Exercise 4.4 – Personal Voice

Online Research, Part 4, Practitioner Research, Reflection on coursework, Thoughts & Ideas

In this post I have:

– Provided the brief for this exercise,
– As well as writing a short research point about Ernst Haas and his photograph Geranium, USA 1961.
– Inserted a screenshot from google, having searched “Green leaves” as my subject,
– Before explaining my shoot plan in brief, along with camera settings.
– My contact sheets for this exercise are attached to show a variety of shots,
– But only one final image was chosen and analysed in further detail.
– A short reflection at the end explains how this exercise has confirmed to me that each image is different and unique, regardless of subject.

Brief

‘Make a Google Images search for ‘landscape’, ‘portrait’, or any ordinary subject such as ‘apple’
or ‘sunset’. Add a screengrab of a representative page to your learning log and note down
the similarities you find between the images.
Now take a number of your own photographs of the same subject, paying special attention
to the ‘Creativity’ criteria at the end of Part One. You might like to make the subject appear
‘incidental’, for instance by using focus or framing. Or you might begin with the observation
of Ernst Haas, or the ‘camera vision’ of Bill Brandt. Or if you’re feeling bold you might forget
about your camera completely and think about the tricky question of originality in a
different way – http://penelopeumbrico.net/index.php/project/suns/
Add a final image to your learning log, together with a selection of preparatory shots. In
your notes describe how your photograph or representation differs from your Google
Images source images of the same subject‘ (Bloomfield, 2018:96).

Research:

Ernst Haas (1921 – 1986)

Ernst Haas was a well known European photographer, born in Vienna, Austria; mostly celebrated for his involvement in colour photography and his work documenting the Austrian prisoners of war returning home. Haas moved to the United States in his 30’s where he began exploring Kodachrome Colour Film, in turn, making him one of the first to have a colour photo feature in LIFE magazine (Ernst Haas Estate, 2018). A few years later, his work was exhibited in New York’s MoMA and again was one of the first colour photography exhibitions.

The Ernst Haas Estate website has a wide range of Haas’ photographic works from across the years, exploring both his B&W pieces, portraiture, coloured compositions using multiple techniques and subjects such as flora, rubbish, people and architectural elements.

Haas’ New Color Collection: Creation (1959-85) is more neutral in its colour palette, enhancing the earthy colours within the earth’s desert locations and the animals that inhabit them, whereas his Classic Color Collection: Creation (1960-81) is vibrant, full of flora, snow and water. Geranium, USA 1961 (see fig.1) is one of my favourites from the Classic Color Creation collection, as the use of what seems to be a macro lens, captures the minute vein details within the flower petals, the ‘hairs’ of the stamen as it’s surrounded by a warm yellow glow in amongst a sea of pinks.

Shallow depth of field allows the subject that isn’t in the frame to be out of focus and soft, in this case, enhancing the delicate nature of the flower petals and how silky they feel to the touch. Haas captures his subjects in a more detailed and intimate way, rather than shooting them from a distance to get the whole object in the frame. This helps us understand the beauty of nature much more and gives us the ability to explore what some of us may not have taken the time to examine.

Shoot plan:

For this exercise, I googled “Green Leaves” (see Fig. 2) to see the variety of images that would come up and how I could explore this subject in my photography. Thankfully there was enough of a range that I could take inspiration and look around my garden to see what I could find in correlation to this search.

My SONY A57 was on manual mode, as was the Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM lens, this was so I could have more control over the focus and shutter speed for the exposure. The ISO was at 100, while the aperture was set to f/1.8 to achieve a shallow depth of field when capturing the leaves in a group or in front of other objects. The exercise was quick and easy as it took place in my garden, but despite the ease it beneficial as well as successful.

Contact Sheet:

Final image for analysis:

By observing and looking further into the subject at hand (see fig. 2), I was able to capture the fine, wrinkled veins of the leaves through the shallow depth of field in the foreground. They look similar to the wrinkles we find on the palm of our hands, which go in all sorts of directions, are different depths and shapes. The natural light bounces off of the leaves from the left, giving texture to the image and helping the viewer understand that this is a smooth and shiny leaf, as opposed to a rough, matte leaf. The focal point being in the midframe pushes the eyes to be drawn into the image, rather than the subject being in the foreground and giving the audience a direct path to reach. It’s more like rummaging through the leaves yourself via a photograph, which is a fun concept to me. Shooting this in landscape was a reference to the majority of the images found via google, however, the differences between this composition and the ones in the screenshot make it my own.

