Various Aspects of Photography - Assignment Example

Source: Britton (a) Focusing on various aspects of art when capturing this still nature image, the photographer has managed to convey a strong sense of the wildness of nature while still maintaining her more gentle features. The untouched asymmetric oval of the body of the upper tree as well as the curved nature of the left side of the trunk help to soften the strong tones of red and orange brought out on the horizon. These strong colorations work on our emotional senses to heighten excitement and can sometimes work on our psyche to denote danger or alarm. However, the inclusion of the soft shades of lavender and purple in the upper sky has the opposite effect, serving to calm us and assure us that all is well. The concentration of deep reds contrasted with the darker purple clouds along the right side of the photo correct any imbalance felt by the leftward weight of the tree while the lighter oranges seen in the center forcefully contrasted against the near black tones of the tree compel the eye to continue traveling back to the center. Because the tree is in silhouette, the only texture to speak to us in this photo is the soft, smooth texture seen in the clouds, further emphasizing the gentleness of nature, yet a streak of sharper, spiky clouds in the center of the photo, highlighted by the rising sun, injects a sense of danger at the heart. Further, the pattern of the bare branches as backlit by this sun threatens to snag us in their complicity while remaining vulnerable in its exposure. The proportions of the tree in this image, filling nearly the entire frame, serve to emphasize its power to link heaven and earth while the lines of the branches, while still providing lateral movement, also allow the eye to traverse the frame, providing some sense of movement and again placing emphasis on the wild and free aspect. Source: Britton (b), 2000 By excluding the tops of the masts and including the smooth, barely rippled surface of the harbor in this technology photo, the photographer has softened some of the sharp angles inherent in such a piece. The triangular nature of most of the upper elements, from masts and rigging to flags, presents a solid repeating pattern of stability on the unstable surface of the water. Even the interruption between boats is presented in a triangular format, bringing this pattern down to the small tug in the harbor. Because of its positioning, it, too, presents a triangular shape. The heavy horizontal lines of the hold and the meeting of boat and water further help to establish a solid base for these elements despite the intellectual knowledge regarding the shifting, moving water surface. The heavily accented triangle formed by the foreground rigging on the left is balanced on the right by a large downward angled triangle of sky between the first and second boats. Because the masts and rigging dominate the image, the emphasis seems to be placed on the stability of these sailing ships rather than their inherent vulnerability on the open seas. However, the dominance presented is softened greatly by the saturation of the blue hues within the image. Although several elements, such as the folded Canadian flag on the left side of the frame, are images we recognize as probably having a natural red hue, even these are darkened and tinted by the dawn into more subdued tones, reducing their ability to capture the eye away from the pattern. Movement within the picture continues to move upward as the eye cannot help but to follow the pointed triangles, however, the downward pointing triangle of empty sky to the left serves to bring the eye back down to the water and travel across to the left. The bright yellow lights visible at the bow and stern of the featured ship further assist in bringing the eye back to the solid horizontals of the photo, creating constant movement despite the fixed nature of the triangle. Source: Britton (c), 2003 The overwhelming message in this industry photo is that of the unhealthy pollution of the atmosphere. The horizontal lines created by the cloudscape are emphasized by the heavy black structure of the underlying ground. Unidentified shapes thrusting up into this sky indicate the intrusive nature of the factory while the patterned boxed shapes of vehicles to the right emphasize the never-ending series of progression. Similarly, the patterned horizontal nature of the clouds is only interrupted by the amorphous, bulbous shape of the dense cloud emanating from the factory’s smokestack. Texture is again only seen in the clouds, providing nature with the greater sense of the real, while any texture in the foreground is wiped out in silhouette, helping to emphasize the two-dimensionality of a mechanized world. The rising sun behind the structures seeks to capture our eyes to the beauty of a new day, but is prevented from doing so through the intervening, unforgiving man-made horizon. The brilliant reds spreading along the horizon’s edge introduce a feeling of alarm and danger, while the fade from red to brown-tinged oranges and yellows establishes the sense that the