Task 3 Final 5 Images

For me this was perhaps the most difficult part of the process, narrowing down the many shots I had taken, edited and printed to just 5 which fit the context together as a series within the brief. I had decided before hand that the final 5 would either be in full colour or black and white rather than a mix of both as I wanted a more coherent structure to the project. After discussion in the class and some changes to my original choices I have decided that my final 5 are as follows.

Cross

f4 at 1/200s ISO 100 at 27mm with flash

For this image I used a low angle  to make the cross look towering and larger than it actually was because of this I needed to use the flash to balance the cross against the sky as otherwise it would have been a silhouette.

Grave

f5.6 1/160s ISO100 at 55mm with flash

Again as with the previous image I used some flash on this shot to light the front face of the gravestone as it was very dark under the trees where it was sited. I like how this has given it a very sharp appearance and almost made it jump out of the image against the darker background of the other stones.

Angel

f5.6 1/200s ISO100 at 55mm

This statue was bathed in sunlight and looked quite striking, I wanted to give a shallow depth of field to this and went quite close at 55mm and f5.6 to allow this and going wider seemed to give less blur in other shots.

Laying Cross

f5.6 1/160s ISO100 at 55mm

I came across this stone and wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be laying or if it had fallen. the sun was very bright off to the left of the image and gave the effect of it being shining against the shadows of the ground and their darker cast.

Vines

f.5.6 1/100 ISO200 at 55mm

Despite being a quite sunny area overall this vine was unfortunately positioned in a slightly shadier area so I had to up my ISO to 200 to allow for my shutter speed of 1/100 to make sure this was as crisp as I wanted it to be. I loved the way the vines spread out with very few leaves it seems almost unnatural how they make these shapes.

So there we have my final 5 images all taken using a mixture of all the techniques I have been learning and practicing over the term I even managed to use some outdoor flash to light some of the more difficult subjects to make sure they were evenly lit against darker areas. I am glad I decided to display the images in black and white as I feel it better represents both the tone and content of the project and subjects, colour didn’t do the shadows and light justice in the images in print so I am happy with that decision. I will definitely be continuing to experiment in all my images in future.  I look forward to learning other techniques I can also implement in my next project.

criteria 1.1,1.2,1.3

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Task 1 Depth of field

For the first task we were asked to take 3 images using techniques of depth of field and/or selective focus. For this task I chose the following images as my final 3 as I feel they all have the appropriate elements for the brief.

Wood

F1.8 at 1/800s ISO100 at 50mm

For this image I wanted to pick out the cross amongst all the other grave stones not only to show depth of field difference but to highlight its simplicity within the setting as it is the only wooden marker amongst all the granite and marble stones.

Framed Cross

f5.6 at 1/200s ISO100 at 55mm

Whilst taking the images I kept noticing gaps in trees and decided I would use this to help in my selection by framing the cross within the split trunk. Not only does this demonstrate shallow depth of field it also frames the image nicely.

Heart

f1.8 at 1/125s ISO100 at 50mm

This image uses very shallow depth of field caused by not only the use of f1.8 but also the 50mm focal length at such a close range and really throws the background out of focus. I love the effect this has on the left side of the heart as it pops from the picture and is very crisp against the backdrop.

All of the above images were taken in a local graveyard as I felt it lent itself perfectly to the type of images I envisioned for this task. I planned to display the images in black and white and wanted a definitive area of focus in each image to show the change in depth of field. I processed all the images in camera raw and desaturated the colours and raised contrast amongst other general corrections but did not do any straightening or cropping of the images as I wanted them left uneven as the site was very mish mash and uneven itself.

criteria 1.1,1.2,1.3

Task 2 Shutter Speed

Having looked at the pictures I had taken for the shutter speed section I have selected 3 that am happy to put forward for the final assessment for this section of the project. I have used a long exposure technique for all of the images and the encompassing theme is trails of light whether caused by vehicle light or burning metal all of the images were taken to show movement in the light against the darker backdrops.

Motorway Trails

F20 at 20s using ISO 100 focal length 55mm

This image was taken of the trails made by cars passing under a bridge. I used a high f-stop of f20 at iso 100 to get a relatively long shutter of 20 seconds to allow for a good few cars to travel underneath. I tried this in both portrait and landscape format and moved around the bridge, I considered a more central composition but the lamposts distracted the eye and split the picture so I chose against that for the final image.

Sparks

F16 at 15s using  ISO 100 focal length 18mm

For this image of burning metal being spun under a bridge arch I used a shutter of 15 seconds to capture just enough of the movement without blowing out the image and lighting to much of the arch of the bridge. I like the composition and the technique as I have seen similar in a few shots and wanted to try for myself. The effect of the sparks being in the arch and having the centre unlit makes it look like an eye which I really like.