None of the images in the screengrab includes the focal point being midframe or behind a group of other leaves, creating a ‘blockage’ in the foreground. The use of shallow depth of field is used, but the subjects are directly in the foreground, creating a blurred background instead. Most of the green leaf shots seen above are darker and more tropical, whereas the exposure for mine is light, airy and a more typical form of leaf you would find in the garden. Lighting in the google searches is usually either coming from behind the leaves or lit from above minus a few exceptions in the middle row. The final image I have chosen feels like an adventure that you feel involved in, to understand the details, whereas the photographs above provide a clear frame of leaves, in focus, detailed and pretty direct.

Reflection:

While images may be the same in terms of subject matter, orientation or colour, it depends on how it is captured that makes the difference. For example, Ernst Haas’ choice to shoot images of flora up close and personal, allows the viewer to understand the parts that make up a flower, rather than the subject as a whole.

Taking the time to observe, explore and look at what you are capturing, brings a whole new depth into the photograph as you connect with it more, you’ve planned it and taken the time to understand the composition more. Every image is unique, no matter whether it’s framed the same way or not, they are taken at different times, by different people, with a variety of equipment, weather changes, life circumstances and so much more. Sometimes you may not even intend to shoot a particular subject, but it makes its way into the frame anyway which is wonderful.

Each photograph is always different and personal to each individual, no matter how many times it’s documented.

References:

Bloomfield, R., 2018. Photography 1: Expressing your Vision. 4th ed. [pdf] Barnsley: OCA, p. 96. Available at: https://www.oca-student.com/course/photography-1-expressing-your-vision [Accessed 10 May 2021].

Ernst Haas Estate. (2018) Biography | Ernst Haas [online] Available at: http://ernst-haas.com/biography/ (Accessed 10 May 2021).

List of images:

Figure. 1. Haas, E. (1961) Geranium, USA 1961 [image] Available at: http://ernst-haas.com/classic-color-creation/ (Accessed 10 May 2021).

Figure. 2. Powell, L. (2021) Green leaves [Google, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 3. Powell, L. (2021) Contact sheet [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 4. Powell, L. (2021) 4.4 8 [image] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Exercise 4.3 – Ex Nihilo

Notes, Part 4, Reflection on coursework

In this post I;

– Provided short descriptions for Quality, Contrast, Colour and Direction.

– Described my shoot set up, with camera details,

– And provided the contact sheets for this exercise.

– Chose six final images to analyse briefly,

– Before reflecting on this exercise, what it taught me and what I could’ve explored more.

‘Use a combination of quality, contrast, direction and colour to light an object in order to reveal its form. For this exercise, we recommend that you choose a natural or organic object such as an egg or stone rather than a man-made object. Man-made or cultural artefacts can be fascinating to light but they’re already authored to some degree, which requires interpretation by the photographer; this exercise is just about controlling the light to reveal form. Add the sequence to your learning log. Draw a simple lighting diagram for each of your shots showing the position of the camera, the subject and the direction of the key light and fill. Don’t labour the diagrams; quick sketches with notes will be just as useful as perfect graphics‘ (Bloomfield, 2018:91).

Unlike the previous exercises where the light was found, observed and uncontrollable, this exercise explores studio lighting and the photographer’s ability to control the lighting that falls on the subject in the frame.

There is a brief description in the coursebook explaining what quality, contrast, direction and colour is, along with the possible effects on the image and subjects themselves.

The quality of light is determined by how it looks when it falls, for example, soft shadows are caused by a diffused light, whereas harsher, more defined shadows are due to hard light like direct sunlight at midday.

Contrast is controllable by a fill light, which can either be another light source or a reflector of some kind like a whiteboard. The ratio between highlights and shadows is measured to determine the contrast ‘if you measure the shadows at f5.6 and the highlights at f8 you have a ratio of 1:2, which means that the fill light is half the intensity of the main light’ (Bloomfield, 2018).

The direction of light can alter an image dependent on the distance and the angle. If the light is placed directly in front, the subject will be significantly flatter than being lit from below or the side. As a result, harsher shadows enhancing the shapes and textures within the frame would occur.

