3: elements of design. project 26

real and implied triangles

Triangles of one kind or another can be found photographically in many places. Moreover, a complete triangle is made up, obviously, of 3 sides and 3 corners, however, even 2 sides will give the impression of a triangle, provided they penetrate far enough into the picture. Also, if one side runs parallel with an edge of the frame then a  triangle using two diagonals can be formed. Using diagonals in an image create a sensation of activity and dynamism because of their construction of diagonal lines. My pictures below illustrate both real and implied triangles.

Real triangles

 This image was taken in Estepona.  The harbour bar in which the two potted plants were placed had most probably closed for the out of season months and the plants had been placed in the triangular fashion, most probably, to secure them against the coastal winds. Symmetry is very evident within the image along with the dynamic impact of the diagonal lines which also lead the eye to the colours of green and red of the foliage. All these elements of design within the image give an overall visually pleasing effect.

Estepona’s impressive promenade radiates dynamism with the linear effect of canvas triangles.

 

Having a low perspective when taking the shot of the woodland path shows the diagonal lines converging thus creating a triangle. 

  

Once again, because of the low perspective, an inverted triangle pointing towards the centre building adds order to the image and directs the eye to the main point of interest.

Implied triangles

  

The forming of the triangle in the still- life arrangement gives a sense of order to the image.

  

The combination of the horizontal lines of the terracotta bricks in the background and the inverted triangle pointing towards the bottom of the frame gives a striking effect to this still-life image.

The forming of the triangular shape in this group picture of my family gives the shot design and structure.

What I have learnt

Triangles give activity and dynamism to an image together with design and structure.

elements of design: project 28

rhythm and pattern

Forms of repetition in photography, as in rhythm and pattern, have a very strong appeal to the viewer. There is a visual beat to pictures containing a repetitive theme as there is a musical beat in music. Visually, repetition can be expressed in two ways: as rhythm and as pattern. Rhythm can be experienced  by the movement of the eye following the repetition of a regular continuation of  attractive lines and shapes while pattern is essentially static and has to do with area (spatial repetition):-

The rhythm produced by the repetitive shapes within the black iron frame leads the eye to the street lamp.

A variation of pattern within this image adds interest.

The pretty pots are placed in an irregular form within this shot, but the sense of pattern is accomplished by their close grouping.

what I have learnt

The appealing effects that a repetitive theme emits in an image

elements of design: project 27

real and implied circles

In photography circles are much less easy to find than triangles and rectangles.   To a great extent one has to depend on actual circular objects thus limiting their usefulness in photography.  Below are photographs that I took of real circles:-

 The enclosing qualities of the circle in this picture of the Boy and the Peseta are strengthened against the lightness of the buildings in the background.

The circular shape formed by the climbing plant illustrates how the enclosing properties of the circle add very defined structure to an image.

The circular shaped patterned rope gives the shot visual harmony and structure.

This shot, of the magnificent wooden door, taken in the town of Estepona, illustrates how powerfully the various engraved circular designs impose their enclosing structure.

The pictures below, taken from The Art of Photograph text book, shows implied circles being used in photography:-

Manuel Alvarez Bravo ” Verde” 1966.

The shadow on the background wall together with the curvature of the tree trunk form the implied circle which beautifully highlights and encases the girl’s profile.

Robert Demachy ” Academie “.

 The implied circular posture of the nude model gives structure and poise to the image and mirrors the circular shape of the model’s hair style.

Below: One of Robert  Capa’s many war-time photographs shows loyalist soldiers during the 1936-7 campaign Spanish Civil War finding time, while preparing for attack, to write letters.  (Published in Images of War London 1964).

This poignant image of the Spanish soldiers shows a clear circle by implication which emphasises and encloses the unimaginable feeling of  inevitability that the soldiers must have felt.

What I have Learnt

The enclosing and imposing qualities of the circle.

 

 

 

3: elements of design. project 29

applying the elements of design

The aim of this project is to incorporate the insights that I have learnt so far on the course into a set of photographs directed towards  the subject of flowers and plants:-

curves

  I gathered a few garden pots together and placed them in  such way that the composition of the shot would not emit the sense of formality, but rather the sense of being natural and unadorned in order to accentuate the qualities of the numerous curves within the composition.  Also, there were soft rays of light falling on the area of the scene to give further life and warmth to the rustic terracotta theme.  The curves within the shot instil the sense of beauty and smoothness. I feel that there is plenty of movement and direction in the image as ones eye is encouraged to investigate the various lines of the curves.  The handle of the large terracotta pot sits nicely on the rule of thirds intersection giving  its appealing curvature  prominence and giving overall harmonious balance within the shot. The beautiful natural colours of the pale green and terracotta give warmth and visual unity. The pale blue paint on the ivy pot adds charm and interest.

