Assignment 5 – Rework

The brief I’ve been given is to imagine that I’m about to illustrate a story for a magazine.  I need to illustrate a cover and 6 – 12 pages inside with text to explain each photo link.  The inside pages will form a narrative where each picture adds an extra element to the story and sometimes with two photographs being placed together to broaden the meaning.

For this brief, I have decided to use a social documentary style of photography to record a local event.  The story will be illustrated in the local Parish Magazine which is A5 in size.  Residents are asked to submit photos and covering stories for submission into the magazine.  The magazine covers its printing costs by charging a fee for local businesses to advertise throughout the inside pages.  Volunteers manage the publication, who also raise money for local concerns through the magazine.  The magazine is then distributed through the doors of local residents and businesses.

I’m covering a local event which occurs only once per year at Blist’s Hill Victorian Village Museum.  The Village opens its gates to the public in the evening for visitors to experience Victorian life at night. The Museum charges an entrance fee to cover costs although I approached the manager for a photographers pass as I would be documenting the event for the Parish Magazine.  The benefit to the museum would be wide-spread free advertising of their attractions and in particular this event.  A pass was issued which meant I was also given access to parts of the industrial areas that are out-of-bounds to the general public.

This is my submission for the magazine which was published in the November edition.

 

The biggest challenges were obtaining quality photos given the fact it would be dark throughout the entire event and shot at a high ISO.  Also the crowds were vast and getting the required composition was almost impossible.  My photographers pass came in handy when shooting the cover photo as I was allowed inside the boundary so I could get a clear shot of the man at work. The cover shot was chosen to represent the idea of the event which was seeing and experience Victorian life at night.  The man whose working hard to keep the furnace fires burning has the outline of his face and chest highlighted by the light from the flames although outside is completely in darkness.  This makes for quite a dramatic contrast and tells the reader two things, the event is at night in the dark and industry will be a main feature.  This is an accurate illustration of the realities of industrial areas within the village.  Local residents who are the audience for the magazine story are fully aware of how they live in the heart of the industrial revolution and in this area at the time village life was dominated with furnaces and non stop efforts to ‘keep the coals burning’.  For these reasons I feel that this cover will appeal to the those reading the magazine.

Pages 1 & 2 are all linked in that they are trying to illustrate what the high street has to offer.  On page one is a landscape type photo showing the street and its visitors with a close up of a shop window, lit up, with customers taking a  moment to see what’s on offer.  On page two the photography shop is telling the viewer that the shops are open and customers are welcome inside as a man can clearly be seen at the counter.  Therefore these pages represent the high street, it’s shops, enticing shop windows and the fact that the shops are open giving the reader a sense being there.  Although not evident in photos on these pages the closing paragraph hints at what’s to come ‘a smell of burning wood’.

Pages 3 & 4 are illustrating light and the different ways of achieving it.  The lamplight against a nice brick wall which states it’s used in residential areas is a stark contrast to the street lighting in the industrial areas.  We know the stakes are in the industrial area because parts of machinery are present in the photo too which gives the photo a place.  On page 4 is the entrance to factory which is modestly lit inside although has no lighting outside.  The silhouettes of the visitors have no light shining on them from the outside but they can see inside.  What this is saying is that lighting was a big consideration in Victorian times and wasn’t wasted where it was necessary.  These two pages represent the meaning of the event which is to experience how Victorians deal with darkness compared to modern-day where light is everywhere.

 

Pages 5 continues the story with a transitional walk from the industrial area down to the fun fair and school.  The photo at the top of page 5 was a compromise between adding an element to the story and including a photograph that was more grainy due to the high ISO of 3200.  Although not a great aesthetically pleasing photograph it shows the enormity of the crowds and the walking involved and gives the feeling of moving forward showing an action taking place.  The second photo down on page 5 seems slightly out-of-place in between a crowd of people walking down a hill and the fun fair being at the bottom.  It was included because it is what people would see as they were passing the big iron works which was situated on the hill.  Having passed the ironworks the fun fair is at the bottom of the hill.  The bottom photograph shows the crowds waiting for a ride on the carousel with is brightly lit and colourful and more aesthetically pleasing than the previous two photos.

Page six shows a crowd gathering in front of the school for the fireworks to begin.  It’s a shame there is no indication of the building in the picture being a school but I included to show the symmetrical architecture of the time and to continue the story of the crowds waiting for the show.

 

I placed the two photos together on page 7 as they show a happy child watching the fireworks and we know he’s watching the fireworks by placing a firework in the sky with tops of heads on the same page.  Page 8 is showing the showstopper final firework filling up the sky and putting an end to the event.  The fact that it fills the whole page is suggesting the firework is big in the sky and the biggest fireworks are always at the end.

This concludes my notes that accompany my assignment 5 submission.  A pdf copy of the brochure can be found here

Assessment: Assignment 4 – Applying Lighting techniques

Preplanning

My approach to this assignment was to break down the required elements and use various resources to obtain a more detailed understanding of different lighting techniques.  My first port of call was my learning blog to reiterate what I’d already learnt about Shape, form, texture and colour and in particular using different types of light to achieve the desired effect.  I then used various reference books to confirm my understanding and research the work of other photographers to gain inspiration.  A list of books and photographers will be referenced throughout this assignment.

The Plan

I wanted to use both artificial and natural light to show different skill sets and as I progressed into setting up the shot it became apparent that certain effects required one or the other.  Using equipment already in my collection, the list is as follows:

Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon Macro Lens EF 100mm 1:2.8 L IS USM – I find this lens to offer good quality images when photographing still life.
Studio bench with softbox underneath
1 softbox on a stand
1 softbox mounted on a boom arm
Tripod and ball head
Heavy grade Black Velvet (absorbs light to give an even black background)
scrunched up silver foil
The subject – Ceramic Bowl by the Shropshire sculptress Caroline Bennett (no relation)

I decided to approach each effect with a fresh pair of eyes and concentrate on that until I had an image I felt portrayed the given element.

I’d also like to add at this point that the ISO setting on my camera was set to automatic although the white balance was adjusted to either tungsten for the softbox setups or daylight where natural light was used.

