To start with I selected my image and copied it. I then increased the canvas size to double the width and length of the original. I pasted my image and flipped it vertically and lined it up so that it was even to my original image. I then selected both images together and flipped them horizontally, creating the mirrored effect.
Exploring with ISO settings-
I photographed the woods in different IOS settings. As you can see the lower the IOS setting was , for example in the first photo it was 400, the less light got in and it was very dark and almost all black. I then photographed it each time I increased the IOS setting and as you can see the photo got much more lighter and the last photo turned out almost white.
SURFACES-
Ernst Haas- Ernst Haas was an Austrian-American photojournalist and color photographer. During his 40-year career, Haas bridged the gap between photojournalism and the use of photography as a medium for expression and creativity.
He focuses on a variety of surfaces such as roads, reflections in mirrored buildings or even water. My process for this photo shoot will be to take photos of different parts of a road such focus on the surface of the pavement and even certain areas like a zebra crossing. I will also photograph reflections in puddles or windows and if it rains then keep the background out of focus and make the raindrops the main focus.
My response-
AARON SISKIND– Aaron Siskind was an American photographer whose work focuses on the details of things, presented as flat surfaces to create a new image independent of the original subject. I was inspired by the photographs he took of the roads and all the different broken textures. I’m going to take own photos in the style of Aaron Siskind as his work fits perfectly into the theme of texture.
Here’s some of my favourite photographs he’s took-
RESPONSE- CONTACT SHEETS
My main focus during this photoshoot was to take photos and capture different textures I could spot in the woods. For example, I took photos of various parts of broken woods and trees, the reflection in the small stream and several branches. I took photos of extremely tall trees from a much lower angle in order to create the illusion of the tree looking right over the person looking at my photograph, this also makes the tree seem much bigger than it actually is. While I was doing that I was using different IOS settings, as you can see in my contact sheets I had to take the same photo a couple of times to get the perfect lighting with the IOS setting. The darker the setting was the more details you could see on the tree barks and cores as the colour was much sharper and you could see the patterns on them a lot more clearer. I also took photos of corners of roads as I wanted to take photos in the style of Aaron.
My favourite photos
EVALUATION-
I really like how my photo shoot in the woods turned out because I wanted to focus on the different textures and reflections in the stream as well as exploring the different IOS settings. I was inspired by Aaron because he captures texture in a different way such as paint or wood peeling off different walls which is why I wanted to photograph the broken tree barks and photograph them up close. By changing the IOS settings it made a big difference in how much detail you could see in each photo and how much light was getting let in.
PROCESS- I selected all of my original photograph and added extra canvas size to then paste it again, I then flipped the photo horizontally to the right. I then created a new layer and added more canvas size at the top to paste the two images over but vertically now to create my final image. Once I finished that I increased the hue and saturation slightly to create a brighter effect.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1983, Nick Albertson has had his abstract photography exhibited in Chicago, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco and New York, as well as international exhibitions such as the Pingyao International Photo Festival. Albertson’s work focuses on patterns and repetition in ordinary, mundane objects. Nick Albertson’s work combines photography, video, and sculptural forms
The harsh, artificial lighting powerfully illuminates the white hangers in order to create a clear contrast against the harsh, black background. No shadows are formed in this photograph as the background itself is black, therefore any shadows produced would have blended into the surroundings.
There is a clear juxtaposition between straight and curved lines in the photograph. There is no specific direction created in the image as the lines direct the viewers eyes in all directions around the screen. The lines are used more as focal points for the image rather than leading lines as there is not one singular focal point.
There is a pattern of repetition using lines in this image. The contrasting straight and curved lines create a type of swirling pattern around the screen as they cross paths with one another.
The aesthetic of the image is very geometrical and artificial, as Albertson lays out the coat hangers in a specific way and bends them in order to create juxtaposing lines. Shapes such as squares and triangles are created due to the specific bending of the lines.
The photograph is very shallow and has no use of depth of field as the whole image is in focus and no shadows have been created with the use of light. The image focuses purely on the patterns of repetition and contrasting light and dark. A larger aperture may have been uses for this image, perhaps f.4, as there is no need to capture the depth in the photograph. A fast shutter speed was probably used for this still-life image and I also believe a high ISO was used in this image in order to create the harsh whiteness.
It is difficult to depict the texture of this photograph as the image itself is very flat, however there is a lack of rough or jagged edges in the photo therefore I believe the texture must be smooth.
There is little range in tone or value in the image as the shades of black and white are completely contrasted. The blinding white lines are juxtaposed with the gloomy, black background in order to create a distinction between black and white. The whole image tends towards darkness, as the thin lines are the only use of light.
There is no colour in the photograph. This is because Albertson’s aim was to signify the contrast of black and white and focus on patterns of lines rather than the use of colour. The lack of colour allows the viewer to appreciate the pattern of lines in it’s purest form.
