After my initial experimentation with images, using color to respond to John Baldessari, I decided to create another response in which I would become more practical with my ideas and actually cut out parts of the image itself. To do this I would need to use a small circular object which I could proceed to cut around as an outline for the areas of photo I wanted to take out. Using a Stanley knife and a small cup I traced the outline and cut around the outskirts of the edge trying to be as neat as possible, after cutting out wanted areas on all of the photos I went onto experiment with their presentation, linking areas and using the off-cuts to put back onto the photos. Once I had create four different layouts I photographed them against a black piece of card so that more definition could be created. Overall I decided to do this because I wanted to become more practical like Baldessari who would go out of his way to make certain scenes happen, and so by me creating a response like this it would allow me to be in control of the image taken completely, warping it so that it links into my intended outcome. Here are the final developed cut-outs of the photos taken and their various experimentation’s:
For my first edit I decided I wanted to make use of the parts cut out, this is because I loved the idea of placing parts of an environment that would not typically be seen in any other location elsewhere. I chose to use the circles as a theme because of how their repetition linked into Baldessari’s work that centered around figures and form, and so by placing things in usual ways presented aestheticism for the viewer who is drawn to how the locations don’t fit into where they are placed.
For this image I wanted to layout the basis for branching various ideas for designs off on, this could consist of various linking techniques towards each circle and where they could start and end. I selected the areas with the photo which I thought captured the essential patterns and textures seen such as trees, card, sky and fields. These three different areas of the environment make up the piece and so by taking a section of it out impacts the outcome much more than it initially did.
Firstly for this image I decided to link together each circle to one another, giving each three links with the exception of the middle one having five in order to connect it to every other one. The idea behind this was to essentially link together each of the different sections of the landscape together and present the piece with an abstract and unusual object within, making the viewer think about how each area impacts the next.
Finally for this last experiment I tried to randomize how the layout of the cut-outs experimentation look completely. To do this I randomly linked together various circles making sure that two circles had a link to the border of the photo. I tried to make sure the path of the links was completely uncoordinated leaving me to cross over various paths to make a form with no actual structure in the photograph.
Overall I found that my experimentation using the four images went well due to it pushing me to create more edits outside of software, making me more practical with my photographs whilst involving me more with the actual process and outcome of each piece. I chose to use this image as the experiment because of how I thought it presented the most diverse textures and patterns within a landscape found in most of my photos.
For this photo shoot i decided to explore shooting videos to portray nature as i wanted to show the movement which isn’t shown in a still image. I particularly wanted to show the flow of water in a stream or lake and thought that a reservoir would be a good place to shoot as it has different aspects of nature surrounding the water i.e. plants, trees, and animals that i could capture in video. I was also interested in recording the sounds in the landscape. As I walked around the area I took videos and pictures of aspects of the landscape that I found interesting and beautiful. I also took inspiration from abstract art in this shoot, trying to focus on lines and shapes in the landscape.
Videos
One aspect I like about creating videos of what I was originally photographing is that the different shots change after each other, comparing each angle to the one before. I also like how in each video there are different sounds of the surrounding wildlife because I am in different areas. I wanted to emphasise the fragility, beauty and existence of the plants and water and think I did that effectively. I like how in some of the shots you can tell that I am holding the camera up because of the movement giving the video a more personal effect, emphasising how I have just noticed these aspects of nature on a walk.
Images
I took photos as well as videos on this shoot so I could compare to see which was most effective. I also wanted to experiment with these images by manipulating the colours and tones within them to see if they make a more interesting image. I first started experimenting with shutter speed as I wanted to see how the images would look when I photographed moving water and the reflection of a tree. I thought that this would create an interesting series of images of the same subject of nature.
I like these images displayed together as it shows the different effects created by the faster and slower shutter speeds. The first image I chose to display was the third shutter speed I experimented with. I like this image as it still shows the details of the branches and the shapes of the leaves, but has a blurred effect from the movement of water. I don’t think that it’s bios that this image is a reflection in water and makes the reader questions what the image is of. The second image I chose to display shows less of the details in the branches and has a more exposed appearance, making the image brighter. The shares of the branches are still noticeable against the white water, but it still contrasts to the first image which is darker. If i wanted to edit these images further i could manipulate the tone and underlying colours in these images so that they could contrast even more i.e. i could edit one to be a cool tone and emphasise the warm tones in another. The third image I displayed is the slowest shutter speed I used and is the mot exposed. I also like this image as it creates a emphasised blurred effect that contrasts to the other two images, making it even harder for the audience to see what the image is of. I think that this series of images really reflects the fragility of nature through the soft blurred lines of the slow shutter speed that making the plants seem more transparent and other worldly.