Colour can be significant within photography to give context to the composition or encourage a specific mood and emotion to come through. Lighting filters can cover the lights to colour the background, or ‘by light bounced from a coloured reflector’ (Bloomfield, 2018).

Shoot set up:

My Sony A57 was on manual mode, with an aperture of f/1.8 and an ISO of 200. The only changes made were the shutter speed and focal length where necessary. The subject sat in the corner of a bedroom to compensate for how small my LED light is, ultimately a wise choice as the shadows became very soft when pulled away from the corner. A sheet of A4 paper was on a small cardboard box to act as a curved background for the shell to sit and reflect the light. I used a small LED lightbox on a tripod as a stabiliser when stood up and a handle when lifting the light from the floor. During the second part of the shoot, I used the light from my iPhone 6 to see the effects a tiny, duller light would have on the shell.

Contact Sheets:

Images for analysis:

1- The LED box placed close to the side of the shell resulted in a softer diffused shadow, which follows the curve of the paper. Due to the intensity of the light, there are bright highlighted patches by the point of the shell, enhancing the shiny reflecting surface while the shadows fill in the grooves and curves. A very subtle yellow colour can be seen underneath the shadow, a reflection of the light entering and bouncing off of the inside of the shell, providing a bit of warmth to the aqua greens.

2- I lifted the LED light above and behind the shell to see what results I would get if it were down-lit, rather than the typical front or side position. The contrast between the highlights and shadows are much more even than the previous shot, without being flat. Lighting the shell from behind defined the textures and shapes within without being too bright or too dark. The image isn’t a flat silhouette due to the height of the light, forming a slightly stronger shadow that provides depth from the front of the shell, indicating the direction of light.

3- A bolder approach was used for this picture by lighting the shell entirely from behind. I covered the LED light with the white sheet of paper and shot the image directly from the front to capture a silhouette of the shell. The shell is not a full silhouette because we can see the grooves and textures of the surface; due to the light falling on top and through the thin walls of its body. The highlights and shadows are still heavily contrasted as the whites are extremely bright, while the blacks are dark, capturing a harsher outline of the subject.

4- The light source for the following images is from an iPhone 6, which is less intense and much smaller than the LED box. Compared to image 1, this light is a lot duller, while the shadows are harsher due to the size and proximity to the subject. The swirls within the shell are heavily defined in this shot due to the darker nature of these images.

5- Lighting from a front angle has allowed the highlights to reflect off its shiny surface and show off the pearlescent colours of the body. Meanwhile, the shadows are enhancing the natural swirls within the point of the shell and defining the sharpness of the point via a hard shadow to the left of the paper. Despite the light being slightly further away from the shell, the tones and overall balance of the image if fairly similar to the 4th image.

6- For the final image, I lit the image from the front but shot from an angle above the shell, capturing the shadow that fell behind it. The front of the shell is evenly lit, reflecting off of the body as the light hits it, while the back half of the shell is dark and less defined due to the lack of light. Despite the white sheet of paper, the light wasn’t strong enough to act as a fill light. Shooting from above allows us to see the intense, dark and extended shadow, rather than a tiny shadow at the bottom if we were to place the camera directly in front of the shell.

Reflection:

Studio lighting can dramatically change the result of composition. Having complete control over the distance of the light to the subject, the angle, the temperature or the colour of the light can decide how contrasted or defined the image is. Lighting a person or object from the front and having the camera at the same position would result in a flatter image with few shadows to help with definition. Lighting from the side or at an angle and shooting from the front allows for more textural details to be shown and brings more depth to the shot. Backlighting on a small scale was quite challenging as the light didn’t fill the paper, but I could’ve taken more time to frame the image a little closer in.

I didn’t explore contrast and metering much in this exercise, however, it’s helped me understand how balancing highlights and shadows, or doing the complete opposite by pushing one or the other to the extreme can help change the mood or finish of the piece.

References:

Bloomfield, R., 2018. Photography 1: Expressing your Vision. 4th ed. [pdf] Barnsley: OCA, pp. 90, 91. Available at: https://www.oca-student.com/course/photography-1-expressing-your-vision [Accessed 7 May 2021].