On the negative side, I do feel that the illusory flatness of the pot in the background on the right of the shot  could give the viewer a feeling of  an unwelcome void within the image.

distinct, even if irregular, shapes

For this shot of the Fern in the Pot, I wanted the light to strengthen the shape of the delicate stems and leaves. In order to attain this I placed the pot on the table of our terrace so I would be able to take the shot facing the brightness of the sun and sky. In order to achieve a shallow depth of field to obscure background distractions and to highlight the fern, the aperture was set at f 5/6 and the focal length was set at 415mm. 

The tilt of the camera creates a triangular shape of the terracotta pot giving the shot shape and order. The distinctive thin black stems of the fern are effectively highlighted and give the image an attractive striking influence.  The oval and triangular shapes of the fern’s leaves are nicely defined   giving the viewer of the image interesting detail to explore.

a single point dominating the composition

The single crimson leaf of the Virginia Creeper sits close to the top,right side of  the image thus giving connection to the frame.  The grey stem of the plant leads the eye to the interesting heart shaped leaf even though the line blends with the Yorkshire stone wall.  These two points of connection avoid static within the single point image.

2 points within an image

In this image of the pot-pourri I attempted to resolve any unwanted tension within the image by positioning one single point along with a collection of 3 items as another single point in order to attract more attention to the latter and to give the image additional interest.  I am not sure that I succeeded as my eye tends to be attracted equally to both points within the image.  Yet, the single leaf does point towards the collection of three which gives the image movement and indicates a relationship between the two points.

diagonals

The three images above which I took in my garden in Spain illustrate the dynamic qualities of the diagonal line. The image of the lavender is particularly striking as the white line of the window leads the eye to the lilac flowers in a very dramatic fashion.

implied triangles (with reference to real triangles)

This section of the project is aimed at implied triangles, but I felt that it was useful to note the effective part that real triangles play in this shot.

 Shape gives an image a sense of order and structure.  When taking the shot above, I had played with the perspective of the shot and searched through the viewfinder for background structure, in the form of shape, using the background’s shades of colour.  As you can see from illustration (a) below,  there are three real triangles and one implied triangle within the shot.  The three real triangles in the background, all of which have been formed using the edge of the frame, play a major rule in giving this image a sense of order and clear structure.  The centrally placed inverted triangle, the shape of which is distinctively defined by the adjacent triangles,  also directs the eye to the beautifully formed plant giving the shot interest and movement. The implied triangle of the plant itself is emphasised by the encroachment into the edge of the frame which removes some of the curvature of the plant. 

 To summarise, the overall impression that the image emits is simple, tidy and structured.  An impression that is gained by using the shape of the triangle which can be frequently found and very useful in the world of photography.

Below, in illustration (b), I have highlighted further triangles which could be interpreted within this  image, which illustrates the abundance of triangles that can be found within a potential photograph.

illustration (a)                                          illustration ( b)

  

The picture of the lavender below illustrates another example of a triangle by implication.  The shape of the triangle adds structure to the image and the triangular formation of the lavender stems are  highlighted against the curvature of the pots.

  

 

several points in a deliberate shape

The photograph above illustrates how several points can be easily organised in such a way to form a shape thus giving structure to the image. In project 19 (multiple points), I arranged several points which culminated in an image which I named “Basket Weave Garden”.  Below is one of  the pictures of the shoot and the summary that accompanied the shot :-

I think that the final image is very pleasing to the eye and the triangular theme is very evident ( as shown in the diagrams below). There are also triangular shapes in the chairs ( and a triangular object) that interact well with the triangles formed by the objects.  Also there are many curves and circles within the shot ( the curves of the stone fruit, the fish, the box and the group circle )  which instill the sense of softness and poise. The large triangular shape and the line of the table lead the eye along the line of the objects giving the viewer many points of interest.

a combination of vertical and horizontal lines

Two of the graphical qualities of the horizontal line of terracotta pots and of the vertical terracotta bricks are depicted in the above image which was taken in my garden in Spain. The horizontal line of the pots lead the eye along its length to the falling ivy in the penultimate pot. The vertical lines in the background give direction towards the line of pots and towards the compact circles of the pots.

pattern 

Repetition has a very strong appeal to the human eye, particularly when it is unfamiliar to the viewer.  The formation of the olive trees and the expanse of terracotta earth together with their appealing  wispy undertones of colour create an attractive pattern within a large area. Also, the seemingly sooty black trunks of the trees add visual impact to the pattern. The placing of the trees is irregular,  but their close grouping gives an impression of decoration to the viewer.

rhythm

 The plan for this shot was that the lined pattern on the basket should lead the eye, both horizontally and vertically, by means of  rhythm,  towards the  black pot. 

what I have learnt

I have found this project to be extremely effective in increasing and establishing the knowledge that I have learnt so far in the art of photography.