I feel as though this image is balanced as the whole image is busy and there is no negative space. The composition of the image is artificial and geometric, however there is no use of the rule of thirds in this image, as there is no specific focal point.
Harry Callahan, born in 1912, was an American photographer and educator who taught at both the Institute of Design in Chicago, and the Rhode Island School of Design. Harry Callahan held his first solo exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1951, he later held a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York between 1976 to 1977. In 1978, Callahan represented the United States in the Venice Biennale. Callahan was one of the few innovators of modern American photography noted as much for his work in color as for his work in black and white, and also often used the method of multiple exposures in his photographs.
The soft, natural lighting in this photograph allows for a slightly more subtle contrast of light and dark. The shadows and highlights in the image are not harsh, however they still depict a clear juxtaposition.
There is a clear pattern of repeated, jagged lines in the image. The lines direct the viewers eyes upwards, and towards the top third of the image.
A repetition of line is exemplified in the photograph, as the plants create both straight and curved lines that juxtapose against one another. The plants are then reflected in the water to create a further sense of abstraction, as the reflected lines are distorted by the water.
The shapes in the image are both geometric and organic as some of the lines are straight, however they become distorted and curved by the water.
There seems to be a narrow depth of field in this image as the reflections of the plants in the foreground seem to be more in focus than the background. I think this image was taken with a larger aperture and maybe a longer shutter speed in order to capture the motion of the water.
The water in the foreground of the image gives the photograph a smoother texture, however the contrast of jagged, misshapen lines also could give the image a rougher texture.
There is a range of tones from dark to light in the photograph. Although the image has a monochromatic theme, there is slight change in tone between black, white and grey. For example, the darkest area of the image is the thin, black lines created by the plants. The lightest area of the photograph is the reflections of the water in the background, which are highlighted by the sun.
There is very no colour in the image, however there is a range of tones from black to white, and a very subtle green hue to the image.
Although the composition is unorganised and organic, the composition seems balanced as the pattern of lines is consistent throughout the photograph.
Nick Albertson and Harry Callahan both interpret abstraction and especially patterns of repetition in similar ways. For example, in these photographs, they both focus on the repetition of line through different methods. In addition, these images create a strong sense of contrast with light and dark.
On the other hand, Albertson’s work is heavily artificial and organised, as he specifically places his subject into a desired pattern or shape. He also uses artificial lighting in order to highlight the repetition in his images. Harry Callahan’s work juxtaposes this as he often photographs natural forms and patterns found in nature. Because of this, he also uses natural lighting which softens the image as a whole to give less defined shadows and highlights.
Alfred Stieglitz (born January 1, 1864 – July 13, 1946) was an American photographer and modern art promoter who has a career in making photography an accepted art form. He was best known for the modinest movement.
These photos show a large range of repetition as the majority of his photos are taken of the sky so therefor they consist of clouds.
MY PHOTOS:
MY BEST PHOTOS:
I feel as these photos work best as you can clearly see clear repletion of clouds as well as the bright tones the sky has which reflects on the clouds which adds further contrast. Additionally the warmth light helps the photographs show depth as well as enhances them making them show clear details.
Nick Albertson
Nick Albertson is an artist from Boston Massachusetts and was born in 1983. His work has been exhibited in Chicago, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco and New York as well as internationally. His work is very pattern bases and focuses on themes such as repetition, line, shape and texture. I have shown some of his photo shoots below.
Immovable Shadow
Manufactured Gestures
White Light
Tape Cuts
Photo Sprays
Ernst Haas
Haas was an Austrian-American photojournalist and during his 70 year career, began using photography to express creativity. He was born in 1921 and died in 1986. He is famous for his long shutter speed images that really show natural movement. One of his common subjects for his photographs was water and throughout his career seemed to have a passion for different ways light is reflected and refracted. Haas photographed many different things throughout his career which i have listed below.
Flora
Creation
Abstract
Motion
Americas
Comparison
The lighting in Albertson’s image is very bright and we can tell by the type of light that the image was most likely taken in a studio using artificial light. Also there is contrast between the bright and vibrant colours. However, in Haas’s image we can tell that the light is very natural and there is little to no contrast. Also the colours in the second image are not vibrant and the lack of colour creates a dull tone.
Alberton’s image is taken as a close up as we cannot see the surrounding of the image which was done deliberately to compare and contrast the colours to the dark and angular shadows in the background. However in Haas’s image the photo is taken as a medium length photo as we are not seeing the image from far away but at the same time we are not seeing it up close.
The first image is very angular and colourful, however it has not much depth but we can still see the shadows made from the angular tape. This is similar to Haas’s image as it also is very angular and casts angular shadows but lacks the vibrancy of the colours. The first image is most likely cropped to get the very angular and minimalist features but i do not believe Haas’s image is cropped because he wanted to keep the man made and light and dark features.