List of images:

Figure. 1. Powell, L. (2021) Contact sheet 1 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 2. Powell, L. (2021) Contact sheet 2 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 3. Powell, L. (2021) Contact sheet 3 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 4. Powell, L. (2021) 1 [image] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 5. Powell, L. (2021) Diagram 1 [scanned document] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 6. Powell, L. (2021) 2 [image] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 7. Powell, L. (2021) Diagram 2 [scanned document] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 8. Powell, L. (2021) 3 [image] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 9. Powell, L. (2021) Diagram 3 [scanned document] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 10. Powell, L. (2021) 4 [image] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 11. Powell, L. (2021) Diagram 4 [scanned document] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 12. Powell, L. (2021) 5 [image] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 13. Powell, L. (2021) Diagram 5 [scanned document] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 14. Powell, L. (2021) 6 [image] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 15. Powell, L. (2021) Diagram 6 [scanned document] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Exercise 4.2 – Artificial Light

Notes, Online Research, Part 4, Reflection on coursework

Summary

In this post I;

– Included the brief for this exercise.

– Researched Sato Shintaro and Rut Blees Luxemberg’s work before analysing one image of theirs very briefly.

– Provided a small description about my camera and shoot preparation

– Before including the contact sheets for this particular exercise.

– I then chose 5 images from the shoot and analyses each one in terms of technique and the quality of light within them

– And finished the post with a short reflection of the exercise as a whole.

‘Capture ‘the beauty of artificial light’ in a short sequence of shots (‘beauty’ is, of course, a subjective term). The correct white balance setting will be important; this can get tricky but interesting – if there are mixed light sources of different colour temperatures in the same shot. You can shoot indoors or outside and the light can be ambient or handheld flash‘ (Bloomfield, 2018).

Sato Shintaro – (1969- )

Sato Shintaro is a Japanese freelance photographer who graduated from Tokyo College of Photography (1992) and Waseda University, School of Letters, Arts and Sciences (1995). Shintaro is well known for his brightly lit Tokyo cityscapes, Night Lights (1997-9), one of many photo series (Shintaro, 2020).

Shooting during dusk allows any surroundings lit by artificial light to stand out in ways daylight cannot. The tones are much crisper, while shadows are significantly darker and highlights are glaring. While this is possible with direct sunlight, the colours are usually more washed out and have a greater risk of overexposure, causing the images to blow out. The main difference between day and night photography is that daytime images are usually warmer in temperature and contrast.

Shintaro’s work is well balanced so that the viewer has much to look at in detail. Light bounces off all of the subjects around without becoming a black block due to underexposure. The colours are vibrant, busy and fill the frame, which encapsulates the hustle and bustle of city life without including people in the shots. Asian culture is beautiful and striking; seeing such elements and the traditional decorations throughout these images is delightful.

Fig. 1. Nakano, Tokyo (Shintaro, 1997-9)

Nakano (1997-9) is possibly one of my favourite images from Shintaro, as the composition is warm and cosy as the bright yellows and reds help the white lights be less harsh on the eyes. The alleyway feels close, compact and welcoming, much like the restaurant on the left. The photograph is balanced, full of geometry from the rectangular signs and buildings, a mixture of vibrant colours and cool nighttime tones on the pavement below. Some of the bulbs higher up have created lens flares but emit softer rays than crisp glaring ones. In my opinion, this shot represents the many Asian people who welcome others into their culture and communities through their friendly, enthusiastic personalities and traditions.

Rut Blees Luxemberg (1967 – )

Rut Blees Luxemberg is a German-born photographer based in the UK, well known for her urban photography work (Artimage, 2017). Much like Shintaro, Blees Luxemberg shoots at night when capturing urban landscapes as, ‘The night is a space of freedom, where certain demands of the day are temporarily suspended’ (Blees Luxemberg, 2018).

The reduction of movement captures different energies in comparison to busy high streets or buildings lit by daylight. Instead, evidence of life features throughout illuminated buildings, lit streets and items/natural elements left behind ‘But photographs are not just a record of a moment passed, they can also be an imagination or visual premonition of possible futures’ (Blees Luxemberg, 2018).

Her aesthetic is consistent throughout the images, ranging from greens to greys to cool hues, warm yellows and oranges. The combination of colours emits an eerie and grungy mood through her works which seems quite fitting for the series titled Liebeslied, My Suicides.