3: elements of design. project 25

rectangles

In the same way that lines have certain associations, so do specific shapes.  In general, rectangles made up of both vertical and horizontal lines, instill a sense of  being formal, enclosing, precise and static.  Below are three pictures that I took to illustrate the qualities of rectangles.

The symmetrical representation of the rectangles shown in this picture certainly permeates the sense of  order. Yet, this order is eased by the softness of the soft furnishings. What is particularly noticeable is the sense of enclosure that each rectangle of the doors and glass panels emit.  There is no feeling of static in this image as the eye is encouraged to move from one rectangle to another.  Also, the large rectangular door opening frames the cream cabinet in the background which in turn gives the image a sense of depth.

This picture of the door and barred window instills a very strong sense of being formal and precise.  Yet, the image evokes a lot of interest in the varied representations of the rectangle in the red brick, iron bars and the dark smoky blue wood. Also, the small representation of the square (the number 19 plate) accentuates the qualities of the rectangle.

The red and yellow rectangular wire sculpures certainly look very static placed amongst the grazing sheep, but the overall image offers movement in the diagonal positioning of the sculptures and in the added interest of the grazing sheep and the contrasting trees in the background.  Also, yet again, the formal representation of the rectangle is soothed by the softness of the countryside in which they are placed.

what I have learnt

The general qualities of the shape of the rectangle.

 

3: elements of design. project 20

horizontal and vertical lines

This project explores the properties of vertical and horizontal lines. In particular, we are looking at obvious vertical and horizontal lines that are the priniciple focus point of the image  as opposed to lines by implication or lines that are edges of objects that normally appear as a contrast against a dark background or vice versa.

When out and about with my camera looking for shots for this particular project, I noticed plenty of vertical and horizontal lines – buildings, steps, roads, horizons, shorelines etc…, yet looking for these lines as a principle subject for an appealing  image proved to be more challenging. The images below demonstrate the qualities of vertical and horizontal lines and are portrayed as the main point of interest.

 pic 1.

This image  portrays the hanging and drying of the voladores ( flying fish). They are considered to be a delicacy in the area of Estepona and are eaten when having being taken through a lengthy process of many weeks of drying. They are brought out into the open air each morning on their hanging frames in the port of Estepona. The vertical lines in this picture have a very striking impact on the viewer of the image and together with the beautiful blend of colours silver-grey, peach and blue make an impressive shot. It is also interesting to see how the vertical lines also lead the eye to the blue string and the visually pleasing shape of the fins.

 pic 2

This picture is most certainly a picture of lines! Vertical lines, horizontal lines, diagonal lines and boy lines! I love the harshness of the vertical metal railings against the softening effect of the horizontal soft shadows, the colours and the boys and their hats.

 pic 3

The vertical lines of the El Corte Ingles store in Puerto Banus have a very dynamic presence in this shot and again lead the eye to the glorious blue sky and the aeroplane’s vapour trail.

 pic 4 and 5

I had to include trees in my collection of vertical line shots as I found that trees were one of the most common sources of vertical lines. But what I find fascinating about these two images is that the perspective of the shot and the implied line (pathway) lead the eye to the beautiful highlighted lines of the tree trunks giving them centre stage in the image.

horizontal lines

I find that horizontal lines are less pleasing to the eye than vertical lines. They have more of a static presence in an image as apposed to the moving and striking attributes of the vertical lines. I also find that the placing of an horizontal line in an image has to be carefully considered as its presence can culminate in an unwanted  division within a shot.

pic 1

Steps are a good source for horizontal lines. In this shot of the ill- maintained yellow metal steps, the static presence of the horizontal lines of the steps is alleviated by the implied horizontal line leading from the weed in the bottom right hand corner through  to the black handrail.

 Pic 2

The horizontal lines of the window blind are softened by the shadows of the plants.

 

Pic 3

 This shot of  Lake Guadalhorce in Andalucia shows horizontal lines in the horizon, the row of trees and the row of buoys.  Also the current of the water implies horizontal lines. I do feel that this picture lacks a sense of movement because of the strong representation of the horizontal implication.

 pic 4 and 5

I find that the horizontal line in the above images has a very dominant presence and is certainly a platform for the trees. In the first image the row of the tree tops softens the horizon line whereas in the second picture the roundness of the one tree top accentuates the dominance of the horizon giving the image a very clean and geometric persuasion.

