Jaroslav Rössler

Jaroslav Rössler was a Czech photographer. He was a pioneer of Czech avant-garde photography and a member of the association of Czech avant-garde artists Devětsil. Today he is considered an important exponent of Czech modern photography and avant-garde art. He often photographed objects against stark backgrounds, or used long exposures, to reduce subjects to their elementary lines and geometric shapes.

In the first photo he uses paper to create geometric shapes using the shadows and the light. the lines are straight and sharp causing the photo to look neat and put together by him.

However the second photo looks more natural and has no significant shape, you wouldn’t be able to tell what it is unless someone told you.

Formal elements.

LINE:

Objects in the photograph that act as lines, they could be straight curvy, thick or thin. They could create different effects on the photograph.

SHAPE:

Shape elements are often found in photography in the form of patterns. There are two basic types of shapes: geometric or regular and organic. Geometric shapes are – circle, square, triangle ect.

SPACE:

positive space is the actual subject while negative space (also called white space) is the area surrounding the subject. E.G a boat in the middle of the sea.

This is an example of when space is used in a photo, it highlights the tree as that is the boldest part of the photo

REPETITION

Repetition in photography refers to the technique of integrating recurring elements, patterns, or themes in a composition to produce a sense of rhythm and balance in an image.

In this photo, the repetition of the pillars helps makes dramatic rhythm

TEXTURE

texture helps role in adding depth and a tactile dimension to images by emphasizing the surface quality of the subject.

The detail/texture of the lizards skin makes the photo have more depth, as the image is highly focused.

COLOUR

Colour in photography plays a major role in composition, affects balance, and determines the weight of visual elements. Bright colours, for example, are perceived as happy, fresh, and joyful. Dark colours may evoke sadness, fear, or repulsion.

This photo of a sunset is really nice to look at as the many different colours energise the photo. The composition in this photo helps create the mood. it also creates a lot of visual contrast.

VALUE/TONE

In any painting, photograph or design, the area of highest contrast between light and dark will always demand maximum attention.

As this photo would also look good in colour, the tone makes a nice silhouette of the horse and the tree, it helps highlight them in the photo. The tone also creates visual interest to engage the viewer.

My paper photoshoot

This is my contact sheet. I’ve colour coded it so I can easily find the photos which I prefer. All of these photos are taken by myself. I went into the studio and used the ring lights to help create the shadows which helps add effect to the photo. I used a table with a white background and placed my cut up paper and put it into different shapes.

This is the presets, which helped me quickly auto edit my photos.

Strongest Images:

Soft focus / Long exposure photos:

This is my photos before editing

Editing:

This is the before and after of my soft focus photos. I cropped both of the photos and enhanced the contrast and the tone to make it look better. the tone helps create visual interest and helps set the mood of the photo.

Sharp Focus:

Editing

I edited this photo however I don’t like it as the ISO was too high, making the photo too grainy / too much noise.

I edited this photo into black and white, therefore next to my other photos they will look neat.

I really like this photo as its clear and has no photo noise. This is before and after editing one of my photos. I have changed the colour of this photo to black and white. The variations in tone in this image also allows the elements of shape, texture, and pattern of objects to be distinguished.

My Final Photos.

TEXTURE

This is my contact sheet for texture, i added them all into Lightroom and edited my favourite ones.

Ive added a collection on Adobe Lightroom and called it natural forms texture.

This is the presets, which helped me quickly auto edit my photos.

I edited this photo 3 different times.

1. the first photo I added a monotone overlay and then adjusted the brightness and saturation. The black and white stops people from getting distracted by the colour of the photo
2. I added a gradient map, colour overlay then adjusted the contrast, brightness and saturation.
3. On the third photo I changed the colour balance and added some blue tones, however it looks quite dark and hard to see the details.

before editing

After editing.

Line

Line in photography refers to utilizing lines to generate visual appeal and communicate a message within an image. Lines can be utilized to guide the viewer’s focus, establish a feeling of distance, and even suggest motion. 

