Camera Use - Week 4 - Research - Line and Pattern

The following photographers greatly illustrate line and pattern throughout their works.

Max Dupain:

I like how this image is not only an example of pattern due to the numerous amounts of vehicles in the photograph, but also depicts examples of lines. This can be seen through the dashed lines on the road, the lines of the road, the lines of the bridge and the horizon. These all draw your eye to the bridge in the distance, therefore this image is also another example of leading lines.

This image is similar to that of above, it contains both examples of line and pattern, but for this photograph, the lines create the pattern. This is shown through the wire and the wooden fence that have casted shadows over her back. The repetitive figuration of the shadows not only enhances the photographs character but provides the photograph with an overall view of symmetry.

About the Artist: 

Maxwell Spencer Dupain (4th April 1911 - 27th July 1992) was a renowned Australian modernist photographer. Duping received his first camera as a gift in 1924, spurring his interest in photography. He later joined the Photographic Society of NSW, where he was taught by Justin Newlan; after completing his tertiary studies, he worked for Cecil Bestock in Sydney. By 1934, Max Dupain had struck out on his own and opened a studio in Bond Street, Sydney. In 1937, while on the south coast of NSW, he photographed the head and shoulders of a friend, Harold Salvage, lying on the sand at Culburra Beach. The image title "Sunbaker" subsequently became his most famous piece. However it was not until the 1970's that the photograph received wide recognition. It was purchased in 1976 by the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra and has become a national icon. During World War II, Dupain served with the Royal Australian Air Force in both Darwin and Papua New Guinea helping to create camouflage. The war affected Dupain and his photography, by creating him a greater awareness of truth in documentary.

Courtesy: myself and wikipedia.org

Boyd Webb:

This photograph of Webb's strongly portrays how line and pattern can create a sense of wonder and division if used creatively. I like how the patterns of the parsnips and the texture of the sky, soil and underground section all construct unique and creative sections of the image, using lines to divide those sections into something artistic and original.

I think this photograph gives off a similar ambience to the first image of Webbs. I continue to like his work because of his innovative way of using lines (shown through the division of setting, object and colour in this image) and patterns (displayed through the objects that help partake in the division of the image, in this case the plant branches and the continuous use of creases in the purple sheet). 

About the Artist: 

Boyd Webb (born 1947) is a New Zealand-born visual artist who works in the United Kingdom, mainly using the medium of photography although he has also produced sculpture and film. He was shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 1988. He has had solo shows at venues including the Hirshhorn Museum, Washington DC and Whitechapel Art Gallery, London. Initially he worked as a sculptor, making fibreglass forms. However he soon switched to photography, developing a practice based around constructing tableaux which he then photographs. His work has been cited as a major influence on the famous, long-running advertising campaigns by Silk Cut and Benson and Hedges. Holly Arden described his art thus: "Many of them are shot in studio sets using man-made props to represent natural objects. Men, women and plastic animals adopt Monty Pythonesque poses against landscapes of plastic and carpet. The images have a literal quality, where Webb seems to go out of his way to show how they are constructed. Yet, they also pose bafflingly complex oppositions/connections between ideas of language and meaning, object and environment, scale and detail." Arden divides his art into three periods. The first, from the 1970s, is about "man's need to classify and analyse", and tends to combine text and image. In the 1980s he focused more on photographing installations, combining the large and the small in a harmonious relationship. Following that, in the 1990s, his works became more "scientific" and took greater effort to hide their construction, so it becomes hard to see how they are made.

Courtesy: Wikipedia.org

Camera Use - Week 4 - Research - Texture and Positive/Negative Space

Haru Sameshima:

It is clear that Sameshima is focusing on the bottle in this image as his main subject point, but I can't help but notice the texture of the black curtain as the background. Although noticed, this didn't pull me away from focusing on how Sameshimas' use of positive and negative space between the subject and the background made me focus on the subtle and obvious textures of the bottle (subject).

In this image, compared to the first one, I feel it is more clear that Sameshima wants the viewer to completely focus on the subjects. Not only because this image is in colour, but because there i no detail in the background, it's just solid black. This makes it easier to notice the texture of each of the subjects and also his use of positive and negative space in such a raw form (black and white) creates this sense of isolation that also draws my eye to the subjects and their details.

