Positioning a point

In this exercise I am exploring the different positions a point can be placed in the frame. In this case the point in the frame is the distant farmhouse.


Point at centre;  A fairly static composition with regards to the point although this is helped by the distant line of trees on the left leading the eye to the centred point.

Point at the edge, in this photo the there is a sense of movement to the lower right of the frame, not only with the positioning of the point but guided by the lighter tones of the snow and sky and the darker tones of the trees on the left.

Point slightly off centred vertically and horizontally. I find this the most pleasing composition and the point sits nicely in the landscape and draws the eye gently. The point implies a subdivision of the frame both horizontally and vertically and in this case a most pleasing way.

Today's thoughts

At the moment I'm trying to get out with my camera to do the exercises and photo's I need for the next assignment on Elements of Design.
I have re-read some of 'The photographer's eye' (Michael Freeman 2007 ILEX) as there are lots of relevant sections on Points, Vertical and Horizontal Lines, Circles and Implied lines. This is good to refresh for this section of the course.
We've had lots of snow this weekend and I managed to get out on a long hike with my camera along the Wye Valley through woodland on the Offa's Dyke path. I'm quite pleased with the results.

 "Winter phone-box"

"The little lane"

"Footpath to trees"

"Woodland Snow"

"Reaching up"

"Abstract limbs"

"Snowy Gateway"

"Wise and mystical Yew"

"Winter Stile"

"Snow, Grass and Trees"

Assignment 1 photographs - Contrasts

Here are my sets of contrasting photographs for assignment 1.
“Dark”This photo was taken just after sunset in Cornwall at Marizion with the view across to St Michaels Mount. The silhouettes are of my two sons and there was just enough light to reflect off the sea and also highlight the distant cloud formations. I had a ‘blue’ and ‘dark’ feeling when I was taking the photo which I quite often get at sunset. I have been told it is due the lowering light levels stopping production of natural serotonin in the brain, or was it because something happened at sundown to me in a past life? I think the picture achieves the representation of dark very well and I am pleased with the compositionTechie Stuff    ISO400, 18mm, f/3.5, 1/125
 “Light”I was really pleased to take this photo on the Thames Embankment in London last week. I caught the ‘ghostly colours’ of the giant bubble, as light as air in front of the panorama of buildings on the other side of the river. The atmosphere was light and the sky was bright and plenty of ‘light’ which lifted everyone into good spirits. I feel that this contrasts well with dark despite both photo’s being ‘landscape’ as they are very different in atmosphere.Techie stuff    ISO400,   26mm,   f/9,    1/320      

 Light and Dark

"Light"

"Dark"

“Moving and Still”

I took this picture to contrast with” Moving”, this little stone angel in the Victorian cemetery in Redditch Worcestershire struck me as being such an opposite to my lively vivacious lad in the first photo. It is inanimate, silent and a constant reminder of the person who’s grave it adorns, so we remember still..... I tried to achieve a high contrast with the available light to bring out the 3 dimensional detail in the carving. I found myself feeling a sense of sad serenity and thoughts about mortality......

This contrasts so much against the vivacious and lively pic of my son Skye where I’ve used the panning technique to give a great sense of movement to the shot.

 

"Still"

"Moving"

“Curved”

I took this picture inside the Museum of Natural History in London. The architecture is simply stunning and I loved the curved structure of the roof, mirrored in the various arches visible. The composition is really pleasing as the eye is first held by the curvature in the top of the picture and then looks beyond to the arches and finally to the point figure of the statue of Charles Darwin in the low centre of the frame.

Techie Stuff    ISO400, 18mm, f/4, 1/60 

“Straight”

This is a very industrial theme to represent ‘Straight’. I took this photo in the Docks area of the port of Le Havre in France. I was struck by the fact that there is barely a curve to be seen in the frame. I like the composition and perspective. My thoughts while taking pictures around the docks area was that the industrial setting can be so ugly yet are beautiful too.

Techie stuff    ISO400,   45mm,   f/5.3,    1/1250       

"Curved"

"Straight"

"Few"

"Many"

"Continuous"

"Intermittent"

"Rounded"

"Diagonal"

"Transparent"

"Opaque"

"Hard"

"Soft"

"High and Low"