The Frame - Contrasts (Assignment 1)

Requirement

• 8 pairs of images showing different contrasts in each pair
• 1 photograph that shows the contrast in one picture

Technical learning

• Johannes Itten of the Bauhaus developed modern theory of contrast in art, design and architecture in the 1920s
• This theory has translated easily into photography
• Itten set his students an exercise similar to this assignment, intending that they approach the task from 3 directions: experience the feeling of the contrast before seeing it as an image, decide how to communicate that feeling, produce an image that conveys this sensation.
• Some contrasts to consider:

Large/small Many/few Transparent/ opaque Broad/ narrow Diagonal/ rounded

Long/ short Pointed/ blunt Liquid/ solid Light/ dark Hard/ soft

Thick/ thin Smooth/ rough Strong/ weak Much/ little Light/ heavy Continuous/ intermittent

Black/ white Still/ moving High/ low Straight/curved Sweet/ sour

Exercise instructions

Review own photos to assemble pairs that represent different contrasts. Identify subjects that best express extremes of different visual qualities – colour, tone, lighting, comparative relationships between subject and background.  Shoot 8 pairs of photographs (either separately, or in one picture). Shoot 1 photograph that presents a contrast in a single image.




Images and Review

Tutor's feedback on the assignment- overall comments
Interesting and imaginative first assignment. Having dispensed with the suggested pairings you've made some of your own, in some cases quite advanced. However, there are a few too simple colour contrasts in the set: did you miss the point of the assignment?

Improve your presentation:

• mount your prints on white card
• make them at least A5 size rather than 4 x 6 inches
• give each print a title
• label each print with your name and student number

A. Contrast in one image 


View of St Pauls Cathedral from One Change Alley

Old vs New architecture
Stone vs Glass materials
Spiritual vs Material Values
Light vs Dark
Curves vs Lines

Contrast is strong. Composition works well - the eyes are drawn to the cathedral by both lines and the dark to light relationship and St Pauls stands out against a blue sky.



B. Pairs of contrasts


(1) Man and his dog on beach at Burnham-on-Sea vs rush hour on London Bridge

Peaceful and spacious

Hectic and cramped

 

Contrast is unconvincing.  Difference here is between Near and Far, not really between Tranquillity and a Hectic Atmosphere. Perhaps consider another wide shot, horizontal format, with similar distance framing, but using a subject like traffic, or the same walkway (bridge?) but from a distance. Zooming in tends to create a sense of intimacy. And in fact, the man on the phone doesn’t look hectic at all, but seems quite relaxed.

(2) Flowers in Vivary Park, Taunton

Blue

Pink

A bit more front lighting would have helped you get more detail out of the centres.

(3) Second hand popular novels stacked horizontally vs vertically

Horizontal

Vertical

 

This depends too much on the way you orient the photos. Here you could have better photographed something less likely to be oriented either horizontally or vertically – for example, a vertical tree and a horizontal felled tree.

(4) Sanxenxo bay vs Fields in Hirzel

Blue seacape at dawn

Green landscape at midday

More impact if you had used the same location, viewpoint with the same subject rather than changing subject. Could have improved the blue dawn photo with a wider angle to get more of the curved line of the cove in the shot. That line – as a graphic – stands out well in the blue light. 

(5) Dawn seen from Glastonbury Tor

Colour

Monochrome

Excellent. Nice pairing, Great composition - great vantage point and use of foreground trees to frame. Perhaps remove white spots on print of colour shot?

(6) A Swiss barn and One London Wall

Country

City

Good idea. Well composed - accented by blues and greens, 2 figures in City shot. However, contrast will improve if you keep the same orientations to avoid the impression that the images do not relate to each other (which unpicks the attempt at contrast)

(7) Bins

Nearly empty

Over full

This contrast doesn’t work because you haven’t set up a viable standard. If you take two identically framed shots of a dustbin, one full and one empty, the contrast in states is emphasized. But here you’ve changed viewpoint. The ‘full’ shot is just an edge, there is no sense of ‘fullness’ there.

(8) One logo vs another in adjoining shop windows, Soho

Red circle on white background

White circle on red background

Yes, good spot but too simplistic