Fig. 2. Nach Innen / In Deeper (Blees Luxemberg, 1999)

In Deeper (1999) was shot from what looks like multiple sets of stairs but could also be a few small steps towards a small platform. We are unaware of the location due to the lack of context within the black shadows of this photograph. Reflections in the frame imply that it has rained or flooded due to the water in the background. The texture is prominent throughout this work, from the stone steps, ageing walls or brickwork from the building on the left, the water and ripples we can see in the yellow light shining in from the right of the frame. Leading lines, a slightly shallow depth of field in the foreground, draw the eyes downstairs towards the lights and water in the background. ‘In Deeper‘ may suggest that this is a picture of a river, sea or flood, purely because of how deep the water looks and how far the reflection of light continues.

Compared to Shintaro, Blees Luxemberg’s work is much warmer in white balance than the white bulbs and LED’s featured in Shintaro’s Night Lights (1997-9). The photographs featured in My Suicides (1997-2000) are much darker and higher in contrast. With these different aesthetics in mind, this helped make my shoot for this exercise even more exciting, as I was able to explore a range of photographic techniques in one swoop.

Camera preparation

As it is now springtime, I had to wait until around half past eight at night to head out and take photographs for this particular exercise. My Sony A57 was already preset to manual mode, but I had to reset the white balance to auto to prevent any unwanted colour casts in the images taken during blue hour. An ISO of 200 enhanced the brightness without causing too much grain in the darkest areas. A large aperture of F1.8, allows for more light to enter the camera, ideal for night photography as it reduces the need for too slow a shutter speed if the camera isn’t on a tripod.

The shoot plan was simple as I took a short walk around my local area, observed the light from artificial light sources and how it shone on its surroundings and effects had on any subjects in the frame.

Images for analysis

1 – Despite taking the image during the blue hour, the period after sunset or just before sunrise, there is very minimal light to illuminate the buildings in the foreground. Secluded areas struggle to be lit during the evening regardless of artificial light due to the obstacles blocking most light sources. If I were to take the image during the day with a more powerful light level, we would see the buildings in their entirety. The sky brings a burst of colour to the composition, emphasising the shape of the buildings in the alleyway. Houses have helped frame the image nicely and document the lack of space that is in the shot. Focal pointwise, the bright white bulb from the streetlamp and the top of the tree leaves towards the background stand out before the eyes are drawn towards the soft spotlight below, lighting the pathway. The mood is mysterious and allows the brain to wonder was is around the corner or where this is.

2 – This building is in an open space, so the remaining light just after sunset was able to light the brickwork of the flats in the frame, as well as the fencing surrounding it. Added details such as these provide a context of location, type of building, how long it’s been there for; e.g. a partly broken fence implies it’s been up for a long time and endured some wear and tear. Reflections add both texture and depth to the composition, rather than it being a flat 2D image. A warm light source from the window just below the mid-frame brings a sense of home to the photograph and welcomes the viewer into a comforting space. The camera’s position compared to the fence and light source caused a lens flare to occur. As a result, it looks as if there were a torch pointing directly towards us. The tonal range is cold and suits the crisp spring evening while documenting blue hour well.

3 – With the blue hour long gone, the warmer streetlights can fully light the main road for the cars and pedestrians walking past, as seen in the far background. The white balance was changed to daylight for these shots to enhance the temperature of the bulbs and reflect Blees Luxemberg’s yellow/orange hues. Streetlights may be higher from the ground than most light sources, but they’re powerful enough to light the paths below like daylight would, just a lot softer in appearance. Headlights from cars are blinding for a good reason. Not only do they assist drivers to see where they’re going and if there are any obstacles ahead, but for the safety of other drivers so they’re aware of cars surrounding them. The contrast between the white light patch midframe and the yellow light brings balance to the frame, preventing it from looking like a sepia image, which I dislike as a photographic technique. The images leading lines draw the viewers eyes from the softly lit tree on the left, up and around the curves of the road swallowed by the black night sky.

4 – For image number 4 the light source comes from the cooker hood that is purposely brighter where the oven hobs are but much softer to the sides. Reflections from the kettle and oven top provide texture and context to the materials and shape of these objects. For example, the curves of the tiles reflect in the round kettle body. A small patch of the wooden worktop has warmed the frame up and made it feel more homely like a cottage kitchen would. Light coming from the left has created a soft shadow on the right-hand side of the frame, gently illuminating the utensils on the wall, making the kettle the main focus of the composition.