What I have learnt

The appreciation of the visual effects that horizontal and vertical lines portray. 

3: elements of design. project 21

diagonals 

Many scenes contain horizontal and vertical lines whereas diagonal lines are far less common. But diagonal lines can be created rather easily by adjusting ones viewpoint of  horizontal and vertical lines.  Below, are the effects that diagonal lines can portray in the images that I shot for this project.

  pic 1

The diagonal lines in this shot of La Linea Station lead the eye into the distance giving the shot great depth.

 pic 2

The image of the row of yachts in Puerto Banus was taken at an angle in order to attain a horizontal perspective.

 pic 3

The image of the old blue door and rusty handle portrays a theme of diagonal lines which are much harder to find in our towns and streets than horizontal and vertical lines . 

 pic 4

A naturally occuring horizontal line as shown in this line of trees has a striking effect in this image.

What I have learnt

The effects that the horizontal line portrays in an image.

 

 

3: elements of design. project 24

shapes

A shape is both an outline and an enclosure.  The extent to which a shape appears as a shape or an enclosure depends very much on the subject and the lighting.  Shape, ultimately, defines an object, but it can also be implied in much the same way as a line can.

 

The posture of the little Spanish boy with his leg stretched and his foot pointed illustrates an implied shape of the triangle. Shape gives order and interest to an image.

 

Light plays a major role in strengthening shape.  The above picture of the sun chairs and the straw parasol shows how the camera facing towards the sun gives a high contrast between the background and the subject, accentuating the triangular shape of the parasol and the rectangular shape of the combined sunbeds.

 Notes

• Shape defines an object
• Shape can be implied
• The more regular a shape appears, the stronger the part it plays in the composition
• contrast, either of tone or colour, can define a shape
• A high sun from behind the camera lights up a shape as intensely as any form of light can especially against a clear sky
• Silhouette -the sun facing the camera gives the highest contrast possible between the background and the subject

What I have learnt

The various ways in which shape can be implied and can be defined in an image.

 

3: elements of design: project 23

implied lines

In an image one needs only a few suggestions of visual clues  to imagine a line.  Listed below are the most common such clues:

• A row of points ( objects)
• The extension of a line/lines that seem to point in a certain direction which encourages the viewer’s eye to move ahead.
• The extension of visible movement, such as a car being driven or a person walking, again, encouraging the viewer’s eye to move ahead.
• The direction in which someone in the picture is looking. The viewer’s eye tends to go to the same place, known as an eye-line.

These imagined lines are known as implied lines. For the first part of project 23, I will attempt to identify the implied lines in the two images below, the bullfighting image and “Threshing Corn in Sicily” by Gotthard Schuh.

 

The bullfighting images show the 4 lines that direct the viewer towards the Matador.

 

In this image the direction which the horses and farmer are looking ( the eye-line) directs the viewer’s eye back and forth in order to explore each subject of the image.

 

For the 2nd part of this project I shall perform the same analysis in 3 photographs of my own :-

In this photograph of the magnificent stallion,  the implied line formed by the trees to the left and the curved branches of the tree to the right direct the eye to the main point of interest.

 

In this shot taken in the beautiful countryside of Andalucia, the implied lines formed by the olive trees together with the line of the fence lead the eye to the charming finca.

 

Finally, the picture above taken in Ojen, shows the lines of the eaves pointing to the interesting windows in the central building.

 

For the 3rd part of the project, I  planned  and took 2 photographs that use an “eye-line” and lines that point :-

lines that point

For this part of the project I thought that I would  have my husband, Julian, and our little dog, Chica, as the points of interest in the shot.

On our walk I noticed that the track that we were about to ascend had a couple of track lines leading towards the brow of the hill, along with a triangular shaped area of scrub land to the right which was also pointing towards the brow of the hill.  Julian and Chica walked ahead and as they approached the brow of the hill I took the shot :-

eye – line

Later in the day we moved on to Estepona Port where we sat on the harbour wall to watch the fishing boats coming into the port carrying the afternoon’s catch.  In the distance I saw a cat and a seagull perched on the harbour wall,  almost silhouetted against the rock of Gibraltar. There were many more seagulls filling the sky above them.  I took many pictures hoping that there would be some kind of  visual connection and, indeed,  the seagull on the harbour wall does appear to be looking towards the cat.  What’s more, the seagull in the sky is pointing towards the cat and the seagull :-

 

What I have learnt

Implied lines within an image lead the viewer’s eye to different points of interest within the shot which in turn gives the image a sense of movement and energy.

