Project 13: The Golden Section

These photos were all composed (for better or worse) according to the Rule of Thirds or the Golden Section.

Despite the camera being incorrectly focussed on the leaves in the background rather than the child. I feel this photo works well.

Back on the course

After deferring the Art of Photography course for a year due to a new baby in the household I have now taken it up again in earnest and treated myself to a new Sony A300 DSLR camera!

Project 12: Positioning The Horizon

The graduated sky stands out as the dominent part of the images above & below.

I feel that the photo above is the most balanced for this type of landscape image.

The large foreground in the images above & below detracts from the rest of the photos.


In the image above, the lack of sky and the large foreground make this image feel very unbalanced.

I prefer the third image in this sequence as it feels the most balanced.

Project 11: Balance

In the above picture, the two dense patches of darkness at either side brings balance to the image.










In the final picture, the subjects are slightly off centre which disrupts the balance of the image.

It was simple to identify the balance in each of the above examples as they each have only one or two focal points. It is more difficult to identify balance in more complicated or "busier" images.

Project 10: Focal Lengths & Different Viewpoints

The photos on the left were taken at a distance with a telephoto (420mm) lens. Those on the right were taken close up with a wide angle (35mm) lens.



















































Those photos taken with the telephoto lens (on the left) appear flatter and more two-dimensional than those taken with the wider angle lens. The wide angle pictures (on the right) more clearly show the distance between the subject and objects in the background and foreground. In other words, the telephoto lens compresses the background and foreground.

The other point of note is the effect that focal length has on depth of field. In each case, the photo taken with the wider angles lens has a far greater depth of field that those taken with the telephoto lens despite being taken using a larger aperture.

Project 9: Focal Lengths

All stated focal lengths are 35mm film camera equivalents:

420mm

222mm

128mm

89mm

53mm

35mm

Influences

I thought it would be a good idea to start collecting links to photographers' works and other influences.

Jane Bown - Has worked as a photographer for the Observer newspaper since 1949. She works primarily in black and white using available light and with a 40 year old camera.

Banksy - Not a photographer, but his "street art" provides subject matter for some excellent images.

Project 8: Recording A Sequence

This sequence was shot outside Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham after a One Day International match between England and Pakistan. I heard the rhythm of Pakistani drumming and turned to find a group of fans "celebrating" in a procession walking down the middle of the road escorted by The Police. I started taking photos and moved in to try and get some shots of the main members of the procession.

Shot 1: The first glipse of the procession.






Shot 2: I moved to the middle of the road to get away from other spectators blocking my view.





Shot 3: I moved closer.






Shot 4: I tried to find the source of the drumming and chanting.








Shot 5: This man seemed to be leading the chanting.









Shot 6: I tried to get closer but was blocked by other people in the procession.

Shot 7: Others were trying to take photos.

Shot 9: This is the closest shot I could get to the "leader".

Shot 10: This man seemed to be the main drummer.

Shot 11: I moved round him to try to get a better picture but he had moved on and I only got his back.








Shot 12: These kids were dancing but this picture does not show that well.





Shot 13: I thought the policeman's expression might make a good photo in the context of everyone else enjoying themselves (see below).




Shot 14: Again the police juxtaposed against the drummer may make a good image (see below).






Shot 15: By this stage the procession mad moved on and the celebration was beginning to go die out.

Shot 17: My last attempt to get a shot of interest but the main subject is out of focus.

My favourite two cropped images from the sequence.