The Photo-shoot

Form
What’s meant by form is the subjects volume or its ability to appear three-dimensional rather than the usual photograph which is two-dimensional.  In ‘The Photograph’ by Graham Clarke he talks about the photographer Ansel Adams and his obsession with form.  He [Ansel Adams] used light to give simple objects a ‘magical quality which transcends their literal function.  Basically its the contrast of light and shadow that makes the subject appear to ‘pop out’ of the photograph.  For this setup I used:

Studio bench
Black Velvet covering
One softbox to the left (no diffuser)

1/25s     f/16     ISO:3200

I used the black background to give an increased contrast in relation to the light.  The reason for not using a diffuser on the softbox was to increase intensity of highlights and emphasise the shadows.  The light was placed approximately 20 inches from the subject to the left.  This gives the same effect as the suns low light where long shadows are cast.  The three-dimensional effects is accenuated by the contrast between the highlights and the shadows.  There are good proportions of both in this image and feel that the form element has been achieved.  Also I used a small aperture to increase the depth of field make the eye see further.

This left me wondering, if the photograph was in black and white would it stand out more?  I used Google Picassa software to transform the colour image into black and white.

I think it’s easier on the eye and does have a more three-dimensional feel to it.

Shape

Emphasising shape using this subject should have been quite easy to do.  However, when I photographed it using the composition I used in ‘form’ the shape was muffled and my eye was struggling to see what was trying to be portrayed.  I then changed the composition and introduced back lighting as I thought that by creating a silhouette, the shape of the subject would be obvious.  Unfortunately this wasn’t the case.  I then searched online for an article relating to photographing shape and found an article on the website photo tutsplus which quite simply says the subject needs to be heavily contrasted with its surrounding but also giving little detail to the subject.  I stood back and looked at my setup and realised the backlight wasnt strong enough to create a silhouette which I was able to rectify with the addition of the under table softbox so the setup for the final image was:

studio bench with white cover
softbox behind (no diffuser)
Softbox underneath (with diffuser)

1\60s     f\14     ISO:3200

Using the white background has meant the edges of the subject are well-defined.  This coupled with the change in composition make the shape stand out more.  Also the lip at the front is lit up by the underneath softbox which adds to the outline creating a striking representation of the actual shape of the bowl.

Colour

In Graham Clarke’s Book ‘The photographer’ there is a reference to some photographers who feel that colour detracts from a subject unless it is used in a deliberate way.  I very often feel the same way especially when photographing people where the camera is unsympathetic to their complexion.  In these circumstances black and white is my preference but there is lots of colour around us and the world would be very dull in black and white.  The setup for capturing colour in my subject is:

Black Velvet Background
Softbox with diffuser either side of subject
Softbox on boom arm overhead
Scrunched up foil mounted on cardboard as a reflector

1/80s     f/2.8     ISO:200

I used a soft box either side of the subject and one directly above on a boom arm.  It was important to give equal light to the subject so I also used a homemade silver deflector to the front for fill light.  To capture the vibrance of the colours I used a relatively slow shutter speed and a large aperture to concentrate the focus where the most colour was.  The results show the colours well although not as vibrant as I would like and at this stage I would normally use imaging software to alter the contrast and saturation.

This particular subject has many shades of its two main colours and are much more vibrant underneath.  I wanted to challenge myself with showing this in an image.

Here I placed the subject onto a mirror to show the reflection of the underside.  I used spot lighting angled upwards at the front of the subject.  This has shown more colour vibrance without the need for post editing.

Texture

The texture of a subject is more prominent when the light hits it from overhead casting tiny shows within itself. I could use the boom arm in the studio to create this effect but it’s summer and sun is bright which I feel is the perfect setup to capture the texture of my subject in a photograph.  This is most effective when the sun is high in the sky and the best time for this is around midday.

1/8000    f/1.4     ISO:100

I used a large aperture to concentrate the focus on one area of the subject, even switching to a 50mm prime les with a large aperture setting.  The sun was so bright on this day a fast shutter was required so as not to overexpose.  Even with the naked eye the tiny shadows cast between the texture of the ceramic were evident.  I feel that the texture has been highlighted in this image.

Edge Lighting

I wanted to try to achieve edge lighting using natural light.  The light needed to be behind the subject but with the light source out of view.  I composed the image with my subject placed between the light, in this case the sun, and the camera.

1\1000     f\2.8     ISO:100

I concentrated on a portion of the subject to emphasise the edge lighting in one particular area.  I think it’s been effective here as the rest of subject mainly sits in the shadows.

Using the sun as natural light on a subject seems easy to achieve but behind all of there are some important consideration to take into consideration.  For instance, choosing the correct time of day for the effect you want to achieve.  In this instance I used morning light when the sun was fairly low in the sky so that the shadows were more intense.  Other considerations are time of year, the sky can be bright in summer and mainly overcast in winter.  Both have their advantages and disadvantages.  Summer light can bring out the vibrance in colours but on the other hand can make photos overexposed.  Winter light is quite dull but this can be advantageous to use as diffused light.  Another consideration is the position of your subject in relation to the sun.  Shooting towards the sun will result in silhouettes which isn’t great photography during the day but can capture some excellent sunsets and sun rises.

Reflections using Light

Another example of different lighting techniques is to use the sun as a light source to cast a shadow of another subject onto my original subject.  Again using low sun to cast a longer shadow I have composed the scene to show the reflection of a hanging ornament in my subject.

1/800s     f/2.8     ISO:100

I had a few attempts at getting all of the reflection in focus but settled with a narrower depth of field focusing on the main part.  The subject has been lit beautifully with a bit of edge light in the lower part of the photograph and a good dark shadow showing the reflection of the ornament.

Another version of this is:

1/1000s     f/2.8     ISO:100

This version removes the slightly distracting edge light and uses a dark background to compliment the shadow and contrast the subject.

Avoiding reflections using light diffusers

Although this photograph wasn’t entirely successful I felt it was important to include it based on the fact that light can sometimes be a hindrance.  On the subject of reflections I wanted to photograph the lens of a pair of sunglasses with my subject reflected in it.  The problem with this technique is that everything will be reflected in the sunglasses including your camera and yourself.  There are two ways to eliminate the other distracting reflections, one is to use clever composition and the other is to use tracing paper as a diffuser.  In the absence of any A1 sheets of tracing paper which isn’t your average household item I used composition to at least eliminate myself and my camera from the reflection.

1/80s     f/2.8     ISO:400

As you can see one of the softboxes is in the refection but I have managed to eliminate everything else from being reflected using composition.  The tracing paper method will eliminate anything you don’t want within the composition being reflected.  Basically making a cone shape around your lens and surrounding the subject with nothing in between will diffuse the light source and therefore eliminating reflections.

Summary

My favourite lighting technique from this series is form.  I like the way in which the light can be manipulated and with using shadows create a striking image changing the way it’s viewed.  I also love the way the sun in its many guises can make or break a photograph depending on the time of day and ultimately the angle of the sun in the sky.