In future shoot where i want to experiment with shutter speed i could use a tripod to see the effect o the water of the camera being even more still. I could also experiment with different aspects of the landscape that aren’t moving, and physically move my camera to created blurred effect.
I like these two images of elections of plants o the water as they contrast with my images from my experiment with shutter speed as they are much more detailed as they were taken with a faster shutter speed. This allow for the different directions of the ones and shapes of the branches to be noticeable. In the first image I wanted to include the tree with flowers as I thought this reflected ideologies of beauty and thought that the shape it created in the reflection was interesting. One aspect I don’t like about this image is the composition as I think that they is too many details that are over powering. I think that the combination of the flowers on the tree and the reflection is effective, but I think that the reflection in the top left of the image makes it too chaotic. If i wanted to use this image as a final outcome, I could edit out the reflection in theta left to make a more atheistically pleasing image.
The second image is he more abstract image and is harder to identify as a reflection than the first image.This is my favourite image out of the two as its composition isn’t too overpowering with the negative space at the top of the image which is then continue in the pattern of the reflection. I also like how the plant is distorted through the ripples in the water as creates stretched blurred shapes which makes a more interesting image.
I also focused flowers and plant in this shoot by themselves and in water. I chose the first image above of the whit flowers as I liked how the background was out of focus with the flower in the foreground being in focus. This makes the colours the background blend together, making the areas where the sky is more brighter. One reason I took this image is the spider web which is hanging from one flower to another on the branch. I also like the round shapes on the flowers that emphasise stereotypically feminine shapes.
I displayed the second image looking through plants to show moving water. This was one of the angles I used in my video. I wanted to display it as an image as well as i thought i could compare the two. I think that the video is more effective as it showing the fast moving water in the background which isn’t shown in the still image. Also the movement of the plants in the wind shows them more naturally. I liked the composition of this angle as the surrounding plants and leaves frame the image and make it seem as though you’re looking down through the plants. I think that the plants in the foreground being blurred is effective, with the water being in focus, as it turns the audiences attention to the bright water. I also like how the plants go across the frame in different direction as it creates a more detailed, intricate composition and how the pattern made by the ripples of the water contrasts to the pattern made by the plants.
I included the third image as it reminded me of an image I took in my first photoshoot with the same type of plants in water. This image is completely different to the first as it shows the reflection of the trees above the water. I like how the shapes and branches of the trees are still noticeable even in the reflection and make the composition of the image much more interesting than the first. I also like how there are a few brown plants in the right side of my image, adding to a range of different colours in the image.
This is another image where i experimented with shutter speed. I found that this image reminds me of the photographer Andrew S. Gray’s work who explores abstract landscape photography by moving his camera when taking pictures. He says that ‘The looseness and ability to play without being tied by the light or weather affecting the scene you’d normally be shooting is the style’s appeal to me, also the chance of creating a scene that was not necessarily there’. I think that this concept is seen in my image as the detail of the branches in the right side of the image are still noticeable, but are blurred enough with the trees in the top on the image to create an image of ‘something thats not necessarily there’. I also like the composition in this image as it’s split into three sections of different colours, reflecting ideologies of abstract art. I want to experiment with this camera technique more i future photoshoots as I think it’s effective. I will look more into the work of Andrew S. Gray.
Examples of his work:
Evaluation
Overall I think this shoot went well in exploring the movement of nature and the sounds in the surrounding area. I think that shooting videos was good way to show plants ad water naturally. For this project I still feel as though I don’t have a developed concept so I will continue to research different artists and art movements to inspire me and give me ideas. I also want to explore more with shutter speed and the movement in nature linking to fragility in nature and draw more inspirations from abstract art.
These images were experiments using an application on my phone, I added images into the app and it created the circular effects and I then adjusted it to exactly what I wanted.
Sea
Mountains
Sunset over the sea
Coastline from the air
Agriculture
Using this app, it has allowed me to explore Tiny Planet photography and encouraged me to do more and experiment more with this and I would like to carry on making these images but using a camera and Photoshop, a very difficult process I have not tried before.
