Exercise 8 – A sequence of composition

This exercise is about the process that goes into producing an image.  

There was a free summer fayre event in Milton Keynes at Campbell Park this last weekend.  I wouldn’t normally go as not my type of music, however it attracts a large turn out and ideal for this exercise.

I didn’t feel particularly comfortable photographing the people sitting around listening to the music so decided to do the sequence based on the vendors at the event.

My first attempt was to take images of the ice cream seller, it was a very hot weekend and was one of the more popular vendors (after the bar!).  I was not unhappy with the sequence I shot as I moved around to get better angles but didn’t think they were the best I could do so moved on.  The photo’s of this sequence can be viewed on my Flickr account here: http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=57757332%40N00&q=%22Ice+Cream%22&m=tags

I then spotted a balloon vendor, these also seemed popular with the children at the event .  I was amazed at the amount of balloons she was carrying and wondered how all the strings didn’t get tangled up.

F7.1, ISO200, 1/320s, 75mm

F8, ISO200, 1/500s, 180mm

I started with a couple of images from a distance when I first spotted the balloon vendor.

F7.1, ISO200, 1/400s, 155mm

I got a bit closer and zoomed in a little to get the strings in detail.  Although the photographs shows the tangle of strings I thought it would be a stronger photograph if the vendor wasn’t facing away.

F11, ISO400, 1/800s, 135mm

I moved round slightly and waiting until the vendor was looking my direction, although was squinting into the sun slightly.  I prefer this to the previous image but decided to try and close in a bit more on the details.

F6.3, ISO200, 1/320s, 300mm

Just then there was a small breeze, very welcome it was too, but it blew the balloons down onto the vendor  and I managed to quickly grab this one shot.

F7.1, ISO200, 1/400s, 300mm

For the next in the sequence I decided to try a close up on just the balloons, there was so many it wasn’t too difficult to get them to almost completely fill the frame. 

F6.3, ISO200, 1/320s, 300mm

I was pleased with some of the images I had got so far but it was the amount of strings that made me start the sequence so for the final image in the sequence I went for a close up of all the multi coloured strings the vendor was holding and got an angle where the balloons themselves made the background to the image and is my favourite of the sequence.

It was a really good exercise and will encourage me to maybe take a few more photographs when in this type of situation rather than waiting until I have my interpretation at the time as the ‘perfect’ framing before pressing the shutter.