Albertson’s images were taken from the early 1990’s – now so he had the opportunity to work with the best equipment to take precise and vibrant colours to his wishes compared to when Haas took his photos from around 1930-86 when he died.
Alfred’s photograph was taken in 1925, it is of a dark blue sky with light clouds and was taken for Alfred’s project on ‘Equivalents’. The background is underexposed bringing the viewers attention primarily to the white, soft clouds. It uses natural lighting but evidently a low ISO has been used as there is a bit of a grainy texture to the dark, blue tones. The photographs creates an atmosphere of cold, neutral atmosphere due to the primary colour blue being used which emphasizes a wintry climate. The photographer has powerfully used the rule of thirds evidently situating the subject bottom center. It also creates this sense of the Divine due to the bright, white gleam coming through the clouds; a sort of sign from Above (literally).
In the second shot which was captured by Ernst Haas in Los Angeles around the 1950s. It is an abstract, black and white shot of soapy water with a variety of rich, black and white tones. By the “painting” effect in this image, the viewer can clearly see that the artist has used a slow shutter speed in order to capture movement and create this dreamy, abstract shot. The contrast between white and dark tones creates an illusion of the ocean; as if the picture was taken from above at the beach, these tones also suggest that the photographer has used artificial lighting to compose this image and make them fuller and richer. The way the picture is formatted gives the impression that this picture was taken from above with a still camera as the image is quite flat with no edges, and shows no signs of shake. Finally, both images have showed an understanding of depth of field as they are both close-ups of a specific subject.
In terms of similarities, both are digital images taken by a male photographer using a camera in the 20th Century. Both images portray a dream atmosphere and create a sense of simplicity and relaxation for the viewer through the use of light tones. These two images have powerfully explored dark and light tones and follow a repetitive patter. For example, Alfred’s follows a repetitive pattern with the clouds and Ernst’s follows a repetitive pattern with the soap both considered soft and fluffy subjects. These two shots clearly share similar focal points as the pair attempts to make the white, bright tones the main focal points of the images and the use of soft lighting to produce these outcomes.
Per contra, Alfred’s image has a wider variety of colours than Ernst’s as it is in colour as Ernst’s in in black and white. Nonetheless, Ernst Haas has created a photograph that looks more like a painting due to the slow shutter speed used and Alfred’s is in more detail and focus due to a faster shutter speed clearly being used which also creates a contrasting effect to Haas as it is more stroke and sharp. Evidently, they are both different images as one is of clouds and the other is of soapy water; Ernst’s contains harsher shadows and darker tones as compared to Alfred’s image that contains partially brighter tones, it also uses natural, dim lighting creating this “sign from above” feeling in comparison to Haas that most likely used artificial lighting to form this close-up – which is another difference because Alfred’s subjects are slightly further away from the “viewer” as compared to Haas who’s subjects are closer to the lens. Finally, the layout and size of them are different; Haas is a landscape rectangle whereas Alfred’s a portrait rectangle.
Paul Strand Vs Jaromir Funke
I chose to compare and and contrast these two artists against each other as they both use light and shadowing techniques in very provocative ways.
Paul strand creates black and white images with exaggerated deep contrast by shooting sharp leading lines possessed by certain architecture in harsh light which creates long eloping shadows to form giving his images this contrast and tonal range.
Jaromir Funke similarly experiments with this harsh light and shadow forming technique to form these abstract black and white pieces.
The main differences between their pieces is that Jaromir creates more abstract unconventional compositions solely sue to the fact he intentionally creates his sets of random interesting objects that will clash well with light and form shadows while Paul shoots typical, mundane architecture but in a creative fashion to form his contrasting images.
Pauls image on the left contains harsh natural light to create the intense shadows bordering each of the subjects. He used a narrow aperture to create a deep depth which is supported by the leading lines running parallel through the image. His image has been infused with sharp highlights and deep blacks to accentuate the shadows and the images tonal range. His image also includes repetition, this is seen through all the duplicating steps. This image also has a sinister essence with the baby’s face emerged in a shadow it almost juxtaposes that an innocent being could be portrayed as having an evil soul
Jaromir Funke’s image contains abstract light experimentation that plays tricks on the mind. He uses a harsh fluorescent looking light to draw out shadows and create the images contrasting tones. The image contains a lot of sharp geometrical features which frame certain streams of light and let through others. His image is l=slightly under exposed to add depth to the shadows. A high ISO has been used to add sensitivity to the film which has created a slight grain and given the image texture. The space in the image is quite populated with little negative space. He has also shot the shapes at an angle instead of straight on which gives a unique perspective to how the shadows elope and given the image more depth.