5 – This area has been fully lit by the light from the ceiling, allowing us to see the worktops, cupboards, windows and other items on the side. The door has light shining through, so we can see the cold metal handle and carved details in the window frames, which is a subtle detail to see. More context allows the viewer to understand a bit more about the subjects, where it is and the lifestyle of the people living there, much like Sato Shintaro’s works. Due to the light source coming from the right and straight out the door, means that the walls to the left are just out of range, full of shadows, bringing depth to the image. The composition is full of shapes, geometric or otherwise, as well as being warm and welcoming.

Reflection

Artificial and natural light can range from intense to soft depending on the light source, its position and the location, however, the majority of the images taken during this exercise have been dimly lit, creating softer and mysterious compositions compared to a brightly lit photograph taken in daylight where we have further context. No source of light is more superior to the other, as each is important. Without artificial light, we wouldn’t have the privilege of travelling at night or navigate around our homes in the dark. I prefer to work with natural light as I enjoy the softly lit compositions rather than harsh highlights and shadows from studio lights. This exercise, however, has made me appreciate artificial light much more and the kinds of images you can capture. Sato Shintaro’s work is a prime example of breathtakingly beautiful night photographs, full of life and detail.

References:

Blees Luxemberg, R. (2018) London: A visual love song [online] Available at: https://www.1854.photography/2018/02/rut-blees-luxemburg-modern-project-liebeslied/ (Accessed 26 April 2021).

Bloomfield, R., 2018. Photography 1: Expressing your Vision. 4th ed. [pdf] Barnsley: OCA, p. 87. Available at: https://www.oca-student.com/course/photography-1-expressing-your-vision [Accessed 27 April 2021].

Shintaro, Sato. (2020) Profile [online] Available at: https://sato-shintaro.com/profile/ (Accessed 26 April 2021).

List of images:

Figure. 1. Shintaro, S. (1997-9) Nakano, Tokyo [image] Available at: https://sato-shintaro.com/work/night-lights/ (Accessed 26 April, 2021).

Figure. 2. Blees Luxemberg, R. (1999) Nach Innen / In Deeper [image] Available at: https://rutbleesluxemburg.com/liebeslied-2 (Accessed 26 April 2021).

Figure. 3. Powell, L. (2021) Contact sheet 1 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 4. Powell, L. (2021) Contact sheet 2 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 5. Powell, L. (2021) Contact sheet 3 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 6. Powell, L. (2021) Contact sheet 4 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 7. Powell, L. (2021) 1 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 8. Powell, L. (2021) 2 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 9. Powell, L. (2021) 3 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 10. Powell, L. (2021) 4 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 11. Powell, L. (2021) 5 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Exercise 4.1 – Daylight

Online Research, Part 4, Practitioner Research, Reflection on coursework

Summary:

In this post I have

– Mentioned the brief for this exercise.
– Briefly explained my process for choosing Eugene Atget as my starting point for these images.
– Gave a short description about Atget’s work and what he was well known for, plus his approaches.
– Briefly covered where I was taking my images and why.
– Listed my camera settings and the reasoning behind these choices.
– Included contact sheets of all the images shot for this exercise and picked out 5 to analyse.
– Gave a short analysis for each chosen image, exploring the light and how it effected the compositions.
– Reflected on this exercise as a whole and what it taught me.

‘Taking the photography of Mann, Atget or Schmidt or a photographer of your own
choosing as your starting point, shoot a number of photographs exploring the quality of
natural light. The exercise should be done in manual mode and the important thing is to
observe the light, not just photograph it. In your learning log, and using the descriptions
above as your starting point, try to describe the quality of the light in your photographs in
own words‘ (Bloomfield, 2018).

To avoid overthinking the practitioner in which I would gain inspiration, I searched each one via Google and scanned through a few images to see which one stood out most to me. By doing this, I was drawn towards Eugène Atget, as his work contains a variety of approaches as mentioned in the EYV coursebook; ‘He usually made such images – see, for example, Environs, Amiens – in the middle of the day, when shadows were minimal. Atget’s late photographs, however, are frequently marked by subjective light and deep shadows’ ([Artist description], n.d).

Atget was a French photographer who is well known for his imagery of the architecture and streets within Paris. Keeping the idea of outdoor photography in mind, I took the opportunity to complete the exercise while out on a walk around the woods. Quite a few of his works included nature, trees especially (see Fig. 1) so my images were still taking influence even without architecture or street imagery.

