Assignment 2 : Elements of design

Street details

This assignment brings together insights gained during the course so far. I have included 14 photographs, all of street details captured in and around where I live. For the majority of the photographs I have used a Canon EOS 500D with the exception of one taken with a Canon Powershot SX40HS ( P216) and two taken with a Canon IXUS 210 ( P 207 and P211 ).

Single point dominating the composition

P205: f10 @ 1/100: ISO 100:  21mm  cropped

I took a number of photographs from different angles and positions to achieve an uncluttered effect and cropped the final choice slightly to make a tighter composition. Originally shot in colour, I opted for a black and white version which I feel, given the quality of the light on the day, emphasizes the line of the sculpture and particularly the lettering cut into the metal.

Two points

P206: f18 @ 1/40 : ISO 200 : 77mm cropped

I like the way the eyeline is drawn from right to left and downwards to the action. I used a telephoto lens to avoid the two subjects here being aware of the shot and cropped the image slightly to simplify the composition.

Several points in a deliberate shape

P207 : f3.2 @1/100 : ISO 80 : 5mm

I came across this sculpture by accident and only had my Canon IXUS 210 with me. That said, I was struck by the very deliberate shape formed by the holes and how the eye was carried through to the street behind. It had just stopped raining and I tried to capture the light on the water residue in some of the holes. I adjusted the level of brightness later to enhance the colour of the metal.

A combination of vertical and horizontal shapes

P208: f11 @1/500 : ISO 200 : 55mm cropped

I used the shadows to emphasize the horizontal and vertical lines and also cropped the image to remove the distraction of a tree on the left.

P209: f22 @ 1/50 : ISO 200 : 18mm

This local building site has a number of peepholes for the public which reminded me of a well known black and white photograph taken by Henri Cartier- Bresson in 1932 showing two men looking through a fence. I was not lucky enough to find anyone looking through the peepholes so decided to capture the scene from the viewpoint what someone looking through the peephole would see. I used f22 to give the image depth of field and deliberately set the hole to one side to allow a direct view through to the flats in the distance capturing horizontal and vertical lines from front to back of the picture. I was pleased with the result.

Diagonals

P210: f14 @ 1/25 : ISO 200 : 27mm  cropped

I like the drama of this picture derived from the 'sun ray'  diagonal  lines of cracked glass and reflection of light and colour captured in the cracks - a sense of dynamism picked up by the reflections of pedestrians walking in the background.The photograph has been slightly cropped from the left of the window to create a tighter image.

P211: f8 @ 1/1250 : ISO 800 : 9mm

I was drawn to this image by the angle of diagonal achieved by looking upwards to the top of this corner shop and the strong colour contrast which emphasises the diagonal.  I also like the abstract quality achieved. That said, this was an opportunist photograph taken when I only had my Canon IXUS 210 with me which is limited to f8. I feel now that using a smaller aperture would have given better depth of field.

Curves

P212: f10 @ 1/160 : ISO 200 : 25mm cropped

I took many photographs around this area to see what would work best to achieve the sense of movement I wanted to capture. I wanted to express the curve in a number of ways i.e. through the pathway, the buildings as well as a sense of movement.  Positioning the figure at the tight bend of the curve gives the movement I was looking for helped by the figure being in mid stride. I used a wide angled lens just slightly cropping the image from each side to gain the balance I wanted. Originally a colour photograph, I changed it to black and white and I feel this gives a better sense of place. 

Distinct, even if irregular, shapes 

P213: f10 @ 1/125 : ISO 100 : 18mm cropped

I used a wide angled lens here to draw the eye in and cropped the image to emphasise the shapes.

Implied triangles

P214: f22 @ 1/125 : ISO 800 : 209mm cropped

I used a telephoto lens to capture the subjects unaware of the camera. Originally a colour image, I decided to change to black and white as I think this works better i.e emphasises the triangular makeup of the grouping.  

P 215: f18 @ 1/50 : ISO 400 : 109mm cropped 

A 'still life' of workmen frozen in action  taken with a telephoto lens from the opposite side of the street. I slightly cropped the image to remove distracting street detail.

P216 : f8 @ 1/400 : ISO 200 : 18mm cropped

Taken with a Canon Powershot SX 40 HS rather than my usual camera ( Canon EOS 500D) , I set the implied triangle i.e the group of boys within real triangles of light and darkand cropped the resulting image to create a tighter composition.

Rhythm

P217:  f14 @ 1/800 : ISO 800:  55mm cropped

I liked the sense of rhythm in this piece of graffiti that carries the eye across the photograph from left to right - the break in the figures is skipped over as the eye is drawn to the couple and the very red heart.  I debated whether to crop beyond the slight cropping done to focus on the actual graffiti but decided the foreground and barbed wire and trees at the top gave the image a much better sense of identity and place - a more 'framed' approach which I guess gives the artwork an unexpected authority.

Pattern

P218: f10 @ 1/80 : ISO 400 : 40mm  cropped

These disposable cigarette lighters on a market stall drew my eye.The randomness of the display created a strong pattern emphasised by closing in with the camera for the final shot.

I used a wide angled lens and cropped the image to maximise the pattern.