“The sun lies at the heart of the solar system, where it is by far the largest object. It holds 99.8 percent of the solar system’s mass and is roughly 109 times the diameter of the Earth — about one million Earths could fit inside the sun.” It creates an extravagant heat onto the Earth, and some describe the sun as ‘beautiful’ due to its warming “sphere of hot plasma.” There is various research about the history of the Sun and scientific research that explains what the Sun is and how it works, as well as other interesting facts about the Sun within our solar system. However, there is other interpretations of what the Sun is looked at by others from different cultures. Mythological reasonings have previously been used; for example, such phrases like the “Sun God” and “Sun Chariot” are Greek perspectives of the Sun. “A solar deity (also sun god or sun goddess) is a sky deity who represents the Sun, or an aspect of it, usually by its perceived power and strength.” The Sun is sometimes referred to by its Latin name ‘Sol’ or Greek name ‘Helios’.
Within the world, different countries and continents are hotter than others, due to their position on the Earth. This is because, countries that are closer to the equator are hotter than countries that are further away from the equator (closer to the northern and southern hemisphere). The equator is an imaginary line that runs round the middle of the Earth. It is directly in between the north and south pole. It divides the globe into 2 different parts; the Northern hemisphere and Southern hemisphere. “The equator is warmer than the poles because the equator is significantly closer to the sun than are the poles (i.e. the equator “bulges out” toward the sun).“
I think that the Sun is an important factor in everyday life. Many people look up to the Sun to be happy; for example, some people are in a much more positive mood when the Sun is shining. I think that my idea of photographing light and shadows will mean my project will portray different moods, showing the variation and similarities within different weather types and different shades of light and darkness. Using the sun as one of the bases of my project will help create light within my photography.
For this shoot I wanted to focus my attention around the textures and patterns found within the abstraction and isolation of photographing a single plant. Having previously looked at the works of Karl Blossfeldt I became inspired through the simplicity of his style but effectiveness regarding the plants hidden beauty from their structure and aestheticism. What I wanted to capture in this shoot was how patterns and textures can be found wherever you go in Jersey whilst looking at the wildlife, and that one such instance, in this case plants, can’t be viewed by the everyday eye but instead needs to be viewed from a closer and unusual perspective in order to properly see how the plants truly looks. I wanted to achieve an aesthetic looks like Blossfeldt’s, using a monochrome filter that exaggerates the shades of the plant, contrasting it from the surrounding environment. Some of his work can be seen below:
Once I had looked at some of his work I decided to go onto make a mind-map for my shoot. By doing this I hope to make my shoot a lot more easy for me to complete, this is because by using a mind-map it would allow me to more effectively identify what I should photograph when in the are, stopping me from taking images that would maybe distance myself from my aims. Here are some examples of my ideas regarding the new shoot:
Once I had completed my mind-map I decided to go ahead with the shoot, my main focus for the area are around the coastal areas of Jersey which have the biggest variety of plants to photograph. Using my mind-map as my primary source of inspiration I decided to take 100-200 images regarding textures and patterns. Here are my results:
Once I had completed the shoot I decided to go onto select ten images I thought best reflected the overall intention of the shoot. By doing this it would allow for me to whittle the results down to only five which could then be used to analysed in more detail and find the photo that best overall represented the entire shoot and my thought process. Here are the selection of ten images that I thought both visually and contextuall reflected the shoot:
After I had chosen the ten images I thought were most effective I then moved onto selecting the pieces that I thought summed up the shoot well. To do this I will be analysing the five that I found to be both visually and contextually appealing to me and the viewers, this would include looking at the visual, technical and conceptual aspects of the piece in order to select the image that best sums up the overall shoot. Here are my decisions:
I chose this image because I loved the textured pattern created by the branches of the tree growing out, for me this resembled a spider web where a general formation can be seen from what the branches have created, however there is a randomness overall as each branch has no sense of direction. I found that the thickness of certain branches brought together the overall piece, this is because of how they provide a sense of aestheticism within due to smaller black lines dart out of the sides of think thicker pieces. For me this is particularly effective from how the backdrop is white and so creates silhouettes of the outreaching branches, really abstracting the tree and highlighting the patterns created from it. Overall I found this image related well to the topic of patterns and textures due to it presenting the top of the trees through a perspective not usually regarded. providing the viewer with an insight into the patterns branches make across the landscape.