Ghost Bus

F20 at 25s using ISO 100 focal length 18mm

For this image I wanted to capture the light trails of the bus but also wanted to be able to see the detail in the destination signage on the front of the bus which ordinarily would be lost in the blur like the headlights. I set my camera and waited to press the shutter until the bus had stopped at the roadside this gave me a few seconds for the detail to be captured whilst still allowing for light trails as the bus then left the stop, the effect I think is great as you can tell exactly what the vehicle was but still see completely through to the background and light trails from other traffic.

I really enjoyed taking these images as I love playing with the way the light affects the images at night and how shutter speed and good timing can effectively control what is seen in the image.

For editing I used various techniques in the Photoshop raw panel, adjusting the contrast and clarity in the images and darkening the blacks and the shadows, to make the lights pop. I am hoping that the prints which I have ordered on glossy paper do the images justice.

criteria 1.1, 1.2, 1.3

Be Safe…

Whilst out taking images it is very important to keep yourself safe and your equipment secure as well as making sure you aren’t posing any dangers to the public. I will take todays outing as an example to put a few guidelines down in writing.

I kept all my equipment in my rucksack when not in use and made sure I kept it closed and in sight at all times, this has the added benefit of making sure it wasn’t anywhere that it could be pinched.

I made sure that anywhere I went I was aware of the public in the area and that I wasn’t causing obstructions or issue for anyone who wished to either pass me or go along the same route I was taking.

I used my tripod a few times and again made sure that no obstruction was caused to myself or the general public and if not on public land I gained permission for any access I required.

criteria 1.4

Finalising potential images and testing processing for postcode project

It’s getting close to the time we need to hand in our images for the postcode project now so I have spent today checking over and finalising some images with a view to selecting them for the project. I think I have my shutter and aperture images in the bag and I am yet to select my final 5…. Who knows they could well be in amongst these shots from today in the local park and cemetery.

 

criteria 1.1, 1.2, 1.3

Reflecting on past work, looking for direction.

Whilst planning this postcode project I found myself somewhat stumped abput the best way of editing and presenting the shots. Some of the pictures I have taken need little or no work for the premise and technique of the shot to show whilst some need a lift to show them at their best. With this in mind I found myself looking at my older shots for inspiration or even just an idea of how to process the project. Sadly when I looked I found I was not happy at all with the photos I have taken so far for this term and am thinking I may just redo everything project wise (never a good thought when only 2 weeks are left). Here are some of the shots I have taken over the past year or so and edited. Looking at these has given me ideas for other projects and editing styles.

So I’m thinking a completely new view is needed for the postcode project due in 2 weeks *insert scared face*

SAMSUNG CSC

SAMSUNG CSC

SAMSUNG CSC

SAMSUNG CSC

criteria 1.1,1.2,1.3,1.4

Postcode project DOF and more.

Ok so the time has come to start looking at the project with a view to narrowing down and selecting images for the sections. I’ve recently been using my 50mm 1.8 to take some local shots and many of these used selective focus and shallow depth of field so I will probably use some of these for the project as they nicely show the sorts of depth of field you get both if you are up close and slightly further away using the same lens and aperture but varying your distance to the subject.

I used Adobe raw to process these and for most I desaturated and adjusted contrast and shadows as they were shot in very dull weather  so needed a punch in the details aswell.

I need to start selecting final images soon for printing and decide how I will print them. I think another walk around is in order to get finals and improve on some of these if I can.

criteria 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4

London Field Trip and walk

On our trip to the South Bank for the Press Photography exhibition I decided to go up to London early and have a walk and some lunch. After visiting the Photographers gallery and looking round I walked from there across to the Exhibition to meet the class and look around. I must confess to being somewhat underwhelmed by some of the imagery probably due to my lack of understanding about the individual subjects and techniques (hopefully this will improve). Some of the nature images and landscapes I saw were fantastic and really jumped out from the display. Following the trip I decided to return and have another walk round and enjoyed it without the distractions of the previous visit. I did take a few phone shots on my way through the city but the weather wasn’t really appropriate to carry my non weather sealed dslr out. Still I’ve got some ideas and will return again.

criteria 1.1, 1.2, 1.3

 

Rainy Days

Rainy days and boring car journeys are never good….unless of course you have a camera handy and use it to practice shallow depth of field and selective focus.

Using these methods on my phone camera to capture raindrops on the side window. Then a little contrast adjustment and adding some clarity and sharpness t the image can bring out amazing details and turn a boring day into a creative one.

criteria 1.1, 1.2, 1.3