Assignment 4

These are the photographs that I put forward for assignment 4.

Colour 1

Colour 2

Colour 3

Form 1

Form 2

Shape 1

Shape 2

Texture 1

Texture 2

THE ART OF PHOTGRAPHY ASSIGNMENT 4

These are the notes to accompany my 8 photographs for the assignment 4. 

I decided to use an ‘interesting’ house plant for my subject however after several shoots I decided that the plant was too complex and decided to isolate the shoot to a leaf structure that had come across well in my test shoots.  I utilised both my telephoto lens and my 35mm prime lens.  The lighting I choose was a mixture of the types that I had tried during the exercises and I particularly utilised the ones that I found the most effective for the various scenarios.  In particular early morning sunlight and diffused light in a dark room.  I used ISO 100 throughout in order to get as much detail into each shot as possible.

Shape 1.  F5.3, 1/20, ISO 100.  For the first photograph with shape I used the dark room with a single diffused light behind the subject matter.  The effect is a shadow outline of the leaf.  There is a small amount of light on the front of leaf which gives some definition to the shape.

Shape 2.  F6.3, 1.6 sec, ISO 100.  This second ‘shape’ photograph was taken in the same situation as the mirror shot emphasising colour (Colour 2).  This time a black card was used behind the mirror and I then also shone a light from directly in front of the setup but under the camera.  In post processing I desaturated the shot to help emphasis the shape.

Form 1.  F5.3, 1/30, ISO 100.  This shot was taken in a dark room with a diffused light behind the subject.   I then had a further semi-diffused light from in front of the subject but slightly left.  I believe that the effect of the large shadows and soft edges give the leaf form and a 3D effect.

Form 2.  F5.6, 1/500, ISO 100.  For the second form shot I have tried to use the natural sunlight, it is fairly early and the sun is low and from behind.  I think that the strong sharp shadows that are formed on the leaf emphasise form.

Texture 1.  F6.3, 1/160, ISO 100.  Because of the nature of the leaf I found the shots bringing out texture were some of the most difficult to capture.  For this shot I used the dark room with black card behind the subject I then used the flash on the camera with a tube around it to focus the light on the leaf.  I had to take quite a few shots until I managed to get one where the leaf was adequately lit.

Texture 2.  F6.3, 1/60, ISO 100.  The second texture shot was taken outside with a low sun.  I put the subject matter in a corner of a building and let the sunlight come from behind. The planned effect is for the sunlight with the hard shadows to reflect the various aspects of detail in the leaf. 

Colour 1.   F1.8, 1/200, ISO 100. This photograph was taken in early morning sunlight from below against the contrast of blue sky.  I had the sunlight behind me and slightly to the left.  I thought that the light on the leaf against the blue sky brought out the various colours of the leaf.

Colour 2.  F6.3, 0.5 sec, ISO 100.  The second photograph was taken with the telephoto lens on a tripod at 112mm.  It was taken in a dark room with the leaf on a mirror and a white card behind the mirror, I then used a diffused light source from the side.  I shot a slow exposure to bring in as much light as possible.  I think that the shot brings out all the colour variations in the leaf and the mirror helps to emphasis the contrasts.

Colour 3.  F6.3, 1/60, ISO 100.  This shot was another one taken in the dark room with the funnelled flash.  This time only the bottom of the leaf is fully lit and therefore a different range of colours are brought out.