3: elements of design. project 22

curves

Another of the continuous lines in an image is a curve. Curves can bring the feelings of smoothness, grace and elegance into an image.  Curves also have a sense of movement and direction.

pic 1

In this picture the curves  of the oranges instill the sense of smoothness and calm.

 pic 2

The curve of the arch against the harshness of the stone adds poise to the image.

 pic 3

In this shot the eye is persuaded to investigate the line of the curve.

pic 4

The curves of the blue rope contrast beautifully with the various straight lines within the shot.

What I have learnt

The appreciation of the qualities that curves can give to an image.

 

3: elements of design. project 19

 multiple points

A grouping of objects provides a network of lines and can also create shape – by implication.  In still- life photography one of the three basic skills is to be able to group objects together in such a way that they are linked attractively and in a relationship that is active rather than obvious and static.

Below is a sequence of photographs that culminate in the  final shot of  my still-life ” Basket Weave Garden”.  The items that I selected from around the home for the shoot blended together in colour, texture and theme (garden association).  I would place the objects one by one on our kitchen table.  I had pushed two  kitchen chairs together in order to create an attractive background that would marry well with the still-life shot that I wished to create.  The sunlight was coming through the window to the right of the shot which would give the composition life and softness.

I used a tripod and set the camera as follows:  f7/1,  shutter speed 1/40sec, focal length 292mm, iso 200.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think that the final image is very pleasing to the eye and the triangular theme is very evident ( as shown in the diagrams below). There are also triangular shapes in the chairs ( and a triangular object) that interact well with the triangles formed by the objects.  Also there are many curves and circles within the shot ( the curves of the stone fruit, the fish, the box and the group circle )  which instill the sense of softness and poise. The large triangular shape and the line of the table lead the eye along the line of the objects giving the viewer many points of interest.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I have learnt

 Shapes and lines are one of the basic requirements for producing a good still-life image. 

3: elements of design: project 18

relationship between points

 Project 16 and 17 dealt with the relationship of a single point to the frame. The single point was related to the frame in the absence of there being any other point to connect to.  When there are 2 points, however, the relationship between the two dominates the composition.

The picture of the lady and the boat illustrates, with the marked implied line, the relationship between the two points. The eye is drawn from one to the other, in turn, giving direction and movement to the image. More often than not, one point attracts more attention than the other. In the picture above the seated lady attracts more attention as she is nearer and therefore larger than the boat in the distance.  If there are two points in an image  of the same size this can create unresolved tension which can damage a composition.

The image above of Julian and Chica probably would have better illustrated the concept of the relationship between two points if there had been a greater distance between them.

 Coral’s eyes are attracting equal attention, which gives the image no movement and an unresolved tension.

What I have learnt

The effects of the positioning and of the interaction of two points within an image.

 

3: elements of design. project 17

Positioning a point

This project experiments with the positioning of points. There are essentially 3 classes of position in which to place a point:- middle, a little of centre and close to the edge.  Placing a point in the middle, in most cases, gives an image a feeling of being static :-

The shell is placed in the middle of the frame so  having  no connection with the frame of the image. It’s placement is final and static.

In this image of the shell the red lines illustrate the connection between the shell and the frame thus giving the image more life. 

I think that the sense of movement is more clearly illustrated in this image of the fishing boat.    The boat is placed in a position whereas the eye connects to the intersection point between the boat and the frame thus allowing scope for the rest of the image to be explored. In addition, the boat is also pointing towards the far, bottom right hand side of the frame again adding energy to the shot.

What I have learnt

As also illustrated in the positioning of points in my images in project 16 consideration between the frame and the subject is crucial to avoid an image being static.

 

 

3: elements of design. project 16

 defining a point

Possible situations which would make a clear photograph of a point;  a tiny flower against the grass, a bird in flight against the sky, a brightly coloured roof in a vast open field, a beautifully formed colourful shell on sand, a tiny island against a vast ocean, a polar bear or seal in the snow, a group of colourful balloons against the sky, a small oasis in a desert,  a lilac crocus in the snow, a tractor in a field, a water lily in a pond, a colourful umbrella against a sea of people, a childs face in a sea of colourful balls, a lone tree in a sea of mist, a climber on a rock face.

Possible ways in which lighting alone can create a point; the moon in a starlit sky, a face or figure illuminated in a dark room, a spot of light lighting up an object against a dark background, an old lantern illuminating a small area, a small area ot interest outside a shaded area.

 

My photographs that illustrate a point;