What I really liked about this photograph was the use of motion blur to capture the lillies and the reflection of the water. By capturing the brightly coloured lillies against a mainly dark surface of water I found that it created an unusual texture as by incorporating both on a sunny day it removed the impression of water, instead replacing it with a mirror of what overlooks the pond. The motion blur for me also added a sense of movement within the piece due to how it distorts the water surface replacing it with a pattern of blues and blacks blended together making it look almost like a convas. Overall I found that this piece went well with the topic of textures and patterns due to how the blur smoothened the waters surface whilst using the lillies as patches of vibrant circles to highlight what is reality.
For me I selected this image because of how the forms created by the wood come up from the ground as if they were an alien species, these little wooden formations jot up from the group and spread out as they lead further back in land. This pattern they create for me really provided a great contrast due to the variety of different colours which can be seen defining the shapes through things such as grass, moss and water. I found that the black border which surrounded the piece really added to the overall effect due to ow it almost boxes in how the image is represented, making the viewer question what is beyond the patterned field of wooden spires. Overall I found this piece represented the topic well due to the odd spire like structures dotting out of the ground in random patterns, for me this was a good representation of natures patterns and how they can range from normal to unnatural.
The reason I selected this image was because of the use of repitition present throughout the photo. I found this image to be effective due to how it portrays a common pattern often seen in nature through many of the same plants seen side by side often next to walkways, and so capturing it using a composition that boxes this symmetrical and repetative pattern in really abstracts it from its surrounding environment as it gives the viewer a more upfront and personal confrontation to a common pattern seen in your everyday life. Overall I found that the piece is effective in presenting viewers with an everyday view into the patterns and textures you can find almost anywhere you are.
Like one of the images above what I liked about it was the use of motion blur to create a textured pattern between both the water and lillies. I really liked the random pattern created by the lillies onto of the water which reflects the lillies below the surface, by doing this the water creates the imapression of two layers of lillies on top of each other. I didn’t however find this photo to be overall that effective due to how the lillies for me take up too much of the surface leaving little for the waters surface to be portrayed properly. Overall however I found it did relate to the topic of textures and patterns due to how the double layer of lillies represented the repetition found in nature.
After my shoot and analysing five of the images it allowed me to come to a conclusion regarding the best outcome from the entire shoot. Here is my final decision for the photograph that best sums up my aims from the shoot:
Final Image:
When looking over this image I found that it put across a great sense of aestheticism with the blacks of the waters surface and the blues complimenting the vibrant lillies which are dotted around the photograph. I really liked the underlying lillies below the surface as I thought they added some depth to the overall image with the reflection of the trees overcasting the lillies added to the contrast of the image. In regard to the topic title of textures and patterns I found that the photo related well to the title due to how the pattern of the lillies dotted around the surface with the surface of the water becoming blurred from motion which as a result added texture to the surrounding area.
Before going ahead with the next shoot I decided that I would plan what I would want to focus on within the shoot. To do this I had previously looked at the photographer Karl Blossfeldt, a photographer who took a more abstract approach to photography looking at contrast within the structures of plants as his main method of depicting the presentation of them in a more abstract way, doing so through pattern and texture. By using him as my main source of inspiration towards the shoot I would like to produce a response which can also link into my topic of textures and patterns. An idea for the shoot is to photograph colorful or monochrome image in an abstract way regarding areas of Jersey which present me with a huge variation of plants that can reflect that area of the island. To do this I have produced a map which highlights the areas of Jersey which would allow me to take imagery in the style of my chosen photographer through what is present there. Here are some of the locations that I could potentially go to when in the process of the shoot:
When looking over the map I decided that the reservoir located on the East of the island would provide me with the wider range of plants due to there being a broader variety of types that can be located along the shore and further into the trees. When taking the images I would have to become more up close to the subject due to wanting to capture the symmetry present in their every day designs. The North of the island however provides me with more sea based plants such as sea-weed and other plants, something completely different to the plants that could be found elsewhere. Here are the locations within the mood-board that I wish to capture in my shoot:
The aspect that I wanted to explore the most is based around the structure of the plants themselves, looking at their hidden beauty not seen to the everyday eye due to their aestheticism being hidden to those who walk past. I want here to combine both aestheticism and texture and patterns together through these natural formations as I think they provide a great contrast to my previous shoot which looked at the large forms of textures and patterns in everyday lives surrounding the coast.