Assessment: Assignment 3 – Colour

The primary colours Red, Blue and Yellow have complimentary secondary colours Green, Orange and Violet as illustrated in the painters colour wheel below:

As you can see Reds complimentary opposite is Green, Blues is Orange and Yellow is Violet.  There is also thought to be a correct ratio between these colour relationships:

Red and Green 1:1 as they are the same brightness
Orange and Blue 1:2 as orange is brighter than blue
Yellow and Violet 1:3 as yellow is far brighter than violet.

These ratios are used to give the correct balance of colour in a composition making it pleasing on the eye.

In addition to these complimentary relationships there are other colour relationship to take into consideration:

• Similar colours that lie next to each other on the colour wheel appear harmonious when combined with the correct ratio.  These colours can also be broken up into warm and cool colours.
• Contrasting colours are two colours away from each other on the colour wheel.  This combination isn’t considered to be harmonious but can be striking.
• Accent of Colour can be any of the previously mentioned combinations but the ratio is always the same.  This has a small area of one colour on top of a frame full of another colour.

My aim is to produce four photographs of each type of colour relationship.

Complimentary Colours

Photograph 1: Orange and Blue 1:2

With the background being neutral the main two colours in this photo are blue and orange.  With the cap and eyes pointing downwards bringing the addition blue shoulders into composition the colours have a correct ratio of 1 orange : 2 blue.  Without the addition of orange in this photo the blue against the neutral background would be quite flat but with it the orange adds depth.  As a photograph this portrait captures a young boy taking a moment in thought which is a rare sight at that age.  With the smile being visible it gives a happy feel to the overall image.

Photograph 2: Yellow and Violet 1:3

My aim here was to try to eliminate as much as the background colour, in this case green, to achieve a ratio of yellow 1 : violet 3.  Yellow being the highest warm colour against a cool violet to balances out the arrangement in the frame to give a sence of harmony between the two.  This photo was cropped to cut out some of the yellow so as not to overload the photo with too much brightness.  By highlighting the yellow portions below you can see an uneven pattern has formed which allows the eye to flow around the photo giving quite a lot of movement to the composition.  Although flowers are one of my favorite subjects because of their abundance of colour this photograph is pleasing to me as there is a carpet of flowers with one flower reaching out more than the others giving a focal point.

Photograph 3 : 1 Red : 1 Green

I happened upon this combination of Red and Green whilst visiting a museum.  I was on the lookout for certain colour combinations and this seemed to have quite vivid shades of red and green.  By creating a tight frame I was able to include the correct amount of red to balance it with the same amount of green.  What I like about this image is that although the red is separated by the green the shape of the metal points down to the green portion and then more implied vertical lines down to the remaining red making your eye take in the entire amount of colour in one swoop.  As a photograph it seems pleasing on the eye albeit not the most interesting photo but fits the brief of colour partnership and ratio perfectly.

Photograph 4

This isn’t a high quality image as it was taken through an aeroplane window on a flight from Dubai to Brisbane.  During this flight as you’re chasing the night and in darkness for 14 hours.  Eventually the sun breaks over the horizon and you’re blessed with this natural colour spectacular.  Having now studied colour in photographs I understand why this image is so pleasing.  Not only does it encompass the blue and orange complimentary relationship it also has the correct ratio of the two colours being 1 orange : 3 blue.  The horizon line draws your eye across it and back out through the silhouette of the wing to the light at the end giving movement.  Below you can see a graphic of the colour ratios and how movement has been created.  I toyed with the idea of this photograph being within the colour accent category as the colour is a small proportion of the entire frame but I decided against it as it contains two harmonious colours in between a silhouette.

Similar Colours

Photograph one: Green, Blue and Violet (Cool)

What attracted me to photograph this flower in the first instance was the lovely deep violet colour with the quite contrasting green buds and some of the background.  After uploading the image file for editing I noticed the nice blue blurred out background which seemed to harmonise the violet and green.  I like this combination of colours and feel that they compliment each other very well.  This image has depth with a narrow depth of field making the flower stand out from the background.

Photograph two: Orange and Yellow (Warm)

When looking inside a flower it opens up a whole new world.  What may not have been obvious to the naked eye are these circles of yellow petals within the orange flower.  The inner part of the flower has more yellow than orange but the outer orange petals even out the balance of brightness giving a pleasing combination and ratio of colours.  Also within this flower are different types of implied patterns.  The darker inner circle has lots of tiny buds making quite and even pattern.  There are implied circles of yellow and orange petals.  Then the outer petals imply different types of lines all pointing in towards the circles.

Photograph three: Green, Blue and Violet (cool)

This photograph has all the three cool colours on the colour wheel which work in harmony when altogether.  The addition of the yellow bits works well because they are placed within their complimentary opposite of violet.  When planning this photograph I wanted to include as much green as possible to make the violet flowers less prominent but somehow it didn’t work that well.  My son was standing nearby wearing a blue scarf so I asked him to smell the flowers to see if the blue scarf added anything to the frame.  I was pleased with the results as the blue scarf added balance to green and violet.  As in my other photograph of crocuses there appears to be a random pattern formed with the flowers but in this instance movement is created with direction of my sons face pointing towards the focal point.

Photograph Four: Green and Yellow

I have never considered putting yellow and green together before but it’s a common relationship in nature.  Green and yellow sit next to each other on the colour wheel as green shares some of the yellows properties.  This combination has more of an edge as it crosses the cool\warm boundary by placing one colour from each side into the frame.  This colour combination is harmonious and easy on the eye.  As a photograph that was taken on wet spring it has a nice composition although the twig in the top right corner can be distracting.  Having multiple points within the frame makes the eye look at the whole photograph eventually settling on the biggest flower facing the lens.

Colour contrast through contrasting colours

Photograph 1: Green and Orange

Every morning my dog hunts for the only bit of sun that enters our cottage.  It’s normally on the end of the bed but on this day she decided to perch awkwardly on the head of the sofa.  When I saw her and noticed how the light had caught one of her eyes and shadowed the other I reached for my camera so as not to disturb her.  I then noticed how the light was on her proudly crossed legs as she eased into a comfortable position in the sun.  I then noticed the silhouette of the window frame and the vase of flowers placed nearby.  And there it was quite a nice portrait of my dog in a natural pose with interesting light and neutral background.  My intention was to upload the photos, edit them and convert them to black and white.  However when viewed on the computer screen I noticed the contrast in the colours of the sofa and wall being green and orange.  In this instance I think the colours work really well together creating an interesting and eye-catching photograph.  Also the slant of the light through the window pointing directly towards the dogs adds movement to the photo especially as the dog is then looking directly into the camera.  It’s as if the flow of light is visual in its path from outside and into the camera.