About the Artist: 
Auckland-based Sameshima was born in Japan, and moved to New Zealand in 1973 while in his teens. He has been exploring 'New Zealand' for many years, looking at the "incongruous set of cultural mores called 'this country'." His 1996 work The Shopping mall as a place of contemplation was a series of television images and shopping mall brandings that examined our everyday reality. His more recent series Eco-Tourism, some of which appear in Bold Centuries, isn't an investigation of ecotourism in the usual sense, but a study of the tourist industry and its relationship with the environment."
Courtesy: timeout bookstore: timeout.co.nz, review by Andy Palmer, eye contact June 2009


Karl Blossfeldt: 

This photograph is a great example of combining texture with the use of positive and negative space to create a balanced and aesthetic image. I really like how the image also looks very simple yet still intricate thanks to this balance and contrast of visual techniques. I also like how it is portrayed through a very monotone colour scheme as it gives off an appropriate sense of purity, especially to the leaves.

I like how the clear focus of the image is the detail of the spikes on the subject. I like how the texture of the infrastructure of the subject is subtle yet grasps my attention at a closer look. To me, from these two examples, it is known that Blossfeldts true artistic purpose is to reveal the details of objects we might not notice, using a plain background so that the detail of the textures becomes more prominent. Overall, I like Blossfeldt's use of textured subjects and how he captures the detail of that in his photographs. 

About the Artist:
June 13, 1865 – December 9, 1932. Blossfeldt was a German photographer, sculptor, teacher, and artist who worked in Berlin, Germany. He is best known for his close-up photographs of plants and living things, published in 1929 as, Urformen der Kunst. He was inspired, as was his father, by nature and the way in which plants grow. He believed that 'the plant must be valued as a totally artistic and architectural structure.' Blossfeldt made many of his photographs with a home-made camera that could magnify the subject up to thirty times its size, revealing details within a plant's natural structure. Appointed for a teaching post at the Institute of Royal Arts Museum in 1898 (where he remained until 1930), he established an archive for his photographs. Blossfeldt never received formal training in photography. Blossfeldt developed a series of home-made cameras that allowed him to photograph plant surfaces in unprecedented magnified detail. This reflected his enduring interest in the repetitive patterns found in nature's textures and forms.
Courtesy: wikipedia.org

PCL Imaging Research and Company Visit

PCL Imaging Research:

"PCL Imaging is a professional photographic digital imaging & custom framing company. PCL specialises in producing high quality work for the Advertising, Art, Commercial, and Professional Photographic Industries, or anyone who is serious about their photography. PCL Imaging offers a range of Photographic Printing, Processing, Digital Imaging, Finishing and Framing services that will suit any need."

- pcl.co.nz

Class Trip - Company Visit:

Throughout the entire visit, I was utterly inspired by the amount of effort that goes in to printing out these photographs and framing them, or creating them as canvas prints. I was also rather intimidated by the quality of the work that PCL Imaging produces, just because it is purely so beyond anything I have ever seen. The staff there were very accommodating and gave great insight to the structure of the business and its succession. I took a great liking towards all the different types of framing, printing and editing that the company does and the variety of options made for a greater experience when disclosing the skill and method behind these forms of image and item preservation.

Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos of the processes the workers go through to create such forms of preservation; however, we did receive a tour of the work areas and I then understood why photography was forbidden, because if we did take images of such work, we would technically be exposing a clients future equity.
To conclude, I benefitted immensely from this field trip but I would have liked to be there through an entire process and maybe even help out so that I could fully understand everything that goes in to this imaging process.

Camera Use - Week 4 - Texture, Positive/Negative Space, Manual Mode

In-Class Work:
1. I photographed 5 different textures so that they filled the frame:

This texture belongs to my off-white leather couch. I find it to be a rather subtle texture.

 This texture belongs to a tea towel, the texture you see is its fabric.

This texture is the wood on the window sill. I didn't realise that this texture was here until I took this photograph.

These are my freshly laundered bed sheets. They had just come out of the dryer so they had a nice fluffy texture and feel about them.

This is my carpet, the first texture I noticed and photographed in my house.