Another idea could be the use of a high aperture, by doing this like in my previous shoots it would allow me to further remove the subject photographed from the actual backdrop possibly making a more unusual and weird result. From here I really wanted to draw people away from the way plants are usually seen, using a sense of aestheticism and how their shadows cast on the land could provide other forms of abstraction that I could compare to using pattern and texture.
Finally for my last idea I could use editing software such as Adobe Photoshop to edit the saturation of the plants into a different colour, by doing this it would allow me to produce more abstract images due to the contrasting colours being seemingly otherworldly and impossible to find. This could also work with their shadows which I could edit in the software to increase the contrast and produce a set of images where the shadows are emphasized.
In 1881 Blossfeldt began his studies as an apprentice at the Art Ironworks and Foundry in Mägdesprung, Germany, where he studied sculpture and iron casting. He then moved to Berlin to study at the School of the Museum of Decorative Arts (Kunstgewerbemuseum). In 1890 Blossfeldt received a scholarship to study in Rome under Moritz Meurer, a decorative artist and professor of ornament and design. Along with several other assistants, Blossfeldt created and photographed casts of botanical specimens in and around Rome. He continued to work with Meurer through 1896 and traveled beyond Italy to North Africa and Greece to collect specimens. Beginning in 1898 Blossfeldt taught design at the School of the Museum of Decorative Arts (Kunstgewerbeschule), and in 1930 he became professor emeritus. There he established a plant photography archive that he used to teach his students about design and patterns found in nature.
Blossfeldt had no formal training as a photographer and used homemade cameras that he outfitted with lenses capable of magnifying his subjects up to 30 times their natural size. The use of magnification resulted in images of extreme detail and clarity. With the precision of a botanist, Blossfeldt photographed the natural world for scientific and pedagogical purposes and inadvertently became a modern artist. His work was considered the forerunner to Neue Sachlichkeit photography, which favoured sharply focused documentarian images. In 1926, when Blossfeldt was already in his 60s, his work was exhibited to the public for the first time at Berlin’s avant-garde Galerie Nierendorf.The works exhibited there were published in the book Urformen der Kunst (1928; Art Forms in Nature [2003]). The first of his three photo books (the other two were Wundergarten der Natur, 1932; and Wunder in der Natur, 1942, the last published posthumously), it was enormously successful and remains one of the most-significant photo books of the 20th century.
I was particularly inspired by how the textures and patterns created by these natural forms really highlighted minute details that could not usually be seen by the everyday eye. Some examples of his work can be seen below:
After looking at Blossfeldt’s work I decided to go onto analyse one of his images, here I would be looking at technical, visual and conceptual aspects of the photo. By doing this it would allow me to have a better understanding of how he goes about composing his imagery, and the composition he uses to do so. The image I have chosen to analyse is called Hordeum distichum and is part of his fine art series looking at textures and patterns within the structures of plants:
Visual: Visually the piece is extremely aesthetic, using contrast and a symmetrical appearance to highlight the various shadows and depth of the plant. By capturing the plant up close on a macro scale it essentially brings together the whole photo as it fills in a space that otherwise would be blank with symmetrical lines, using a high contrast to highlight the identity of the plant which seemingly unfolds from itself using predominantly darker shades to fill up any space which would contain negative space. The image itself has been taken on a closer level so that the viewer can become more personal with the plant, as seeing it up close presents the viewer with a perspective that might not have been traditionally provided for them. Because of this the photograph seems to make the plant into something completely different to its original appearance, as by singling one bud head out it casts a light onto it that maybe is not accessible when viewing them en mass.
Technical: The photo itself has been taken in black and white, using a black sheet of paper as a backdrop which highlights the structure of the plant, adding a sinister and symmetrical feel to the entire piece. Blossfeldt has made sure to capture only the head of the bud so that it may be presented in a overall symmetrical manner which leaves the end result more aesthetic for the viewers, as using an increased contrast making the different shades pop due to it greatly exaggerating the change in shade so that things like black are emphasized. When taking the image the shutter speed would have been relatively normal due to Blossfeldt not needing to capture any moving object due to the photo being taken in studio conditions, which as a result gives off a beautiful result which perfectly presents the head of the plant in a way not previously done before. Texture and pattern making up the majority of the piece as the photograph breaks up the plant so that it becomes more abstract, creating shapes that could not be previously seen due to a greater scope needed to see it.
