Focus and depth of field- Explained

Depth of field is the distance about the plane of focus, where objects appear acceptably sharp in an image. Although an optical imaging system can precisely focus on only one plane at a time, the decrease in sharpness is gradual on each side on the plane of focus, so that within the depth of focus the unsharpness is imperceptible under normal viewing conditions.Many photographers have used Depth of field to create a certain type of mood or effect for the photo that they are taking.

Many of these photographers include:

Ralph Eugene Meatyard-                                                                              Meatyard mainly experimented with various strategies including multiple exposures, motion blur and other methods of photographic abstraction. Two of Meatyards series were mainly focused on Depth of field, with both stretching the expressive potential of photography and film when looking within the ordinary world.

Here is some of his work, named ‘Zen Twigs’ I really like these 2 photos as the dramatic use of the black and white gives the photo a spooky and eerie tone and effect, but also due to the leafless branches and the way that they stand out and creep out of the frame makes it seem alive-like. The use of the black and white effect makes the photograph have a colder atmosphere making it seem like the photo was taken in the middle of winter, giving it a cold and shivery feeling.

Albert Renger-Patzsch

Albert Renger-Patzsch(1897-1966) was born in Würzburg, Germany. He lived and and worked in Essen and Wamel, Germany.

German photographer Albert Ranger-Patzsch was a ground breaking figure in the New Objective  movement, which was made to engage with the world and people in it as much as possible.

Moving away form the ideals and subjects that are highly prized of a previous generation, Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity) emerged as a trend in German art, architecture and literature in the 1920s. Applying this attitude to the field of photography, Renger-Patzsch adopted the camera’s ability to produce a direct visual recording of the world. ‘There must be an increase in the joy one takes in an object, and the photographer should be fully conscious of the splendid fidelity of reproduction made possible by his technique’, he wrote.

This selection reflects the range of subjects that Renger-Patzsch would always come back to throughout his career. It includes his early wildlife and botanical studies, images of traditional craftsmen, formal studies of mechanical equipment, commercial still lifes, and landscape and architectural studies. His images of the Ruhrregion, where he moved in 1928, document the industrialisation of the area in an extreme amount of  detail. All of his work demonstrates his continued interest in the camera’s capability to capture to the beauty and complexity of the modern worl

Image result for albert renger-patzsch

Image result for albert renger-patzsch

 

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Paper Photo shoot Contact sheet

This is my second time using a contact sheet to create ideas for final photographs. I have used the same colours as I did last time to show my final choices and my thought process.

I was very unhappy with the turnout of this photoshoot, as when I had a closer look there are loads of problems which I don’t like. As you will see from this there are loads of red crosses due to the unhappiness of my photography.

Photoshop Skills

Original Image

Original Image

 

Process of Editing
  • To begin with I cropped the image down to get rid of the blurred edges that where caused by the window frame.  This left me with a clear image of the structure.
Process of Editing
  • My next step was to adjust the image while it was in colour, I adjusted the contrast to make the colours more vibrant and I also adjusted the exposure to capture the light in the right corner of the image more vividly.
Process of Editing
  • Next I cropped out one of the structural lines and duplicated this into another layer and then proceeded to do this again.  I did this to create a more geometric abstract image.
Process of Editing
  • For my final step I edited the separate colour vibrancy in the blues and cyan’s I did this to make my photograph more vibrant and to pop.

Final Image

Final Image

 

White Balance

White balance is a setting on the camera that interprets the colour in the scene. There are different options when using white balance which include, auto, tungsten, fluorescent, daylight, cloudy and flash. They all produce different colour in the same photo.

Here in these photo gallery I have photographed the same scene but in different white balance settings. I photographed the same object inside and outside, this enabled me to change the settings on the camera to get the right aperture so the photo wasn’t too bright or dark.

Here in these 2 photo gallery’s I have photographed my object inside and outside, but changing the white balance settings too see how it affected the photo. I can see that certain settings bring out more colour than other, for example some of the photos are more orange than other and some are more blue.

Inside Photos

Outside photos

Inside Photos

Outside Photos

When photographing outside I had to change the shutter speed, so the photo would let less light into it, otherwise the photo would be too bright. Increasing the shutter speed results in the photo letting less light into the photo, the shutter speed is normally increased when outside because of the sun light and different tones around you.