Shape

Patterns are frequently seen in photography as shape elements. They can be utilized to highlight a specific section of the frame as well. Different shapes can be used to establish a stark difference between the subject and the surrounding area. These are only a few examples of the possible applications. 

Space

Space in photography refers to the gap between objects and their surroundings in a photograph. It can be utilized to add dimension, highlight an item, or focus on a specific aspect of the arrangement. 

Repetition

Using the same design element multiple times, such as a shape, line, color, tone, or texture, can be a valuable tool in the composition of both fine art and photography. Using this one element repeatedly can be utilized on its own or together with other elements to form designs, which can then be adjusted to produce a rhythm. 

Texture

The appearance of an object’s surface, showcased by differences in form, shade, and depth of color. Texture adds vitality and liveliness to pictures that would seem dull and uninteresting otherwise. 

Colour

Three characteristics of color are hue, value, and saturation. Hue is a basic term used to denote color, such as blue, red, and yellow. The brightness or darkness of a color is known as its value. Saturation refers to the strength or vividness of a color. 

Value/Tone

Tonal value in an image describes the brightness or darkness of a color. It is crucial to differentiate various components in the photo and to establish a feeling of depth. 

Edward Weston

Edward Weston is a pivotal figure in 20th-century photography, renowned for his ability to transform ordinary objects into visually arresting compositions through careful attention to texture, form, and light.

Weston is most famous for his still-life studies of natural objects, such as seashells, vegetables, and landscapes. He worked primarily in black and white, using large-format cameras to capture extraordinary levels of detail. What set him apart was his commitment to presenting subjects with clarity and precision, which allowed viewers to see familiar objects in entirely new ways. This is where texture becomes key in his work.

Texture as a Visual Language: Texture in Weston’s work acts almost like a language , conveying more than just what the object is, but how it feels, its weight, and its materiality. This was particularly effective in his portraits and nudes, where the texture of skin becomes a focal point, bringing out the softness and imperfections that make each subject unique.

Lighting and Depth: Weston’s mastery of light allowed him to accentuate texture. Whether photographing sand dunes or the rough bark of a tree, his controlled use of light created a strong sense of depth. Shadows played a crucial role in defining textures, giving the objects dimension and life.

lighting plays a crucial role in how texture is perceived in photography. Different lighting setups can either enhance or diminish the visibility and impact of textures in your subjects. Here’s a breakdown of various lighting techniques and how they affect texture:

1. Natural Light

Soft Diffused Light: On overcast days or in shaded areas, the light is soft and diffused. This type of lighting reduces harsh shadows and can make textures appear smoother. This is ideal for capturing the subtle textures of skin or delicate fabrics, as it minimizes the risk of unflattering shadows.

Direct Harsh Light: Direct sunlight creates strong contrasts, accentuating textures and details. This is effective for subjects with rough surfaces (like bark or stone), as it brings out the details. However, it can also create unflattering shadows on smoother textures, so it’s best used with care.

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2. Side Lighting

Texture Enhancement: Side lighting, where the light source comes from the side of the subject, creates shadows that define and accentuate textures. This technique is often used in portrait photography to enhance facial features and in still life to bring out the texture of objects.

Example: When photographing a crumpled piece of fabric, side lighting can cast shadows in the folds, highlighting the texture effectively.

3. Backlighting

Silhouette and Edge Definition: Backlighting occurs when the light source is behind the subject. This can create silhouettes and emphasize the edges of textured subjects, but it might obscure finer details unless the subject is translucent (like a leaf).

Example: A backlit leaf can show intricate veins and textures if the light shines through it, but a backlit rock may lose its details.

4. Top Lighting

Flat Texture Effect: When light comes from above, it can flatten the texture, making it less pronounced. This is often useful for creating even illumination in food photography, where you want to show the overall look of a dish rather than its texture

5. Low Angle Lighting

Dramatic Texture: Low-angle lighting can create long shadows and enhance textures dramatically. This is especially effective for landscapes or architectural shots, where the texture of the ground or building surfaces is emphasized.

Example: Photographing a rough stone path at sunset with low-angle light can create long shadows, enhancing the texture of the stones.