Conceptual: Conceptually Blossfeldt can be seen taking this image in reference to fine arts, using a simple but effective camera angle and subject to produce a piece that is extremely aesthetic to the eye, emphasizing the shades so that they perfectly contrast each other and define the overall result of the photograph. The piece plays part in a series of photographs of bud which at the time were taken so that his students could use them to produce biology based work that could be used in class, however his passion for this kind of photograph led him to create more of the typographic styled method.
I wanted to experiment with something similar to the Bechers, where I would photograph similar objects to create a repeated effect. I thought that photographing different windows and doors around the area I live would create an interesting effect as they all the same objects as they all do the same thing, yet they are all completely different in terms of colour, size, shape, texture and tones. My experimentation with typologies is shown in the 2 shoots below.
Shoot 1: Doors
Contact sheet of various doors
For this shoot, I made sure I captured each door I wanted to photograph from a face on perspective, so that they all had a similar viewpoint. I did this as I was inspired by the Becher’s to create multiple photos of the same object from the same camera angle. I edited all my images in lightroom, where I adjusted the brightness and contrast, as well as the exposure to make the photo colours more vivid and bright. I kept my images in colour because I felt that this was more appropriate for the shoot I was doing; I wanted to show the variance of different colours and textures in all the doors I photographed – a black and white effect would’t have made this same effect. Although the Becher’s did this, I wanted to differ from their typologies because their work was carried out in the 1900s, whereas my interpretation is more modern, with more modern and bright doors.
Additionally, I adjusted the lens correction for most of my images so that they all had a face on perspective. For instance, the screen-shots below is a valid example of how I used the lens correction to straighten up my images:
Image without lens correction
Image after using the lens correction and selecting ‘auto’
Shoot 2: Windows
Contact sheet 1 of various windowsContact sheet 2 of various windows
For this shoot, I took the same approach as with my first shoot of doors, but used windows as my main focused object instead. Again, I took all my images from a straight on perspective and edited them all in lightroom.
I cropped every image that appeared less straight on than others, so that they all were cropped to show an even photo. For example, I cropped this image here as I realised I wanted to create a consistency between my series of images of doors and windows, and so only showing one window an image would work best to create a repetition effect.
For my first photoshoot I went to St Catherines woods to explore repetition within nature, focusing on the fragility and rounded shapes that are created. I also wanted to focus on light and reflections, starting to take inspiration from the photographer Rinko Kawauchi .
I narrowed down the 250 images i photographed to 63 and displayed them in a contact sheet below. I found that I liked the images that were close up of detailed patterns.
Reflection and Water
I particularly like these two images from my shoot because of the use of light in the reflections on the water. In the first image I emphasised the yellow tones of the landscape by photographing the reflection of a tree in muddy water. I tried to highlight the fragility and beauty of the tree and nature, even though it’s photographed through something that isn’t normally considered aesthetically pleasing. The mud in the water makes the reflection of the tree a yellow/brown tone which emphases the shape more. I decided to have my point of focus in the center of the image with the edges out of focus, this causes all the attention on the reflection rather than the floor around it. I also increased the exposure when taking the photo to emphasise the brightness of the sky and to interpret the work of Rinko Kawauchi. I think that this is a interesting image as instead of a straight forward photo of a tree, it uses another aspect created by nature to portray it. I also like how the tree trunk goes diagonally across, creating an interesting composition, with the detailed branches coming off the sides. I also displayed my other image below it as I think these two images work well together, both using light to emphasise the beauty of nature, both having increased exposure.
In the second image i focused on what was underneath the water and the colour of the plants, as well as the reflections of the surrounding plants. I like this image as the water moving in the stream makes the reflections of the plants blurred, creating interesting shapes. The slight reflections at the top of the image, frame the photo and create depth between the plants underneath the water. I also like how these plants are all growing in the same direction from the way the water is travelling down the stream, which is them contrasted to the reflection going vertically down at the top of the image. To me , the main focus point of the image is the darker reflection of the plant that off center. This is because its the closest aspect to the camera, and is the darkest point so is the first thing the audiences eyes are drawn to. Also because it is the only reflection that the audience can tell is a pant, as it closer and more of it is shown. I think that the nature in this image is emphasised as there isn’t anything man made, and portrays the plants how they have naturally grown. Another aspect i like is the drop of water that has created a ripple on the plant shadow as it also creates a blurred effect. In later photo shoots i could experiment with creating ripples like this on water. I think that both images take inspiration from Rinko Kawauchi but still look like my own style and interpretation. For further photo shoots I could look more into how Kawauchi takes her photos to interpret her style more.