2. I then took 3 wider shots of some of the above textures to reveal what they were. This helped me to shoot a clearly defined subject that simultaneously incorporated texture.

My tea towels seen in a wider shot.

My window sill seen in a wider shot.

My couch seen in a wider shot.

3. I then took some low angle photographs and used the sky as negative space, framing my subject. 

These are all low angle shots, depicting different subjects that can be seen at this angle. I really like the rose bush photograph because it has a bit more colour in it than the other ones. I like how the sky frames the subjects tidily and provides a clear example of positive and negative space within each photograph.

4. I took 3 different portraits of my subjects Mata and Richele.

I found that I was unintentionally paying more attention to the Rule of Thirds layout as I was taking these photographs. I loved the pattern the stairs created and the grid on the side of the wall so I wanted to keep these in the portraits as I feel it created a sense of imprisonment, something I've never really photographed before. I like the irony of the photograph in that case, how my models could be so cheerful whilst simultaneously being portrayed as being imprisoned. I also attempted to leave some negative space around my subjects not only to show this, but because it was required as part of the work.

5. I created a still life of two objects and then added in a third object after I photographed the first two.

I tried to incorporate the Rule of Thirds layout as I wanted this image to be as balanced as possible with the plain white background. I feel as though I succeeded and I can really appreciate the simplicity of the background in comparison to the texture of the brush.

Additional Self Directed Editing:

makeup and brushes:

For this photograph I was never really happy with the results when I took the image in the first place. I always wanted a higher contrast to the brushes and the background to be white without any shadows and at the time, this was the best I could do to portray that kind of aesthetic. So, in post using Bridge, I created my desired effect by adjusting the basics panels as you can see in the above image and I'm very pleased with the results.

After I had finished with the Basics panels, I realised that there was quite a lot of noise that had become very apparent as soon as I enhanced the contrast. I then went in to the sharpening and noise reduction panels and changed a few of the adjustments to really bring that noise down whilst simultaneously keeping the quality and detail of the brush.

white roses:

I enabled the lens profile corrections only so that the image would straighten itself out and proportionate. I made sue that the lens profile make was set on Canon so that it could accurately set the image.

I wanted to add some more vibrance and contrast to make the flowers stand out from the background so I adjusted the basic panels accordingly and I am pleased with the results. I like how the gradient of blue and white in the sky is much clearer and how it creates a nice contrast between the subject and the background.

Self Directed:

I took some images that incorporated texture and the experimentation of positive/negative space.

I mainly experimented with different textures and patterns in this image.

For this image however, I used negative space to draw attention to the window frame and the clouds.

I chose to create my own images for the self-directed task and tried to think out of the box with the layout and the content. I think if I had repeated photographing these subjects that I wouldn't have learned how to frame different subjects using the positive/negative space.

Self Directed Work - Birthday Experiment - 50mm Lens

This post isn't part of my Photography Certificate per say but I just wanted to share a few images that I took on my birthday with my 55mm lens that I got as a present.

This post really just goes back to the week when I discovered the artistry and proficiency of the 50mm lens when it comes to clarity and D.O.F. None of the photographs have been edited but I love the colours and the clarity this lens provides when given the chance to be set at optimum focus. I also love the narrow depth of field this lens provides. That is originally what drew me to this lens. I also like the "professional" look this lens gives. I can't say I'm displeased with the results!

This white rose is blossoming beautifully in my garden. I can really appreciate the complete focus on the subject and the neat blur of the background. It really takes a lot of distraction out of the image.

My dad insisted on cooking for my birthday, this is his feta and spinach salad for all the non-vegans (everyone but me). I like how the tomatoes look and the lighting reflects the centre of the tomato nicely and the colours of the salad.

My grandma and my god-mothers husband. I like how the light hits them in contrast with my camera settings. It's not the usual way people take photos of guests at parties I guess, but I really like this image.

My phone and photography notes, because without these I would be screwed at school and socially. I liked focusing on the patterns at the bottom of my phone and the lines/writing on my notebook as my subject(s).  I love the colour combinations as well and how the pale palette of the image really helps to pull it together and blend well to create a soft background.

Camera Use - Week 4 - Line and Pattern

1. During my Self Directed time, I chose the found the following patterns while standing in the middle of my living room. I decided to photograph these patterns and experimented a little with the angles of the photographs.