6. Coloured Light

Mood and Texture Perception: Using coloured gels or filters can affect how textures are perceived. Warmer tones might make textures feel softer or cosier, while cooler tones can give a sharper, more clinical feel. Experimenting with coloured light can help you convey different moods through texture.

Photoshoot + PnX process to slim down options

Finalised Selection of Photographs

Shoot summary

In this series of images, my goal was to capture the intricate textures of the yellow pepper, onion, and lemon. To achieve this, I left them sliced open for a day or so, allowing their skins to dry and develop more pronounced wrinkles and edges. This added an organic, tactile feel to the subjects, which is a nod to Edward Weston’s approach of emphasizing texture in his work. By letting the surfaces age slightly, I could highlight the roughness and imperfections, which contrast beautifully with their smoother interior sections.

I used hard side lighting across the series to accentuate the edges and ridges of the fruits and vegetables. The strong light source really made the textures pop, casting shadows that enhance the contours and fine details of the dried surfaces. It was essential to bring out those natural lines and depth, giving the objects a more three-dimensional quality.

To add a sense of freshness and visual interest, I coated the vegetables, fruit, and the wooden surface with water. This created a dynamic reflection and added to the textures, balancing the dryness of the skins with a sense of moisture and life. The water coating helped elevate the visual impact by introducing contrast between the dry textures and the glossy reflections, giving the series a fresh yet natural feel.

Editing

Just like Edward Weston, I chose to convert my images to black and white, which further emphasizes the textures I wanted to capture. By removing the distraction of colour, it lets the viewer focus more on the contrast between the light and shadows. The monochrome palette heightened the details of the dried skin, the wrinkled surfaces, and the organic forms of the pepper, onion, and lemon. The lack of colour allowed the intricate textures to become the main focus, highlighting every ridge, crease, and line. This decision, inspired by Weston’s approach, helped enhance the sense of form and texture, making the photograph feel more dramatic and rough.

I also decided to turn down the exposure on the original image due to the artificial lighting of my lamp, the lighting is very strong and bright , and i wanted to add a more natural feel and diffuse the light slightly.

line

Lines are a great starting point when thinking about formal elements, as they are almost everywhere.

Start by looking for lines in your composition that can guide the viewer through your shot or to a specific focal point. These are known as leading lines. Your lines don’t necessarily need to be straight, horizontal or vertical; they can be curved, angular, or random too. Angular lines that converge into a central point, commonly known as a vanishing point, will add perspective to your image. Think of how a straight road or railway line naturally disappears to a central point on the horizon – this is a classic example of a vanishing point.

Shape

Regarding shape in photography, this usually means a 2D subject outline. In contrast, form refers to a shape with a more 3D appearance. We’ve put these two together for this video as one formal element.

Effectively representing shape and form in your compositions can turn objects, landscapes and figures into defined, striking focal points. Using various lighting techniques, such as backlighting, silhouettes, and paying attention to shadows, will help elevate the shapes and forms in your shot.

Space

Building space into your compositions creates a sense of scale and brings added depth to your shot. It can also provide breathing room for your image’s main subject, allowing the viewer to focus on the scene’s primary features.

Adding space to your compositions is particularly useful with outdoor photography, where you may want to emphasise the scale of geographical features – such as mountains and bodies of water. However, you can add space effectively when shooting almost any photographic subject.

Repetition

Repetition in photography refers to the technique of integrating recurring elements, patterns, or themes in a composition to produce a sense of rhythm and balance in an image.

Pattern and repetition in photography hold the viewer’s attention by using strong repetitive elements. The patterns can keep the eye anchored or move it around an image using line

Texture

Texture in your composition can bring your image to life by giving the viewer a tangible connection with it, and is particularly popular in macro photography. You can draw textures out of all kinds of surfaces and environments. And to do this, you can use a wide range of lighting setups and shoot with a variety of depth-of-field.

Textures are ideal for experimenting – try different setups and see what you like. You can use flat light with the camera head-on to bring out the surfaces of a weathered wall. Or, use backlighting for ripples in dunes, shallow depth-of-field for intricate materials, and long-exposure to get the silky-smooth look of flowing water.