Photograph 2: Red and Blue

The colours in this photograph are highly contrasting.  The brighter blue sky in the background accentuates the deeper blue and red of the rollercoaster tracks.  The ratio seems to be fairly accurate with less red being the brighter of the two to create an interesting photo.  The strategic placing of the camera was deliberate beneath the two upward pointing triangles to give a sense of height and to steer the eyes towards and along the track.

Photograph 3: Green and Violet

The lavender in this photo shows a curve of violet leading your eye from front to back.  The contrast in colours in dramatic but one that works well.  The ratio of green to violet is approximately 1 Green : 2 violet which is good considering green is brighter than violet.

Photograph 4: Red and Blue

This still life image was created with blue hair gel and red tomatoes with a view to create a dramatic contrast in colours and textures.  I mounted my camera onto a tripod to enable me to be more exact about the composition. The gel and tomatoes were placed in a glass dish and lit from underneath to create an illuminating effect.  Also some tomato slices were placed underneath the gel to add some depth to the image making this still life less static.  The underneath illumination is making the blue brighter and therefore reaching quite a good balance of the two colours when combined.

Colour Accent

Photograph 1:

The red light against the bright blue sky is quite eye-catching.  The light is like a statement peace within the frame which your eye is drawn to immediately.  With the red being bright coupled with the fact that it’s a light it stands out enough on its own to make a pleasing accent of colour.  The lamp-post leads a line down towards the basket catchers and the blue outline of them compliments the sky.  Because the lamppost is in the top right of the frame and the baskets in the bottom left I feel that this gives a nice balance to the composition.

Photograph 2:

This still life was setup to capture an accent of colour.  I chose Blue for the background colour and yellow for the colour accent because I thought they would not only contrast each other but would also be an interesting and striking combination.  With the camera mounted on a tripod and using a 100mm macro lens I set about composing a pleasing arrangement.  Using m & m’s I firstly wanted to ensure the m logo wasn’t visible on any of the sweets as I thought this would be distracting.  Then I arranged perfect lines within a square to create a neat pattern in which to lead the eye to and from the accent of colour.  I tried the yellow m & m in various points within the frame but found this to be the most pleasing and less static.

Photograph 3:

When preparing this shot I had to wait quite a while for the red boat to enter the frame sa as to eliminate all the distractions that were present.  I wanted the red boat to dominate the frame with its bright colour against a sea of blue, background and sky.  I also want to add movement to the photo and with the addition of another point is the frame i.e. the white boat, this has been achieved.

Photograph 4:

When I think of colour accent I also think of colour popping which is why I’ve added an example in this section.  In particular I chose this composition where the colour accent is close to the edge and your eye is directed straight to it.  Your eye is then led away from the colour accent to the face of the bride onto the groom and down towards the detail in the back of the dress.  Although the colour accent is the focal point the eye is led all around the frame.

The above examples demonstrate the effectiveness of using colour rules when composing images.  By using the basic rule of combining the opposite colours on the colour wheel harmony can be achieved.  On the other end of the scale is colour contrast where although harmony may not be achieved interesting and striking photos can be.  I tend to lean more towards contrast as I like effect it adds to photographs that would otherwise be quite mundane.

Assessment: Assignment 2: Elements of Design

The section of study just completed has given an understanding of the basic principles of graphic design in photography.  The knowledge gained during this section has enabled me to apply these principles to my own work.

This assignment is an amalgamation of all the key uses of design in photography through one of my favorite subjects, flowers.

Photograph 1 shows a single point that dominates the composition:

The white against the shocking pink petal makes the little flower dominate this composition.  The off centre alignment of the white flower makes the positioning less static which is essential when framing a single point.  There are other features within the frame to lead your eye around the photo but the white flower is where the eye starts and settles.

Photograph two shows two points within the frame:

I chose this photo to represent two points to show that two points don’t have to be of equal focus to be significant.  What makes these two points work is that the flower in focus makes up the bottom half and centre of the frame with the out of focus flower making up the rest of the top half of the frame balancing out the composition.

Photograph 3 shows several points in a deliberate shape:

When choosing the correct framing for this photograph I had in mind the need to create a deliberate shape and initially had an implied circle in mind.  Now looking at the photograph there are many shapes that can be drawn from this composition making it even more interesting than first intended.

Photograph 4 shows a combination of vertical and horizontal lines:

When photographing flowers I love to use a macro lens and get right into the small parts of the subject and draw out the details that otherwise aren’t seen.  When looking for a subject to represent vertical and horizontal lines I couldn’t find a flower than had this criteria in the close up details.  I did however find a colourful flower bed that with the right framing would show vertical and horizontal lines.  I had to think outside the box and out of my usual style to achieve this representation.

Photograph 5 shows diagonals:

The petals in this photograph are arranged diagonally pointing towards and giving focus to the centre.  The focal point is also off centre giving some movement to this composition.

Photograph 6 shows curves:

Starting with the larger and outside petal the light around the top accentuates the curve and the shadow inside creates more depth and leads your eye on to the next petal eventually settling in the centre and back out again.

Photograph 7 shows distinct shapes:

Looking at the detail in this orchid each curve is made up of small circles almost like small stones balancing on one another.  These curves then when put together make bigger circles and ovals.

Photograph 8 and 9 shows implied triangles:

The five flowers together represent a triangle with a downward convergence.  Even the three flowers at the front have contrasting colours for centres and them themselves offer another example of a triangle with a downward convergence.

This flower, known as hotlips, is much simpler than the arrangement of forget me nots in that its a single flower with an implied triangular shape in an upward convergence.

Photograph 10 shows rhythm:

The small curved purple stems against the white background are repetitive and pointing toward the centre bud giving your eye chance to look around the frame before settling in the middle.

Photograph 11 shows pattern:

The pattern here is represented by each individual bud being the same or similar.  Even though the pattern is slightly broken by an uneven spread the framing is tight to keep the pattern visible.

All of these photos were an absolute joy to search out and find the design elements required to fulfill the criteria of this assignment.  What I found most enjoyable was looking at everything with a different eye all of a sudden.  Traffic cones become upward convergent triangles.  umbrellas show diagonals.  The facade of my house represents verticals and diagonals.  Now when looking through the viewfinder of my camera I’m looking for the design element within the frame to see which criteria the subject fits to make great photo.

