t got them straight. Maybe a bit of Photoshop would help.
The chair was a bit old and battered but I think that this adds to its appeal.
These deck chairs were at Brighton Beach. Remembering that I had one beach chair on its own I had a look round for a group of empty chairs.
On a nice sunny day this turned out to be harder than I expected!
But after a while I found this group of 5 chairs. I think that the colours look great.
This image was taken in a woods in a National Trust Property in Cheshire. The path leads you right into the picture. I like the different types of trees that make up the image. Together with the different shades of green.
To contrast the above natural path I took this image of a man-made path. I didn’t just want any path I wanted one that had trees either side to match the woodland scene above.
I think the shapes in this image are wonderful especially the small bushes cut into ball shapes that climb up te bank.
The weather was great so the clear blue sky adds to the image, which was taken in Northern France, a few weeks after I captured the natural path.
Second Part of the Assignment
Part two of the assignment asked me to take images of 8 contrasting elements.
I looked at buildings, objects and people to gain the images that I required. I had great fun tracking down the various images that I would need.
Here are the images that I have chosen
The above image was taken on a photography course that I did earlier in the year. The subject had very dark hair and was wearing black clothes. Only her face is white and it really stands out. Thinking about the subject later I maybe should have changed the background to black which would have been a greater contrast, but I do like this one.
Later during the same course I was able to take this image. The subject is standing in front of a very white background so she stands out.
This was only my second set of shots in a studio and I liked the results. Her eyes are sharp and she has a natural look about her.
I don’t know now if the images are a contrasting pair but each of them has black and white in each. I will have to see what Mr Taylor thinks.
This next image was taken in Manchester
I saw him playing and noticed that he held the instrument diagonally across his chest. Earlier in the day I had captured the musician below with his round drum so I thought that they would make a nice contrast
I thought about cropping the image so that the instrument ran from one edge of the image to the other but when I tried it I did not like the results. If I had cropped this one I would have wanted to do the same with the image below but upon doing so I though that I had removed to much of the back ground.
The guy above was great and was attracting a large crown. I placed the rounded shape right in the bottom right hand corner to balance the image against the man himself. His dark clothing helps. As just when I didn’t want any red in an image the small girl appears in the frame with her red coat on.
Does she distract from the image I don’t know, but it is a nice splash of colour between the yellow and black.
These images were taken in the Surrey Hills , one Sunday afternoon. I saw this group of mushrooms and thought that they would make an interesting composition. At fist I took the images standing up but I did not like the results so I lay on the ground and moved in a lot closer.
Once on the ground I noticed that the taller mushrooms looked like tall trees . The ground was not level but I thought that it looked ok this way. Some of the taller mushrooms are a little rotten but it adds to the image I think.
I decided to stay with the mushroom theme so I hunted around for an image with fewer mushrooms in it. I could find lots of single ones which I captured. It was only when reviewing the shots that my wife said the term few is not just one so off I went again looking for a smaller group with fewer mushrooms in it than I had captured in the first image.
I was lucky to find this small group in a hedgerow. The ivy all around them adds colour and frames the shot.
This image was taken at another National Trust Property, Sheffield Park. By this time I had started to take my camera out with me every time I went out. I also had a copy of my projects in my camera bag.
I saw this house and thought that it would contrast well with some of the smaller Victorian houses that we have all over london. I had already taken some images for the broad and narrow contrast but I did not like the results when they came back from the printers so I decided to take the shot. The house stands out well and the stone work has a nice light colour to it.
On my way home from the above shot I saw this house in a side street. Not only was it very narrow but the colour was great, I now had a broad white house and a narrow black house. After I had printed both of the images I thought that they might fit in the black and white section but I decided to keep them in this section.
Two things that could have been improved on
- It’s a shame that the light to the side of the door is not working
- The grey junction box is not to pleasing to the eye.
This is a picture of me reflected in the back of a car wing mirror. The steel was smooth with just a few rust marks. I took a number of images and when I processed this one I saw my reflection. I assume that you should never appear in your own pictures but I thought it looked ok.
Now all I had to do was find some rough metal to contrast this against the smooth wing mirror. It took some time but two weeks later I found this gate post. It really does need a coat of paint but it suited my needs. I think that you can tell just by looking at it that it would be rough to the touch.
I liked this picture as without knowing the title I think you could have a good guess of what I wanted to say to you.
The next image I chose was this padlock which was attached to a rusty gate and fence. It was my first attempt at using layers in Photoshop. The chain and the lock it self give an impression of strength and security. The lock, which looks to be in better condition, stands out against the rusty background. When I got the images back from the printer I wished that I had given the lock a bit of a clean to help it stand out even more.
and the next, weak.
The above image was taken outside a shop. It was not staged and is used for an advertisement. I thought that it was perfect. The weakness of the string which is supposed to be securing the bike, where really there should have been a lock and chain was a great contrast to the image of the padlock that I had taken months earlier.
After I had taken this shot it really made me think about the importance of having my camera with me at all times and of making detailed notes about previous images that I had taken.
Sporting Subject
For still and movement I decided that I needed to have some images of people. I tried to capture some images in the Hight Street but I could not find the contrasts that I needed.
I decided to go and watch a rugby match, my first one in fact. I was lucky enough to catch this player placing the ball on the holder as he prepared to kick it. As everybody around him was shouting and running, both players and spectators he was as still as you could be. He just placed the ball down and then, in my mind, concentrated on what he had to do.
The second image is of the same player as he kicked the ball. I managed to get the ball in the shot and still show the movement of the player himself. There is movement in his right leg and you can also see the grass and soil trailing behind his foot.
These were my first sports action shots and I was rather pleased with the results. However I don’t know what a Daily Telegraph sports photographer would say!
My last two images
My last two images for this assignment were taken at the first property that the National Trust purchased. Again with my list in my pocket I set off the find a further contrasting pair.
Inside the property I saw this old chair. I was told that it is nearly a 100 years old ,yet it still looked in good condition. The craftsmanship and skill of the maker were clear to see. The runners and bars looked so thin that you would be frightened to sit down on them.
I chose to take the image with another chair next to my subject chair so you see straight away how thin and delicate it looked. I found a thick oak table in the house and I was going to use this for the contrasting shot but later I saw a bench in the garden.
I saw the wooden bench just before I was leaving. Even from a distance you can see how solid it looked. It has remained in the same place for years but still looked as strong as it did when it was built.
Two pictures of similar items both to be used as seats but the difference in construction is what makes the contrast for me. The skill of the makers can be seen in both but look at the feet of each chair/bench , thin and delicate on the chair compared to the thick and robust feet on the bench. That is why I chose the two.
Well that is the end of my first assignment and the start of a long road that will hopefully lead to a formal qualification. At times I have underestimated how much work was, and is, involved. Better planning and better management of my time will be needed. Although I have to say I have enjoyed this first part of the course and I am looking forward to the next section.
Novemeber 2010