 

Week 4 | Camera Skills | Editing | Analysing images

Lesson 1 

  1. Check  homework  # 3 is complete and uploaded.
  2. Complete Case Study on Albert Renger-Patszch / New Objectivity

Lesson 2 :

  1. Camera Skills (focus control, depth of field, focal length)
  2. Photoshop skills

Lesson 3:

  1. Camera Skills (ISO / WB / Exposure settings)
  2. Photoshop skills

Lesson 4:

  1. Complete blog posts on camera skills / photoshop skills
  2. Analysis skills (look at key example)

 

Click this PDF link for a range of resources and that we will be exploring to help you generate new and different ideas whilst learning what ABSTRACT PHOTOGRAPHY can be and how to use your camera and adapt your photographs…

AS Photography UNIT 1 resources

Camera Skills

You must experiment with ease of these skill areas and produce a blog post on each that includes evidence of your experiments and successes…

The images should be of an abstract nature, and show an appreciation of abstract qualities such as line, shape, colour, form, texture, pattern, repetition, symmetry

  1. Using Auto-Focus
  2. Using Manual Focus
  3. Using focus points
  4. White Balance
  5. ISO
  6. Aperture
  7. Focal Length
  8. Depth of Field
  9. Fast / Slow Shutter Speed

Photoshop Skills

  1. Cropping
  2. Selections
  3. Adjustments and corrections
  4. Transforming an image
  5. Layer control
  6. Image size / canvas size
  7. Double exposures
  8. Opacity control
  9. Blending layer / options

 

Working towards a vision…

canon

 

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Use this method to analyse key images

Rule of Thirds

camera-skills-jc

James Welling

Although these images, entitled ‘Abstract Photographs‘ resemble sheets of paper they are, in fact, made from filo (phyllo) pastry dough. The artist explains: “A lot of my work is intuitive and comes from just trying different things. With the money from the sale of my first aluminum foil photograph, I bought a wooden 8-by-10 camera and started photographing draped cloth. At the same time I was also photographing crumpled shards of dry phyllo dough. Without much premeditation, I combined the two, and sprinkled dough on the draped cloth. Against the dark fabric, the dough suggested, perhaps, torn book pages from the diary I’d photographed, or geological debris fallen from above.” Welling has also experimented with other unlikely materials such as tinfoil, gelatin and ceramic tiles.

Brendan Austin

Brendan Austin creates imaginary landscapes out of crumpled pieces of paper. He calls them ‘Paper Mountains‘. Austin examines what we mean by nature and the way humans have impacted upon it. “The isolated desert city running on oil generators, the mars like landscapes of a volcanic environment and the mountains made from paper all attempt to start a conversation concerning the loss of meaning and reality.” The resulting images appear both recognisable as landscapes but also suggest a sense of artifice. Humble materials are made to carry an important message.

Example instructions

You could:

  • Research the history of abstraction in photography. Check out the images on this Pinterest board. Watch this video discussion about the history of abstraction in photography. Watch this vodcast which explores some famous and not so famous examples of photographic abstraction.
  • Write a short introduction explaining your understanding of abstraction in photography.
  • Choose a quotation that helps you to think about the meaning of abstraction in art and photography.
  • Find your own resources and document them on your web page or in your book with a description of what you have learned from them.
  • Create a series of Galleries featuring the work of Francis Bruguière, Jaroslav Rössler, Vjeko Sager, Jerry Reed, Tamara Lorenz and James Welling including your understanding of their work in the context of abstraction.

 

 

 

Albert Renger Patzsch

Albert Renger Patzsch (June 22, 1897- September 27, 1966) was a German photographer who was part of the New Objectivity movement. He wanted to engage with the world clearly and precisely. The New Objectivity appeared as a movement in German art, architecture and literature in the 1920s. Using this attitude to photography, Renger Patzsch used his camera to produce a true recording of the world. His works includes wildlife and botanical studies, traditional craftsmen, mechanical equipment, landscape and architectural studies.

In 1928 Renger Patzsch published The world is beautiful, which is his best known book. It is a collection of one hundred photographs which presents natural forms, industrial subjects and mass produced objects. He reveals patterns of beauty and order in natural and man made objects. This book made Renger Patzsch one of the most influential photographers of the twentieth century.

New Objectivity

  • Rejection of sentimentality and idealism
  • Showing things as they are, clearly and precisely
  • Concentration of certain subjects

Other photographers at the time who were interested in objectivity

  • Karl Blossfeldt
  • August Sander
  • Edward Weston

 

Glasses, 1927

This is my favourite image by Albert Renger-Patzsch. Glasses of different sizes and forms have been laid out on a white table to create a visually interesting composition. The composition of this image has been thought through since the top edges of the glasses and the end of the shadows touch the corners of the image to fill the entire frame. The lighting, coming from the right hand side, is creating long shadows to dramatize the image and help define the form of the glasses. The formal element line can be seen through the shadows the glasses have casted. Since the image is in black and white, contrast is clearly visible through shadows and areas of highlight which help create depth to the image.

My response

To response to Albert Renger Patzsch photography work I will capture 100 or more images in black and white to replicate his style. I will take pictures using the Hipstamatic app on my iphone with the lens Florence and the film BlackKeysXF. The lens captures images clearly and the film makes them black and white instantly. I think that this effect creates lots of contrast and shows highlights and shadows effectively. After I have taken the 100 images, I will make a selection to have a smaller set of images.