Assessment: Assignment 1 – Contrasts (Part 2)

Solid – Liquid

This photo contains two contrasts in itself.  The solid rock sits within the liquid sea.  However, another contrast is that it shouldn’t be assumed that the rock is stronger because it’s solid.  The rock will never consume the water but the water, over time, will consume the rock.

Assessment: Assignment 1 – Contrasts (Part One)

Assignment 1, P   – Carried out 4/3/12.

I have looked back through the photographs I have taken so far to find the contrasting pairs needed for to complete this assignment.  Surprisingly I found five pairs of contrasts and one that is a contrasting pair in itself which is the requirement.

On a previous photography course I was asked to find images with contrasting colours.  It was easy to find instances of colour contrast as there is some form of colour in every image.  The difficulty I found with the contrasting pairs for this assignment was making them relevant to each other.  The following photographs are the contrasting pairs I selected from my portfolio.

Many – Few:
     
Many – Jelly Beans                                 Few – Jelly Sweets
The jelly beans extend beyond the frame which suggests that there is more than what you can see.  There are only three jelly sweets all clearly within the frame so compared to the jelly beans they are few.

Diagonal – Rounded:
     
Diagonal – Climbing Ladybird   Rounded – Wall
The diagonal image gives a much different feel to the rounded.  The Diagonal climb looks difficult but the rounded wall seems flowing and seamless.

Light – Dark:
     
Light – Orchid                                               Dark – Orchid
Rather than the traditional photographic sense of light and dark I wanted to show those qualities in a subject.  One orchid would lighten a mood and the other would appear quite dark and moody.

Curved – Straight

     
Curved – Posts                                                            Straight – Posts
The curve of the posts is quite subtle and in stark contrast is the cold straight Posts.

Large – Small
     
Large – Ironbridge                                      Small – Ladybird
It’s difficult to show large and small unless you have something within the same frame to compare the size to.  There are two white dots on top of the Ironbridge, they are people.  So in comparison the bridge is Large.  In contrast the Ladybird has fibres attached to its body which are so small it’s difficult to see with the human eye.

     
Black – Patterdale Terrier (Angel)              White – Parson Russell Terrier (Morrissey)
This was the most obvious contrast for me as I chose them to be contrasting.

Still – Moving
     
Still – Sea                                                     Moving – Water Fountain
The sea appears to be still as there is nothing in the frame to suggest otherwise. Whereas the water fountain is creating droplets and ripples in the water indicating that it’s moving.

High – Low:
     
High Tide                                                     Low Tide
Both of these photos are of Tenby harbour taken at different time.  The first photo shows the boats floating in high tide and the second photo shows the boats on the sea bed during low tide.

Assignment 5 – Rework

The brief I’ve been given is to imagine that I’m about to illustrate a story for a magazine.  I need to illustrate a cover and 6 – 12 pages inside with text to explain each photo link.  The inside pages will form a narrative where each picture adds an extra element to the story and sometimes with two photographs being placed together to broaden the meaning.

For this brief, I have decided to use a social documentary style of photography to record a local event.  The story will be illustrated in the local Parish Magazine which is A5 in size.  Residents are asked to submit photos and covering stories for submission into the magazine.  The magazine covers its printing costs by charging a fee for local businesses to advertise throughout the inside pages.  Volunteers manage the publication, who also raise money for local concerns through the magazine.  The magazine is then distributed through the doors of local residents and businesses.

I’m covering a local event which occurs only once per year at Blist’s Hill Victorian Village Museum.  The Village opens its gates to the public in the evening for visitors to experience Victorian life at night. The Museum charges an entrance fee to cover costs although I approached the manager for a photographers pass as I would be documenting the event for the Parish Magazine.  The benefit to the museum would be wide-spread free advertising of their attractions and in particular this event.  A pass was issued which meant I was also given access to parts of the industrial areas that are out-of-bounds to the general public.

This is my submission for the magazine which was published in the November edition.

 

The biggest challenges were obtaining quality photos given the fact it would be dark throughout the entire event and shot at a high ISO.  Also the crowds were vast and getting the required composition was almost impossible.  My photographers pass came in handy when shooting the cover photo as I was allowed inside the boundary so I could get a clear shot of the man at work. The cover shot was chosen to represent the idea of the event which was seeing and experience Victorian life at night.  The man whose working hard to keep the furnace fires burning has the outline of his face and chest highlighted by the light from the flames although outside is completely in darkness.  This makes for quite a dramatic contrast and tells the reader two things, the event is at night in the dark and industry will be a main feature.  This is an accurate illustration of the realities of industrial areas within the village.  Local residents who are the audience for the magazine story are fully aware of how they live in the heart of the industrial revolution and in this area at the time village life was dominated with furnaces and non stop efforts to ‘keep the coals burning’.  For these reasons I feel that this cover will appeal to the those reading the magazine.

Pages 1 & 2 are all linked in that they are trying to illustrate what the high street has to offer.  On page one is a landscape type photo showing the street and its visitors with a close up of a shop window, lit up, with customers taking a  moment to see what’s on offer.  On page two the photography shop is telling the viewer that the shops are open and customers are welcome inside as a man can clearly be seen at the counter.  Therefore these pages represent the high street, it’s shops, enticing shop windows and the fact that the shops are open giving the reader a sense being there.  Although not evident in photos on these pages the closing paragraph hints at what’s to come ‘a smell of burning wood’.

Pages 3 & 4 are illustrating light and the different ways of achieving it.  The lamplight against a nice brick wall which states it’s used in residential areas is a stark contrast to the street lighting in the industrial areas.  We know the stakes are in the industrial area because parts of machinery are present in the photo too which gives the photo a place.  On page 4 is the entrance to factory which is modestly lit inside although has no lighting outside.  The silhouettes of the visitors have no light shining on them from the outside but they can see inside.  What this is saying is that lighting was a big consideration in Victorian times and wasn’t wasted where it was necessary.  These two pages represent the meaning of the event which is to experience how Victorians deal with darkness compared to modern-day where light is everywhere.

 

Pages 5 continues the story with a transitional walk from the industrial area down to the fun fair and school.  The photo at the top of page 5 was a compromise between adding an element to the story and including a photograph that was more grainy due to the high ISO of 3200.  Although not a great aesthetically pleasing photograph it shows the enormity of the crowds and the walking involved and gives the feeling of moving forward showing an action taking place.  The second photo down on page 5 seems slightly out-of-place in between a crowd of people walking down a hill and the fun fair being at the bottom.  It was included because it is what people would see as they were passing the big iron works which was situated on the hill.  Having passed the ironworks the fun fair is at the bottom of the hill.  The bottom photograph shows the crowds waiting for a ride on the carousel with is brightly lit and colourful and more aesthetically pleasing than the previous two photos.