upper atmosphere has been dirtied. By using the rule of thirds in establishing the proportions of this piece, the artist has imbued a sense of imbalance in the photo, at once leaning to the left in recognizable shapes and leaning to the right in heaviness of tone, strong on the bottom in content and strong on the top in use of color. Movement in the picture begins with the movement of the smoke coming out of the smokestack, moves up and then across, bringing the viewer’s attention to the sickly color of the sky before blending with the atmosphere and ground along the right side, making it difficult to distinguish one from the other. Source: Britton (d) The use of the oblique angle in this architectural photo provides this image with an uncharacteristic depth, increasing the overall impression of a solid, formidable structure. Its shape filling the entire frame, looking as if it struggled to contain itself within the borders of the print, further emphasize this strength and bulk, giving the viewer the impression that the proportions of the building are larger even than the natural world surrounding it. Seeming to look up at the structure from such a unique angle tends to make the viewer feel a little off-balanced, perhaps needing the security of the foundation indicated here. The photo itself is balanced between the smaller towers of the front and the taller towers of the back of the cathedral through this same perspective, allowing each to meet in the middle. The pattern of the bricks creates a sense of great activity within the confined space as compared to the more static appearance of the lawns and trees around it. A sense of texture is found in the various planes and angles of the structure itself. Everywhere, the play of shadow and light contribution yet further detail, luring the eye to explore the various details of the architecture. The cathedral itself provides symmetry in the organization of its various towers and windows while emphasizing the overall emphasis of the piece which is that of the concrete aspect of spiritual. All of the lines and angles point upward, toward the billowy, fluffy clouds overhead and the brilliant blue expanse of heaven. Because the only place in which the blue sky can be seen is directly over the cathedral itself, one gets the impression that only through the church can one find the pathways to heaven. Source: Britton (e), 2001 Despite the coldness typically associated with city scenes such as this photo, the photographer has managed to portray both engineering achievements and natural wonder. Although the beauty of nature is allowed to show through, it is the lines of the man-made products that provide the curves necessary to create the illusion. Even in the display of light, the sun’s light is seen as a shapeless area under the bridge, but the artificial lights of the foreground present rounded domes above. Meanwhile, the horizontal and vertical lines of the structure provide necessary support and stability. Pushing the apex of the closer bridge at the left and cradling the further bridge arch in the center provides the motion in this piece. The vertical pattern of the bridge guardrails provides a sense of security while the curved lines mimic natural structures. With these curved shapes and cradling effect, it is the bridge structure itself that provides the emphasis on the natural world. The eye naturally enters the piece at the top left, follows the curve to the bottom right and focuses on the center. Strong verticals in bridge supports and lampposts bring the eye upward again. However, it is the natural world that provides the necessary touches to bring out the mimicking effect on the bridge. The soft texture seen in the sky softens the metal and concrete structure while the soft orange and yellow present a welcoming, friendly feel. Despite the concern the piece might be overbalanced to the left as a result of the upward curve of the bridge, balance is achieved by placing the brightest light of the sun slightly off-center to the right, coaxing the eye back in and down. References Britton, Ian (a). Tree, Sunrise, Northumberland. FreeFoto.com. Retrieved from on 13 January 2006. Britton, Ian (b). Kruzenshtern, Tall Ships 2000 Southampton. FreeFoto.com. Retrieved from on 13 January 2006. Britton, Ian (c). (15 March 2003). Sunset, Teesside Industry. FreeFoto.com. Retrieved from on 13 January 2006. Britton, Ian (d). Hereford. FreeFoto.com. Retrieved from on 13 January 2006. Britton, Ian (e). (1 November 2001). The Tyne Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne. FreeFoto.com. Retrieved from on 13 January 2006. Miotke, Jim. (2005). Shape. BetterPhoto.com. Retrieved from on 15 January 2006. Montagne, Bruce. (1999). Textures. Montagne’s Book. Retrieved from on 15 January 2006. Photography: Ten Tips. (1997). PhotoSecrets. Retrieved from < http://www.photosecrets.com/p03.html> on 15 January, 2006. Wikipedia contributors. (2006). Photography. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved < http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Cite&page=Photography&id=35157392> 15 January 2006. Read More