I found these patterns on my front door.

I found these rectangle patterns in the photo frame.

I found these patterns in my curtains.

And, I found this grid pattern on my patio door.

2. I then took 3 photographs of these patterns so that they filled the frame

3. I then took wider shots so that there is negative space within the frame.

The negative space in this frame is to the left where there is no pillow in that area of the frame. I like the pale/bright colour contrast between the two areas. It brings the image together but also pulls my eye to the pattern and its imagery.

The same sort of applies to this image; the colouring really creates a nice contrast between the negative space and the pattern/subject of the image. I also like how the leading lines of the curtains remain the main subject of the image and how the negative space doesn't draw the viewers attention away from that too much.

4. I then found a pattern that was disrupted in some way. So , in this instance, my poorly designed and now broken curtain.

I like  how this image shows that not the entire curtain is broken but the let edge that is leads your eyes towards that end of the photograph. I would say that the curtain is a leading line in itself.

5. The following are my three photographs of leading lines.

The first one is of my pathway that leads to my gate, a perfect and rather classic example of a leading line. I tried to perfectly align this image using the grid on my camera, however I didn't quite get there. I like that the pathway is surrounded by plants that also help the leading line effect direct your attention to where the path is leading (the gate).

This second one is of my guitar, I like how the top of the guitar is in focus but also then how the lines of the strings fade out to a blur the further down the guitar your eyes travel. I like this example of leading lines as it isn't completely obvious where the viewer should be paying the most attention.

This final one is of the side walk outside my house (please don't stalk me). I quite like how the bottom of the side walk is almost directly in line with the frame of the image and it then leads off to the left of the frame and disappears out of sight. 

6. In this photograph, I used my subjects gaze to lead the viewers eye to a secondary subject in the frame. 

In this case, my subjects gaze leads to the water pipe that covers up nearly half of my photograph. This provides the image with a negative space. I also like how the lines of the window are parallel to my subjects placement; I think this really ties the image together.

7. For these photographs, I used evaluative metering mode and then spot metering mode to take these photographs.

For this task, I found that the shutter speed reduced after changing from evaluative metering mode to spot metering mode. This made the second photograph that I took a little blurrier and the clarity of the image was reduced. I do like spot metering better when taking photos of still subjects as it really helps me focus on the subject while simultaneously providing me with a better quality depth of field. I then prefer the evaluative metering mode when photographing things like action shots or other shots that require a fast shutter speed.

Self Directed:

I found a piece of architecture and then photographed it. 

The image was inspired by Bernd and Hilla Becher; their work consists of flat light, front on view point - vantage point, wide depth of field and straight lines. I feel as though I achieved this look with this photograph and I admire the patterns and texture on the building as well.

Additional Self Directed Editing:

Gate Path:

I was never very happy with this image's layout, even after I took it. Ofcourse, it didn't look as exaggerated on the camera screen as it did in post editing. I was pleased with the leading lines aspect of the photograph but it was never really straight down the centre of the image; so I opened the straightening tool and immediately got to fixing that issue and I think it looks much more balanced and is a lot more pleasing to the eye now than it was originally.

After the image layout was "fixed" per say, I wanted to make it look a little colder. I feel as though the gravel has a  very harsh and course texture, just as it feels, and the gate has the spikes that fit that harsh motif. The plants are also just growing all over the place; so it was a rather messy area with thorns on the roses and if you fall on the gravel or hit your arm on the gate there would surely be injury. This pathway is very perilous and I really wanted that to be portrayed trough the tone and colouring of the image just to give it that extra sense of risk and danger.

Architecture:

For this image, I managed to get the lines of the building straight in the frame the first time because I used the grid on my camera screen when taking the image so straightening the image was never a problem. Instead, I felt as though the sky and the building were too close in colour so I really wanted to adjust that and add some distance between those two aspects. I also wanted to make the image a little colder because when I was out there shooting it, I was very cold. Others may find this to be a minor and futile detail but I think it is important for an image to show the climate it was in during the time of shooting. I did this through the basics panel, which is actually a very powerful panel, to adjust the temperature and the other basics to portray this feeling and theme.