Page six shows a crowd gathering in front of the school for the fireworks to begin.  It’s a shame there is no indication of the building in the picture being a school but I included to show the symmetrical architecture of the time and to continue the story of the crowds waiting for the show.

 

I placed the two photos together on page 7 as they show a happy child watching the fireworks and we know he’s watching the fireworks by placing a firework in the sky with tops of heads on the same page.  Page 8 is showing the showstopper final firework filling up the sky and putting an end to the event.  The fact that it fills the whole page is suggesting the firework is big in the sky and the biggest fireworks are always at the end.

This concludes my notes that accompany my assignment 5 submission.  A pdf copy of the brochure can be found here

Assignment 5

This assignment is based on narrative and illustration.  The brief was to produce a feature cover for a magazine and a narrative series of photographs for a feature inside.

Cover Page

Pages 2&3

Pages 4&5

Pages 6&7

Pages 8&9

Pages 10&11

You will find a pdf version of this magazine at https://samjbennett.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/assignment-5b.pdf

When viewing in PDF viewer change the view to, Zoom to fit page.  Check the option in View\Page Display to select Two Page View and make sure Show Cover Page in Two Page View is selected.  This will enable you to view the magazine as intended with the correct pages side by side.

Assignment 4 – Applying Lighting techniques

Preplanning

My approach to this assignment was to break down the required elements and use various resources to obtain a more detailed understanding of different lighting techniques.  My first port of call was my learning blog to reiterate what I’d already learnt about Shape, form, texture and colour and in particular using different types of light to achieve the desired effect.  I then used various reference books to confirm my understanding and research the work of other photographers to gain inspiration.  A list of books and photographers will be referenced throughout this assignment.

The Plan

I wanted to use both artificial and natural light to show different skill sets and as I progressed into setting up the shot it became apparent that certain effects required one or the other.  Using equipment already in my collection, the list is as follows:

Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon Macro Lens EF 100mm 1:2.8 L IS USM – I find this lens to offer good quality images when photographing still life.
Studio bench with softbox underneath
1 softbox on a stand
1 softbox mounted on a boom arm
Tripod and ball head
Heavy grade Black Velvet (absorbs light to give an even black background)
scrunched up silver foil
The subject – Ceramic Bowl by the Shropshire sculptress Caroline Bennett (no relation)

I decided to approach each effect with a fresh pair of eyes and concentrate on that until I had an image I felt portrayed the given element.

I’d also like to add at this point that the ISO setting on my camera was set to automatic although the white balance was adjusted to either tungsten for the softbox setups or daylight where natural light was used.

The Photo-shoot

Form
What’s meant by form is the subjects volume or its ability to appear three-dimensional rather than the usual photograph which is two-dimensional.  In ‘The Photograph’ by Graham Clarke he talks about the photographer Ansel Adams and his obsession with form.  He [Ansel Adams] used light to give simple objects a ‘magical quality which transcends their literal function.  Basically its the contrast of light and shadow that makes the subject appear to ‘pop out’ of the photograph.  For this setup I used:

Studio bench
Black Velvet covering
One softbox to the left (no diffuser)

1/25s     f/16     ISO:3200

I used the black background to give an increased contrast in relation to the light.  The reason for not using a diffuser on the softbox was to increase intensity of highlights and emphasise the shadows.  The light was placed approximately 20 inches from the subject to the left.  This gives the same effect as the suns low light where long shadows are cast.  The three-dimensional effects is accenuated by the contrast between the highlights and the shadows.  There are good proportions of both in this image and feel that the form element has been achieved.  Also I used a small aperture to increase the depth of field make the eye see further.

This left me wondering, if the photograph was in black and white would it stand out more?  I used Google Picassa software to transform the colour image into black and white.

I think it’s easier on the eye and does have a more three-dimensional feel to it.

Shape

Emphasising shape using this subject should have been quite easy to do.  However, when I photographed it using the composition I used in ‘form’ the shape was muffled and my eye was struggling to see what was trying to be portrayed.  I then changed the composition and introduced back lighting as I thought that by creating a silhouette, the shape of the subject would be obvious.  Unfortunately this wasn’t the case.  I then searched online for an article relating to photographing shape and found an article on the website photo tutsplus which quite simply says the subject needs to be heavily contrasted with its surrounding but also giving little detail to the subject.  I stood back and looked at my setup and realised the backlight wasnt strong enough to create a silhouette which I was able to rectify with the addition of the under table softbox so the setup for the final image was:

studio bench with white cover
softbox behind (no diffuser)
Softbox underneath (with diffuser)

1\60s     f\14     ISO:3200

Using the white background has meant the edges of the subject are well-defined.  This coupled with the change in composition make the shape stand out more.  Also the lip at the front is lit up by the underneath softbox which adds to the outline creating a striking representation of the actual shape of the bowl.

Colour

In Graham Clarke’s Book ‘The photographer’ there is a reference to some photographers who feel that colour detracts from a subject unless it is used in a deliberate way.  I very often feel the same way especially when photographing people where the camera is unsympathetic to their complexion.  In these circumstances black and white is my preference but there is lots of colour around us and the world would be very dull in black and white.  The setup for capturing colour in my subject is:

Black Velvet Background
Softbox with diffuser either side of subject
Softbox on boom arm overhead
Scrunched up foil mounted on cardboard as a reflector

1/80s     f/2.8     ISO:200

I used a soft box either side of the subject and one directly above on a boom arm.  It was important to give equal light to the subject so I also used a homemade silver deflector to the front for fill light.  To capture the vibrance of the colours I used a relatively slow shutter speed and a large aperture to concentrate the focus where the most colour was.  The results show the colours well although not as vibrant as I would like and at this stage I would normally use imaging software to alter the contrast and saturation.

This particular subject has many shades of its two main colours and are much more vibrant underneath.  I wanted to challenge myself with showing this in an image.

Here I placed the subject onto a mirror to show the reflection of the underside.  I used spot lighting angled upwards at the front of the subject.  This has shown more colour vibrance without the need for post editing.

Texture

The texture of a subject is more prominent when the light hits it from overhead casting tiny shows within itself. I could use the boom arm in the studio to create this effect but it’s summer and sun is bright which I feel is the perfect setup to capture the texture of my subject in a photograph.  This is most effective when the sun is high in the sky and the best time for this is around midday.