Fig. 1. Saint-Cloud, Tree Roots, Saint Cloud Park (Atget, 1906)

While most of his works featured diffused light, in turn capturing a clear and detailed composition, there were also the occasional shots that included heavy shadows or highlights to provide depth and show silhouettes of the surroundings or subjects. The dynamic approach is what I took on board while exploring my surroundings, allowing me to capture a range of images that fell into both of these categories.

Contact Sheets:

Before shooting images, I set the white balance to auto mode to avoid any artificial temperature changes within the camera. The aperture was set to F1.8 for no other reason than personal preference and set the camera mode back to manual following a mini light meter exercise. My 75mm lens was also set to manual mode, allowing me to take time to observe the light and actively be aware of the depth of field for each area I shot.

Images for analysis:

1 – The light shining through the trees from the east caused shadows to fall on the sunrays below. The sky is bright but not so much that it has blown out the composition. The leaves on the left show warmth from the sun, juxtaposing the cool and shadier shadows. Shooting this image as a portrait has allowed the tall trees to frame the top, providing context to what is blocking the light and how closed in this location is.

2 – The small patches of light that shone through the gaps within the leaves of bushes and trees create a focal point for this photograph by enhancing the darker areas within the frame. The size and textures of the rocks are enhanced by the contrast of highlights and shadows, preventing them from looking flat and smooth. Light can be used as a spotlight for the subject, leading the viewer towards the significant elements within the composition.

3 – Unlike the previous photographs, this one is more diffused and lacks much depth. Despite the lack of shadows and highlights, there are still reflections and shapes within the water that provides movement and texture to the composition. In my opinion, it feels less exciting as the colours are neutral. Nonetheless, exploring the importance of natural light and its effect on a subject is what this exercise is all about, whether we like the result or not.

4 – The light came from behind the camera, as opposed to the sides or directly in front of the lens. As a result, instead of capturing the silhouette of the leaves and branches, we can see the light green and veins of the leaves. Other images in this collection lack a deep depth of field because of the enclosed areas, so to capture such a soft, diffused image that is also full of depth shows how light and location can affect the mood or overall result of a piece of work.

5 -Shooting directly at the sun has caused the camera to capture the skeleton silhouettes of the group of trees in the frame. There is no light from behind to shine on the branches to illuminate the textures of the wood, so they become spindly lines that are cutting through the sunrays. Due to a clear sky, we can see small patches of blue that bring a pop of colour to an eerie photograph. The sun glare in this shot creates a juxtaposition between images 2 and 4, where the light is bright but not enough to cause the lens to be overwhelmed.

Reflection:

This exercise helped me understand the power of light and the significance that it has within photography. Without it, capturing images would be impossible, but playing around with light and observing how it falls can be the difference between a good and bad image. I have learnt that I prefer using more dynamic and contrasting light rather than diffused when it comes to outdoor photography due to the enhanced shapes, textures and colours within the composition. My favourites from this image set are 2 and 5 (see Fig. 5., and Fig. 8), for that very reason. Diffused natural light feels better suited for indoor photography from a personal standpoint. Ultimately, however, it depends on the picture and what effect you want to create, as seen in image 4 (see Fig. 7).

References:

[Artist description]. (n.d) Photography 1 Expressing Your Vision Barnsley : OCA.

Bloomfield, R., 2018. Photography 1: Expressing your Vision. 4th ed. [pdf] Barnsley: OCA, p.84. Available at: https://www.oca-student.com/course/photography-1-expressing-your-vision [Accessed 22 April 2021].

List of images:

Figure. 1. Atget, E. (1906) Saint-Cloud, Tree Roots, Saint Cloud Park [Photograph] Available at: https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/63460/eugene-atget-saint-cloud-tree-roots-saint-cloud-park-french-negative-1906-print-1920s/ (Accessed 22nd April 2021).

Figure. 2. Powell, L. (2021) Contact sheet 1 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 3. Powell, L. (2021) Contact sheet 2 [pdf, screenshot] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 4. Powell, L. (2021) 1 [image] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 5. Powell, L. (2021) 2 [image] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 6. Powell, L. (2021) 3 [image] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 7. Powell, L. (2021) 4 [image] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.

Figure. 8. Powell, L. (2021) 5 [image] In possession of: Lauren Powell: Eastleigh.