I also like this image because of how I used the negative space to make the plants and reflections stand out. When photographing, I tried to zoom in on just the plants in the water and to take out anything else. I chose this image to display as i like the reflections combined with the plants that make interesting shapes. I wanted to emphasise a feeling of calm by using the over cast weather that day to my advantage through the reflection from the sky on the water being grey/white. I like how the water goes from white at the top of the image, to darker grey/brown tones towards the bottom starting to show the ground underneath. This creates depth in the image emphasising another aspect of nature. The bright green colour of the plants is contrasted to the colour of the water, making it the first point the audience looks . To edit this image i could crop it so the space above and below the image is the same, creating a more aesthetically pleasing image. I could also experiment by changing the tones in the water to see if any other colours would go well with the green on the plants, as well as edit the water to all be the same tone so that there weren’t any darker areas. This would further emphasise my use of negative space.
Repetition
I also wanted to explore repetition and round shapes in nature as well as reflection. I think these images are completely different to the images of the first half of my shoot as i wanted to experiment by photographing in different ways to see if I prefer one technique over another, and to generate new ideas for my project.
I found i was focusing on close up patterns of different textures as they look interesting when there’s more to look at. The first image is of a tree trunk on its side as I thought that the different sections of patterns create an interesting photo. The top part of the image is the pattern created from the bark on the tree. The detail is emphasised by the ranging dark to light colour, highlighting the curved lines. The center part of the image is of ” naturally grown, this section adds even more texture to the image and is a completely different pattern to the other parts of the image. These shapes interested me as they were different to any other shapes I found, the light to dark brown colours contrasting against the green on the bark adding more emphasis to them. The bottom section of the image is green and brown textured pattern which again contrast to the other sections. I like how in this image the pattern are diagonal across the image, emphasising on how the tree has naturally grown until it fell over. Overall I like this image and think that it would go well paired with another image if I were to use it in a photo book or display as the green/brown tones will complement or contrast well to other colours in nature.
The second image I took of the bubbles creates by the stream where the circle pattern is repeated. I photographed the image so that this pattern took up just over half, which is then contrasted to the water with a different rippled pattern. I also tried to emphasise the white in the image, that is the white sky reflected on the water as I think this emphasises the shadows as there is more contrast. I like how theres a division between the bubbles and the rippled water from the shadows as it makes the patterns looks more textured and noticeable. In also like how the darkest point of the image is the right side, where the darker rock is beneath the water, which is then contrasted to the white bubbles in the center of the image, which is contrasted to the brown/white tones on the right side. This splits the image into three different sections and creates an interesting composition. I think that this image would work best displayed with another image, rather than by itself as I think that if it was contrasted to another pattern it would be more powerful.
In the third image I focused on the patterns on the bark of a tree and the different tones that are portrayed . I particularly like the composition in this image as the two parts where a branch has been cut off are on the top and left corners, not showing the whole circle. I like this as it fills up the whole image with interesting patterns and create a symmetrical image. The image is not completely symmetrical as the branches have grown naturally as different sizes and in different places, emphasisng how nature is unpredictable. I think that the colour of the two cut off branch dark brown/green contrasts well with the colour of the light green bark. I focused the camera on the center section of the image as I wanted to emphasise the texture and shadows that the bark had created and the beauty within it.
Conclusion
Overall, I think this photo shoot went well and gave me more ideas the I can experiment with in future shoots. For my photo shoot where i look at the movement of water, i want to try and add more ripples to flat water, like in one of the image in this shoot to see the outcome. I also want to interpret the work of Rinko Kawauchi further by focusing more on light and perhaps focusing on fragility more in a feminine way. I think that the final outcomes from this shoot were good but i want to develop the concept of my project further and find the meaning behind the images other than my own personal appreciation fro nature. To do this I will research more artists and find inspiration from them.