1/8000    f/1.4     ISO:100

I used a large aperture to concentrate the focus on one area of the subject, even switching to a 50mm prime les with a large aperture setting.  The sun was so bright on this day a fast shutter was required so as not to overexpose.  Even with the naked eye the tiny shadows cast between the texture of the ceramic were evident.  I feel that the texture has been highlighted in this image.

Edge Lighting

I wanted to try to achieve edge lighting using natural light.  The light needed to be behind the subject but with the light source out of view.  I composed the image with my subject placed between the light, in this case the sun, and the camera.

1\1000     f\2.8     ISO:100

I concentrated on a portion of the subject to emphasise the edge lighting in one particular area.  I think it’s been effective here as the rest of subject mainly sits in the shadows.

Using the sun as natural light on a subject seems easy to achieve but behind all of there are some important consideration to take into consideration.  For instance, choosing the correct time of day for the effect you want to achieve.  In this instance I used morning light when the sun was fairly low in the sky so that the shadows were more intense.  Other considerations are time of year, the sky can be bright in summer and mainly overcast in winter.  Both have their advantages and disadvantages.  Summer light can bring out the vibrance in colours but on the other hand can make photos overexposed.  Winter light is quite dull but this can be advantageous to use as diffused light.  Another consideration is the position of your subject in relation to the sun.  Shooting towards the sun will result in silhouettes which isn’t great photography during the day but can capture some excellent sunsets and sun rises.

Reflections using Light

Another example of different lighting techniques is to use the sun as a light source to cast a shadow of another subject onto my original subject.  Again using low sun to cast a longer shadow I have composed the scene to show the reflection of a hanging ornament in my subject.

1/800s     f/2.8     ISO:100

I had a few attempts at getting all of the reflection in focus but settled with a narrower depth of field focusing on the main part.  The subject has been lit beautifully with a bit of edge light in the lower part of the photograph and a good dark shadow showing the reflection of the ornament.

Another version of this is:

1/1000s     f/2.8     ISO:100

This version removes the slightly distracting edge light and uses a dark background to compliment the shadow and contrast the subject.

Avoiding reflections using light diffusers

Although this photograph wasn’t entirely successful I felt it was important to include it based on the fact that light can sometimes be a hindrance.  On the subject of reflections I wanted to photograph the lens of a pair of sunglasses with my subject reflected in it.  The problem with this technique is that everything will be reflected in the sunglasses including your camera and yourself.  There are two ways to eliminate the other distracting reflections, one is to use clever composition and the other is to use tracing paper as a diffuser.  In the absence of any A1 sheets of tracing paper which isn’t your average household item I used composition to at least eliminate myself and my camera from the reflection.

1/80s     f/2.8     ISO:400

As you can see one of the softboxes is in the refection but I have managed to eliminate everything else from being reflected using composition.  The tracing paper method will eliminate anything you don’t want within the composition being reflected.  Basically making a cone shape around your lens and surrounding the subject with nothing in between will diffuse the light source and therefore eliminating reflections.

Summary

My favourite lighting technique from this series is form.  I like the way in which the light can be manipulated and with using shadows create a striking image changing the way it’s viewed.  I also love the way the sun in its many guises can make or break a photograph depending on the time of day and ultimately the angle of the sun in the sky.

Assignment 3 – Colour

The primary colours Red, Blue and Yellow have complimentary secondary colours Green, Orange and Violet as illustrated in the painters colour wheel below:

As you can see Reds complimentary opposite is Green, Blues is Orange and Yellow is Violet.  There is also thought to be a correct ratio between these colour relationships:

Red and Green 1:1 as they are the same brightness
Orange and Blue 1:2 as orange is brighter than blue
Yellow and Violet 1:3 as yellow is far brighter than violet.

These ratios are used to give the correct balance of colour in a composition making it pleasing on the eye.

In addition to these complimentary relationships there are other colour relationship to take into consideration:

• Similar colours that lie next to each other on the colour wheel appear harmonious when combined with the correct ratio.  These colours can also be broken up into warm and cool colours.
• Contrasting colours are two colours away from each other on the colour wheel.  This combination isn’t considered to be harmonious but can be striking.
• Accent of Colour can be any of the previously mentioned combinations but the ratio is always the same.  This has a small area of one colour on top of a frame full of another colour.

My aim is to produce four photographs of each type of colour relationship.

Complimentary Colours

Photograph 1: Orange and Blue 1:2

With the background being neutral the main two colours in this photo are blue and orange.  With the cap and eyes pointing downwards bringing the addition blue shoulders into composition the colours have a correct ratio of 1 orange : 2 blue.  Without the addition of orange in this photo the blue against the neutral background would be quite flat but with it the orange adds depth.  As a photograph this portrait captures a young boy taking a moment in thought which is a rare sight at that age.  With the smile being visible it gives a happy feel to the overall image.

Photograph 2: Yellow and Violet 1:3

My aim here was to try to eliminate as much as the background colour, in this case green, to achieve a ratio of yellow 1 : violet 3.  Yellow being the highest warm colour against a cool violet to balances out the arrangement in the frame to give a sence of harmony between the two.  This photo was cropped to cut out some of the yellow so as not to overload the photo with too much brightness.  By highlighting the yellow portions below you can see an uneven pattern has formed which allows the eye to flow around the photo giving quite a lot of movement to the composition.  Although flowers are one of my favorite subjects because of their abundance of colour this photograph is pleasing to me as there is a carpet of flowers with one flower reaching out more than the others giving a focal point.

Photograph 3 : 1 Red : 1 Green

I happened upon this combination of Red and Green whilst visiting a museum.  I was on the lookout for certain colour combinations and this seemed to have quite vivid shades of red and green.  By creating a tight frame I was able to include the correct amount of red to balance it with the same amount of green.  What I like about this image is that although the red is separated by the green the shape of the metal points down to the green portion and then more implied vertical lines down to the remaining red making your eye take in the entire amount of colour in one swoop.  As a photograph it seems pleasing on the eye albeit not the most interesting photo but fits the brief of colour partnership and ratio perfectly.

Photograph 4

This isn’t a high quality image as it was taken through an aeroplane window on a flight from Dubai to Brisbane.  During this flight as you’re chasing the night and in darkness for 14 hours.  Eventually the sun breaks over the horizon and you’re blessed with this natural colour spectacular.  Having now studied colour in photographs I understand why this image is so pleasing.  Not only does it encompass the blue and orange complimentary relationship it also has the correct ratio of the two colours being 1 orange : 3 blue.  The horizon line draws your eye across it and back out through the silhouette of the wing to the light at the end giving movement.  Below you can see a graphic of the colour ratios and how movement has been created.  I toyed with the idea of this photograph being within the colour accent category as the colour is a small proportion of the entire frame but I decided against it as it contains two harmonious colours in between a silhouette.