Colour

A prominent colour in your image whether it’s a concrete colour block or a set of similar colours that form a palette can make a bold statement in your shot.

Colours can also convey a mood to your image that will be emotive to the viewer. And you could also single out one particular colour to make a striking statement and have it ‘pop out’ of your shot.

Tone

Focusing on tone in your image means using variables of contrast and light and dark areas to bring depth to your image.

The tone is fundamental in black-and-white photography, where it should be used to guide the viewer through your image where there is no colour present to focus their attention.

Practice makes perfect when it comes to tone, and we recommend trying different lighting scenarios and contrast levels for your preferred aesthetic.

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Formal Elements:

• Colour
• Line
• Shape
• Space
• Repetition
• Texture
• Value/Tone

Colour

Colour is a phenomenon of light

It has 3 properties:

• Brightness
• Hue
• saturation

Colour creates atmosphere, contrast, vibrancy ect amongst images. It usually has the most immediate affect.

Line

Line creates a visual path across an image and it can be used to covey a message within an image

It can be used to create movement, direction, pattern ect

Shape

Shapes can be used to define an image and create focus points. Shapes can be used to make silhouettes by paying attention to shadows.

Space

Shape can add depth to an image and allow space around the main point of focus.

Repetition

Repetition allows an image to have balance and a sense of rhythm throughout.

Texture

Texture allows you to capture the colours, shape and movement upon the surface of an object.

Value/Tone

Value/tone in an image creates definition amongst different elements in an image and it can create a 3D affect.

ISO regulates how much light is allowed to enter your camera, determining the brightness or darkness of your photos. A greater ISO number signifies increased sensitivity and better light-capturing capability, resulting in potential graininess in the image. A cleaner image is achieved when a higher amount of light is required to properly expose the image, resulting in a lower ISO number. High ISO is typically ideal for low-light conditions, particularly when a quick shutter speed or a small aperture is needed to meet creative objectives. Texture in photography refers to the visual aspect of an object’s surface, which can be seen through variations in shape, tone, and colour saturation. Texture brings life and vibrancy to images that might appear boring otherwise. 

Exploring the effects of ISO:

I focused on using ISO for these images to create light and dark images. In both photos I had a set shutter speed on the automatic focus ,however I changed the ISO in both images ,so in the first photo I used a low ISO at 200 which created the shadows to appear darker. Where as in the second photo I used a high ISO at 800 which created a shine within the lighter parts of the image giving the photo a reflective realism.

Texture is how colours and shapes are captured in an image, allowing you to visualize the texture and quality of an object/objects.

Minor White

Minor White was a key American photographer and writer who made a big impact on photography. He was especially known for his artistic approach and the way he explored deep themes in his work.

Minor White’s nature textured photos are a really interesting l part of his work and they have inspired me to use natural forms for this texture experiment.

He had a knack for capturing the little details and beauty of the natural world. His images often focus on textures in landscapes, plants, and other natural forms, playing with light and shadow to create depth, which I have utilised in my images.

By getting up close and using shallow depth of field, he makes those textures stand out, giving his nature shots a really intimate feel. His love for nature comes through in his photos, making them not just pretty pictures but also something to think about. They evoke feelings and spark contemplation, making them relatable on many levels.

Contact sheet – all photos I have taken

Strongest Images – with preliminary editing

I took the majority of these images up-close in order to capture the texture of the materials. This resulted in a couple of the images become abstract and unrecognizable which I like. Many of the images are deadpan images which create a sense of detachment and sharpness throughout.

My Best Images

This is my favourite version of the image that I edited on my phone. I like this image because it creates a sense of ‘golden hour’ as it looks like the sun is casting golden light over the pebbles. I did this by increasing the warmth in the image and turning up the exposure which exaggerated the light areas. I like how the light hits the high points of the pebbles because the light creates shapes on the pebbles surfaces, enhancing the image. I also increased the contrast which allows the texture of the pebbles to become more apparent.

This is the edited version, I like this image because you can’t immediately recognize what it is, so you aren’t distracted by the material itself, your only focused on the texture. I like how there is a vague pattern in the texture which enhances the impact of the image. With editing the silvery colours are exaggerated which gives the surface a metallic appearance.

