Design - final version of assignment #2

Decisions
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

1 woman reading a book
Recess of the Paternoster Square Column
(aka 'The Pineapple')

 

 2 Two points

 

2 shadows on pavement
Outside Chancery Lane Tube station

 

3 Several points in a deliberate shape

 

 

4 points in a diamond
Clocks at Canary Wharf



 

 

4 Combination of vertical and horizontal lines

Lines of skyscrapers, cranes and fencing
Early stage in the building of The Pinnacle, Bishopsgate

 5 Diagonals

Diagonal stairs and wooden slatted guard
Access to road bridge, Upper Thames Street

 

6 Curves

Curved rail leading to curved building
City Hall at More Place, London

 

 

7 Distinct, even if irregular, shapes

Seating area at workday lunchtime
View downwards from Monument

 

  

8 Two types of implied triangle

2 Conversations, 2 tables, 6 people
Somerset House

 

9 Rhythm

Repeating shapes of cloister ceiling
Paternoster Square

 

10 Pattern

 

 

Skyscraper windows through glass dome
Canary Wharf

Design - Elements of Design (Assignment 2)

Requirement

10 photographs of a similar subject, incorporating the following effects:

• Single point dominating the composition
•  Two points
•  Several points in a deliberate shape
• Combination of vertical and horizontal lines
• Diagonals
• Curves
• Distinct, even if irregular, shapes
• 2 types of implied triangle
• Rhythm
• Pattern

Chosen from one of these groups of subjects

• Flowers and plants
• Landscapes
• Street details
• Raw materials of food

Summary notes/ Images

I chose urban landscapes as the subject of my assignment. All the images were taken in London.


Tutor's feedback
Strong, thoughtful work, well presented.  You've created a visual essay for street views that could be developed further, perhaps using the following themes:

• People resting in a busy city – the contrast between being colourfully dressed for leisure and the solid grey working environments.
• People (their postures, figures, forms) against the hard grey matter of the city.  People are often isolated here.
• The way people ‘fit in’ to urban environments, often seeming to be players in a stage set.

Blog
Include more about your choice of subject.

Sources of new ideas
Look at: 

• 'Street Photography Now' - Sophie Howarth, Stephen McLaren
• Toshio Shibata - see work on ‘isolated’ forms like dams and concrete river works that resemble sculptures.

Pointers or next assignment
Look at advertising photography. It makes strong use of colour to lead your eye. 


Single Point

• Relatively small area constrasting with its background but with strong impact
• Choice of position - centre, off-centre, edge - must support purpose
• Movement created by tension with frame - up & down and left & right
• Direction - organises/divides frame horizontally and vertically

Lunchtime reader relaxes at the base of the 'Pineapple'* in Paternoster Square

Warm advancing colour of the subject's T-shirt and
interest in the human figure provide the contrast
to set up the subject as a point. Placing him in bottom left
encourages the eye move between him and background.
His shape implies a weak triangle.

* The 23m tall Paternoster Square Column. Made of Portland stone topped by a gold leaf covered flaming copper urn, it bears the nickname the 'pineapple'.

Strong image.

Two points

• Points have 3 relationships: (a) with the frame, (b) with each other (implied line) and (c) with surrounding space
• 1 of the 2 points will dominate the other if (a) closer to foreground, (b) nearer to centre or (c) bigger
• Tension betweeen points can energise image

Shadows of commuters on pavement outside Chancery Lane Tube station

The shadows make 2 points on the pavement with
the larger, nearer one dominating. The difference in size and proximity
of the 2 commuters helps to convey motion. Although they are walking out of the frame, their shadows hold the eye within it

Well observed. Keep your eyes open for more such imagery. When you find a successful theme, keep snapping it until one finds the best of the bunch. 

Multiple points

• The eye follows a line. It also tries to create a line(s) from appropriate suggestions: the brain and the eye work together to resolve incomplete forms
• Implied lines between points create impression of shape, if suitably organised

4 clocks at Canary Wharf

The clocks act as points of light on a dark background.
The camera angle sets them in the shape of a
parallelogram, although one might also see 2 triangles.

Nice. However, try it in black and white or at least de-saturate the coffee stall on the right so that it doesn’t pull the eyes over there.  

Combination of vertical and horizontal lines

• Lines often edges of objects and reinforced by frame
• Graphic effect - divides frame, helps locate elements, gjves sense of direction
• Expressive value - horizontal lines (stable, static, have weight)/ vertical lines (moderate sense of movement, upright, strong)

Early stage in the building of The Pinnacle, Bishopsgate

The horizontal silhouette of the outside fence
contrasts with the mainly vertical lines
from the surrounding buildings and
cranes

Even though I prefer the images with people in the city, this image fills the frame and is a well composed collection of shapes and lines. Try removing the word on the crane. 

Diagonals

• Dynamic - leads the eye
• Creation largely by camera angle and perspective (lens)
• Wide angle lens - close to edge or surface to emphasise linear perspective
• Telephoto lens - used at angle to parallel lines, edges, rows of objects to give powerful effect of compression and repetition

Walkway to road bridge across Upper Thames Street

The wooden fencing around the steps shot
sideways provides a strong diagonal of mid-tone
browns against the dark green glass of
the nearby building. 

Clean, well ordered composition. But it does look a bit soft – is a high ISO setting?  Try to keep your camera steady – even prop it on something to steady it.  

Curves

• Dynamic - leads the eye
• Often low viewpoint gives acute angle to strengthen curvature

Steps leading to the London Assembly building

Shot from a low angle to emphasise the curvature of the steps
and the edge of the Assembly building. The climbing
figures adds to the sense of motion provided
by the curved steps

Good use of wide angle to exaggerate the curve.


 

 

Distinct shapes 

• Dynamic - leads the eye

Birds eye view of people eating their lunch near the Monument

The pillars set up one irregular, close triangular
shape, whilst the 2 banks of chairs imply
semi-circles which echo each other

Well ordered. Was there no way to include the whole object on the right?

Implied triangles

• 4 most common clues that create implied lines are – (a) a row of points (or objects) (b) line that points in a certain direction (c) suggestion of object in motion (d) the direction of the human gaze
• Triangles often seen as 'pointing' - low viewpoint = upward pointing, high viewpoint = downward pointing

Detail of front elevation of 6 More London Place

The change in tones and the framing sets up
several triangles of different textures

These are four very evident triangles.  Implied triangles are made between three separated objects – three people for example.  If you draw a line between them you form a triangle

Rhythm

• Dynamic repetition
• 4 types (a) elements regularly alternating, (b) change in shape at regular intervals, (c) change in colour or size at regular intervals (d) different elements that echo each other, esp. in shape
• Encourage viewer to imagine that rhythm continues outside image (no space between pattern and frame)
• Rhythm may need a constrasting element to break repetition

View down street near Green Park

Use of telephoto lens at acute angle to a section of
terraced buildings. Leads eye towards the Union Jack. Flag breaks rhythm but adds interest 

Most obvious and clichéd of your images – the telephoto lens squashing the vertical lines of houses into a steady rhythm of lines.  When you know something has already been done – avoid it and try something new!  

Pattern

• Static repetition - does not encourage movement of the eye
• Usually best used as a secondary element
• As elements of pattern become more numerous, tend to become a 'texture'

Adelaide House on north bank of London Bridge

Symmetry of windows sets up the pattern. Continuity
outside the frame by framing within the building edges

Features like the statue could be lifted subtly with a bit of dodging.  It would be nice if that stood out a bit more.