Similar Colours

Photograph one: Green, Blue and Violet (Cool)

What attracted me to photograph this flower in the first instance was the lovely deep violet colour with the quite contrasting green buds and some of the background.  After uploading the image file for editing I noticed the nice blue blurred out background which seemed to harmonise the violet and green.  I like this combination of colours and feel that they compliment each other very well.  This image has depth with a narrow depth of field making the flower stand out from the background.

Photograph two: Orange and Yellow (Warm)

When looking inside a flower it opens up a whole new world.  What may not have been obvious to the naked eye are these circles of yellow petals within the orange flower.  The inner part of the flower has more yellow than orange but the outer orange petals even out the balance of brightness giving a pleasing combination and ratio of colours.  Also within this flower are different types of implied patterns.  The darker inner circle has lots of tiny buds making quite and even pattern.  There are implied circles of yellow and orange petals.  Then the outer petals imply different types of lines all pointing in towards the circles.

Photograph three: Green, Blue and Violet (cool)

This photograph has all the three cool colours on the colour wheel which work in harmony when altogether.  The addition of the yellow bits works well because they are placed within their complimentary opposite of violet.  When planning this photograph I wanted to include as much green as possible to make the violet flowers less prominent but somehow it didn’t work that well.  My son was standing nearby wearing a blue scarf so I asked him to smell the flowers to see if the blue scarf added anything to the frame.  I was pleased with the results as the blue scarf added balance to green and violet.  As in my other photograph of crocuses there appears to be a random pattern formed with the flowers but in this instance movement is created with direction of my sons face pointing towards the focal point.

Photograph Four: Green and Yellow

I have never considered putting yellow and green together before but it’s a common relationship in nature.  Green and yellow sit next to each other on the colour wheel as green shares some of the yellows properties.  This combination has more of an edge as it crosses the cool\warm boundary by placing one colour from each side into the frame.  This colour combination is harmonious and easy on the eye.  As a photograph that was taken on wet spring it has a nice composition although the twig in the top right corner can be distracting.  Having multiple points within the frame makes the eye look at the whole photograph eventually settling on the biggest flower facing the lens.

Colour contrast through contrasting colours

Photograph 1: Green and Orange

Every morning my dog hunts for the only bit of sun that enters our cottage.  It’s normally on the end of the bed but on this day she decided to perch awkwardly on the head of the sofa.  When I saw her and noticed how the light had caught one of her eyes and shadowed the other I reached for my camera so as not to disturb her.  I then noticed how the light was on her proudly crossed legs as she eased into a comfortable position in the sun.  I then noticed the silhouette of the window frame and the vase of flowers placed nearby.  And there it was quite a nice portrait of my dog in a natural pose with interesting light and neutral background.  My intention was to upload the photos, edit them and convert them to black and white.  However when viewed on the computer screen I noticed the contrast in the colours of the sofa and wall being green and orange.  In this instance I think the colours work really well together creating an interesting and eye-catching photograph.  Also the slant of the light through the window pointing directly towards the dogs adds movement to the photo especially as the dog is then looking directly into the camera.  It’s as if the flow of light is visual in its path from outside and into the camera.

Photograph 2: Red and Blue

The colours in this photograph are highly contrasting.  The brighter blue sky in the background accentuates the deeper blue and red of the rollercoaster tracks.  The ratio seems to be fairly accurate with less red being the brighter of the two to create an interesting photo.  The strategic placing of the camera was deliberate beneath the two upward pointing triangles to give a sense of height and to steer the eyes towards and along the track.

Photograph 3: Green and Violet

The lavender in this photo shows a curve of violet leading your eye from front to back.  The contrast in colours in dramatic but one that works well.  The ratio of green to violet is approximately 1 Green : 2 violet which is good considering green is brighter than violet.

Photograph 4: Red and Blue

This still life image was created with blue hair gel and red tomatoes with a view to create a dramatic contrast in colours and textures.  I mounted my camera onto a tripod to enable me to be more exact about the composition. The gel and tomatoes were placed in a glass dish and lit from underneath to create an illuminating effect.  Also some tomato slices were placed underneath the gel to add some depth to the image making this still life less static.  The underneath illumination is making the blue brighter and therefore reaching quite a good balance of the two colours when combined.

Colour Accent

Photograph 1:

The red light against the bright blue sky is quite eye-catching.  The light is like a statement peace within the frame which your eye is drawn to immediately.  With the red being bright coupled with the fact that it’s a light it stands out enough on its own to make a pleasing accent of colour.  The lamp-post leads a line down towards the basket catchers and the blue outline of them compliments the sky.  Because the lamppost is in the top right of the frame and the baskets in the bottom left I feel that this gives a nice balance to the composition.

Photograph 2:

This still life was setup to capture an accent of colour.  I chose Blue for the background colour and yellow for the colour accent because I thought they would not only contrast each other but would also be an interesting and striking combination.  With the camera mounted on a tripod and using a 100mm macro lens I set about composing a pleasing arrangement.  Using m & m’s I firstly wanted to ensure the m logo wasn’t visible on any of the sweets as I thought this would be distracting.  Then I arranged perfect lines within a square to create a neat pattern in which to lead the eye to and from the accent of colour.  I tried the yellow m & m in various points within the frame but found this to be the most pleasing and less static.

Photograph 3:

When preparing this shot I had to wait quite a while for the red boat to enter the frame sa as to eliminate all the distractions that were present.  I wanted the red boat to dominate the frame with its bright colour against a sea of blue, background and sky.  I also want to add movement to the photo and with the addition of another point is the frame i.e. the white boat, this has been achieved.

Photograph 4:

When I think of colour accent I also think of colour popping which is why I’ve added an example in this section.  In particular I chose this composition where the colour accent is close to the edge and your eye is directed straight to it.  Your eye is then led away from the colour accent to the face of the bride onto the groom and down towards the detail in the back of the dress.  Although the colour accent is the focal point the eye is led all around the frame.

The above examples demonstrate the effectiveness of using colour rules when composing images.  By using the basic rule of combining the opposite colours on the colour wheel harmony can be achieved.  On the other end of the scale is colour contrast where although harmony may not be achieved interesting and striking photos can be.  I tend to lean more towards contrast as I like effect it adds to photographs that would otherwise be quite mundane.