This is the image after I edited it on my phone. I like this image because of the texture created by the overlapping of the sea weed. I increased the exposure in order to contrast the lighter and darker areas. I also increased the saturation and vibrancy which made the dull colours become brighter.

I love this image as you can clearly see every line and crack in the wood. I contrasted the light and dark in order to make these lines stand out even more and create an even wider range of tone. I also like how there is a ring of warmer colours which fade into lighter, cooler colouring. The focus is on the wood whilst the stones around it have a softer focus, I think this creates sharpness and definition as it is being contrasted with the background.

Edits on lightroom/photoshop

Original Image

I edited this image to be black and white to take the focus of the colours in the image and allow the texture to be the main point of focus.

Experiments

I used photoshop to experiment with editing this image:

Using the sepia tool to change the colours in the image:

My Final 3 images

Cropping

Here I cropped each image 3 times to see which version was the best.

Layout Experimentation

Final Images

Images in Virtual Gallery

Evaluation

Overall, I have used organic shapes, combined with busy textures and a vibrant use of highlights and shadows. All these elements enhance the formal elements throughout my photos.

Throughout my images I have focused on organic natural shapes and enhances the highlights, which creates a consistent warm tone throughout the group of photos. Throughout this collection I have also tried to achieve consistent shadows to add depth which also enhances the organic textures and shapes.

My first image I edited multiple times, this version is my favourite due to the use of textural lines that create a path that pulls you through the image. adding depth and perspective. The foreground of the photo has a darker tone of deep burnt orange which blends to a bright yellow towards the top (background) of the photo. This variation in tonal range adds balance to the composition. This creates a wide tonal range within the image. The lines also break up the texture of the sand by enforcing some areas to seem smother and others to appear more texturized. The bumps of sand exaggerate the shadows and highlights as they are raised and some areas are hit by the light and others aren’t, this adds to the overall texture of the image.

In contrast, this image has less depth to it and it’s been taken at a deadpan angle. Unlike the first image which takes you on a path, this image focuses solely on the shapes of the pebbles and the reflective surface of the water. The vibrant areas on the pebbles stand out which creates a bright formation of colours, beneath the rippling water. These colours are framed by the shadows around the pebbles, this creates texture and contrast within the image.

its the speed at which the shutter of the camera closes, there is different types of shutter speeds

a slow shutter speed setting which allows a greater amount of light. changing your cameras shutter speed is one way to adjust the overall exposure of an image, also it allows you to be creative by being able to control the amount of blur or lack of it in your images.

the slower the shutter speed the more motion blur your camera will be able to capture when shooting fast moving subjects. but with long shutter speed from two to 30 seconds, any movement in the image will blur. this can create a cool effect with landscapes and the sky, as water and clouds turns soft and streaky.

when we take the photo, the cameras shutter opens, which allows light to reach the recording medium, where an image is made. by controlling hoe long the shutter stay open, we are able to control the resulting image will be like.

which is also known as “exposure time”, shutter speed is measured in seconds or fractions of a second, for example a slow shutter speed of 1/2 means the shutter remains open for half a second, while faster speed of 1/2000 which means it only remains open for one-two-thousandth of a second.

Eadweard Muybridge used fast shutter speeds, around 1/1000th of a second, to capture motion in his famous 1878 The Horse in Motion series. This allowed him to freeze the movement of animals and humans, pioneering motion photography and laying the groundwork for early film technology.

Francesca Woodman – slow shutter speeds

Francesca Woodman often used slow shutter speeds in her photography, which contributed to the dreamlike and ghostly quality of her images. By using long exposures, she created blurred, ethereal effects, particularly when capturing herself or her subjects in motion. This technique added a sense of fleeting presence and emotional intensity to her work, emphasizing themes of identity, fragility, and the passage of time.

Some of my examples with a high and low shutter speed

these photos haven’t been edited yet.

Texture

Texture in photography means the visual quality of the surface of an object, disclosed through variances in shape, tone and colour depth.

