My decisions for the final submission in response to Tutor feedback and further thoughts on how to present the exercise were many and as follows:
- Present images in black and white unless keeping some of the colour adds to the graphic impact of the image - see images 3 and 7. (Mostly due to its emotional pull, colour generally weakens the graphic elements of the image unless the colour contrast itself directly reinforces these. This coincidence is difficult to find in Street Scenes)
- Other than converting to monochrome, leave the following images unchanged: 4 Combination of vertical and horizontal lines, and 6 Curves
- Replace 1 Single Point with another image taken as part of the same exercise. I could not find a version of the original image with enough pixels to produce a 9 x 6 print. Shame because it fitted the brief well.[Lesson: never throw away the original file and even hen kept, make sure you can find it again!]
- Crop 2 Two Points more tightly to remove some of the foreground pavement so that the shadows have more a voice in the image.
- Retain colour of clock faces in 3 Several points in a deliberate shape, to strengthen the relationship between the points. In addition, burn out some of the brightness of the coffee stall at the right edge of the image to reduce its ability to distract the eye
- Selectively highlight and sharpen 5 Diagonal (i.e. he wooden slats of the stairs and the bicycles underneath them) to reduce the impression of softness.
- Crop 7 Distinct, even if irregular, shapes less severely to include nearly all of square shaped structure to the right. This was Plan B. Plan A was to return to the location (the top of the Monument, London) to produce a better shot: I discovered that the site was being re-developed!
- Replace 8 Two types of implied triangle with 2 conversations around 2 tables, since the original didn't fulfil the brief
- Replace 9 Rhythm with the image of the repeating shapes of the roof design and pillars of the cloister at Paternoster Square as the earlier image of terraced housing was too much of a cliché
- Replace 10 Pattern with the view of Canary Wharf Tower through the glass roof of the Cabot Tower Shopping Centre, because the image in the original assignment was too soft (I could have sharpened it in PS, I guess, but the substitute is a stronger composition)
Click here for: Original version of Assignment 2
Images
1 Single point dominating the composition
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| 1 woman reading a book Recess of the Paternoster Square Column (aka 'The Pineapple') |
2 Two points
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| 2 shadows on pavement Outside Chancery Lane Tube station |
3 Several points in a deliberate shape
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| 4 points in a diamond Clocks at Canary Wharf |
4 Combination of vertical and horizontal lines
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| Lines of skyscrapers, cranes and fencing Early stage in the building of The Pinnacle, Bishopsgate |
5 Diagonals
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| Diagonal stairs and wooden slatted guard Access to road bridge, Upper Thames Street |
6 Curves
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| Curved rail leading to curved building City Hall at More Place, London |
7 Distinct, even if irregular, shapes
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| Seating area at workday lunchtime View downwards from Monument |
8 Two types of implied triangle
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| 2 Conversations, 2 tables, 6 people Somerset House |
9 Rhythm
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| Repeating shapes of cloister ceiling Paternoster Square |
10 Pattern
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| Skyscraper windows through glass dome Canary Wharf |
