Exercise 21 - Implied Lines

This exercise is divided into three parts.

The first part is looking at two photographs and finding the implied lines.

On the first photo I don't think I've drawn the lines on very well but there are two curves, the most dominant one is the one that forms from the bulls back and extends to the edge of the cape but there is also a second curve that appears from  the dust kicked up by the bulls feet and looks like a curve drawn in the sandy floor.

The second photo there is a clear implied line from the direction the two horses are looking in but there is a second less dominant implied eye line where the man is looking at the horses feet, keeping a close on their movement to keep out of danger.

The second part of the exercise was to look at three photographs of our own and perform the same analysis.  Rather than look through loads of my old photographs, where it would be too easy to pick those that are imediately obvious, I selected 3 from my wedding samples that i'm currently working on.

This photo of the bride about to throw her bouquet, she is turned and although you can't see the wedding guests her (the implied) eye line lets you know where they are, a second less strong implied line is for the man in the backgroud who is also watching the guests.

In this confetti shot there are several implied lines, the most dominant one is the bride, centre of attention lookin in the direction of her new husband, the two ladies are both looking down in the direction of the bride reinforcing that she is the centre of attention.

The bridesmaids and brides friend are busy lacing up her dress but it is implied that there is another person in the room by the direction of all 4 of their gazes.

For the third part of the exercise we had to take two pictures, one of an eye line and one or either an extension of a line or lines that point.

I took this photo for the assignment, to indicate an eye line, while we were away in Blackpool (yes it has taken me that long to get any enthusiasm to write the assignment up!) the man was walking along the seafront check out the sea defence, it was very rough and just a few minutes after this was taken he got absolutely soaked - at least he saw it coming!

This photograph I also took for the exercise while we were up in Blackpool, this is to show an extension of a line.  The fence posts and link chain provide a line leading from the bottom left of the frame into the centre of the photograph, if you allow your eye to extend the line it leads you to the man strolling on the prom.

Exercise 20 - Curves

Curves like diagonals add movement, here are the four photographs I took for this exercise:

The curve of the path in this photograph leads the eye to follow it.

The curve of the pillars and chains draws your eye from the front of the photograph to follow them round onto the prom.

The curve of the pillars draws your eye from left to right.

The curve of the path leading in and around the church is further emphasised by the round border under the tree it also curves round.

These four photographs all show that curves add movement to a photograph similar to diagonals, they draw your eye in and can help control where attention is drawns to.  They can also help do add depth to a photograph as well.

Exciting Post

Well for a change I got some post that wasn't a bill or junk!

It was my entry pass for Focus on Imaging 2012, i'm planning on going on a weekday rather than weekend so will have to book a day off on Monday.

I haven't been for a couple of years and with my new vetures into portrait photography I am looking forward to visiting and seeing what new products and equipment are out there.

Exercise 19 - Diagonals

Next we started to look at diagonals in photos, how they can add depth to a photograph and be created by chaning the angle of the camera and alos by using telephoto or wide angle lenses.

Here are four photographs I took for this exercise:

This photograph has lots of diagonals, the tram tracks, overhead power cables, thepath, railings and strings of lights.  These all work to draw your eye towards a distant point and give the photograph depth.

The main diagonal in this photograph comes from where the two sections of sea wall meet, this draws your eye to the tidal pools of fsea water left on the beach after the high tide.  It is like it is pointing at them, and there isa long puddle of water that extends this line further taking your eye to the top of the photograph.

The diagonals in this photograph come from the angle it is taken at.  The diagonal line created by the row of seats leads the eye to the building at the end, the second but less obviously strong diagonal from the roofs on the right reinforces where your attention should be.

The diagonals come from the stair handrail which draws your attention upwards.  Unfortunately it is just a building sit so not a great photograph but it proves the point of diagonals in photographs

There are many examples of diagonals in the set books for this cause but a couple that sprung out at me when flicking through Michael Freeman's The Photographer's eye book included on page 95 - Selective Focus, the diagonal coluns of text make your eye move from top right to bottom left and St James's Palace on page 147 the colums on the left lead your eye right to the topen archway and because it is a diagonal line it gives a sense of depth of how far away the building entrance is.

Exercise 18 - Horizontals and Verticals

For this exercise we were asked to go and take 4 horizontal and 4 vertical photographs all of different objects.

Horizontal

Verticals

All of my examples fit with those listed, guess i'm just predictable!

Exercise 16 - The Relationship Between Points

Both of the buildings on the pier are the same size, they are a similar distance from each side and the bottom.  However the building  on the right was closer to the camera and is the most dominant.

The building on the left is the dominant point this is because it is much larger in the photograph than the bench.

Neither of the points (eyes) are dominant, they both demand equal attention.

2012 - New Year, New Start

I haven’t been doing much, well any course work over the last couple of months.  Christmas, New Year and birthdays have taken up a lot of time, which coincided with my 9-5 job pressures increasing and forays into studio portrait photography proving more popular than I could have anticipated.  In short free time has been non-existent, and I’ve been trying to survive on 5 hours or less sleep a night!

But New Year, new start and I am going to try spreading my ‘free’ time out more evenly between building up my own business and my studies.

A couple of days between New Year and a return to work has meant I was able to complete reading Michael Freeman’s The Photographers Eye, a review will follow shortly.