Edward Weston

As you can see above I took 147 images from the camera of some objects until I found the one that I wanted to use, I then continued to take many of photos of one object with different camera settings and different lighting conditions to achieve the ideal result I wanted.

Photos I didn’t like

I didn’t like this photo due to some visual noise that was taking part which gives this photo a degraded quality. This photo was taken at an ISO of 400. It also has a wide aperture of 3.5.

I didn’t like this photo due too much visual noise and really bad degrading quality. Taken at an ISO of 6400. It also didn’t match the theme is was going for.

Lastly, I also didn’t liken this photo due too being too dark. This is what happens when you don’t have enough light in your room, in the camera or in the photo. It gives no proper final image.

Selection Process

As you can see above I pressed P to keep the images I wanted to use for my final photos. I used X to get rid of the images i didn’t wanted to use for the future. Then I gave a rating for the images, they all had a rating out of 5.The images with 4 and 5 stars are the images I wanted to use for my final photos. The photos I didn’t like I rated 1-3 stars. Finally I gave them the colour yellow or green, green being the best and yellow being average . Red was for very bad photos. I will edit the images so I can present final photos.

Editing My Best Images:

This photo had to get rid of some of the negative space due to be being unbalanced either side. This means the photo is not equally distributed on each side that is the reason I had to crop it. I originally started with negative space left than on the right.

When cropping, I made sure to keep the line that runs from the bottom left corner of the photo, to the top right.

I enhanced texture to see the material on the coat.

In this photo I had to slightly crop it due to the sides of the photo not being proportional. If I hadn’t cropped the photo, the photo would look unbalanced and there would be too much negative on the foreground of the photo.

After being cropped the photo looks more visually pleasing.

For this image I also had to enhance the contrast and tone, to exaggerate the texture.

In this photo I had to slightly crop it due to the sides of the photo not being proportional. If I hadn’t cropped the photo, the photo would look unbalanced and there would be too much negative on the background of the photo.

After being cropped the photo looks more visually pleasing.

For this image I also had to enhance the contrast and tone, to exaggerate the texture.

Photos Edited Into A White Filter

Edited Photos

In this photo I had to slightly crop it due to the sides of the photo not being proportional. If I hadn’t cropped the photo, the photo would look unbalanced and there would be too much negative on the background of the photo.

After being cropped the photo looks more visually pleasing.

For this image I also had to enhance the contrast and tone, to exaggerate the texture.

This image is in white, so it has no proper colour. This photo has been edited with a white filter on adobe Lightroom.

In this photo I had to slightly crop it due to the sides of the photo not being proportional. If I hadn’t cropped the photo, the photo would look unbalanced and there would be too much negative on the background of the photo.

After being cropped the photo looks more visually pleasing and nice to look at.

For this image I also had to enhance the contrast, exposure ,dehaze, clarity and tone to exaggerate the texture.

As you can see above there are 6 photos edited on Adobe Lightroom. They are both edited in Black and White with a filter . By using black and white it influenced me to chose an Artist like Edward Weston. By doing this it made me think that the most simple colours in the world can make very interesting photos. I think I did this task successfully by these photos being abstract and aesthetically pleasing.

My Final 6 Photos

These are my final 6 photos due to a mixture of a light and dark tone. By having a light tone it makes the photo produced have a sharp with a strong contrast. By having a dark tone many photographs seem to have less impact and less visual vibration. By having some straight lines in the photos it means these lines have geometric quality and also have centre of attention. The texture on all of these photos means that the coat looks quite rough to touch and feel. The images that I took had lots of negative space around it so I had to crop it to make the photos balanced on each side.

Auto Focus VS Manual Focus

Auto focus is the function in a camera that allows the camera to automatically focus on a subject whilst manual focus is the function in a camera that allows the photographer to adjust the focus manually, instead of the camera. Manual focus is useful for many reasons such as having more control on the image composition. This allows the photographer to have control and freedom to choose the preferred focal point. Additionally, manual light works well in low light situations unlike auto focus. This is because it is difficult for auto lenses to keep focus on the subject in little lighting and a shallow depth of field.