‘Find a subject in front of a background with depth. Take a very close viewpoint and zoom in; you’ll need to be aware of the minimum focusing distance of your lens. Focus on the subject and take a single shot. Then, without changing the focal length or framing, set your focus to infinity and take a second shot’
Approach
Whilst doing exercise 2.1 : zoom, I went to a factory. I saw a few opportunities to do this exercise whilst there so I took the shots below.
This is something I’ve been interested in doing before. The shot allows the eyes to focus on two different things, even though the framing is exactly the same. Within the first shot, the eyes look at the metal racking as that is what is in focus, then you look in to the frame, although it is difficult to make out what that is.
The second shot draws the eye completely past the metal racking, to look at the background, as that’s now the part in focus. Although, it seems easier to make out what the blurred part in the foreground is over the blurred background.
I like this method of shooting, and have always admired the blurred foreground. I think it draws you in through a little mystery in the foreground, pushing your attention to the deepest part and then back again.
Find a location with good light for a portrait shot. Place your subject some distance in front of a simple background and select a wide aperture together with a moderately long focal length such as 100mm on a 35mm full-frame camera (about 65mm on a cropped-frame camera). Take a viewpoint about one and a half metres from your subject, allowing you to compose a headshot comfortably within the frame. Focus on the eyes and take the shot.
For this exercise, I took a shot whilst trying to get the shots for exercise 2.2 : Viewpoint. I used the viewfinder to zoom in to the eyes so I could focus more easily. When reading back the brief, I don’t think I got the right background, as it isn’t ‘simple’ and its not exactly pretty either. But, I did try this shot again, this time with a different subject. I think the second image shows the wide aperture better, as the background is better than the first.
In the first image, I was more focussed on the subject than the background. Therefore I didn’t look at the whole frame. I focussed on making the subject sharp. The background isn’t straight in the frame and it isn’t simple, that takes away from the subject. However, in the second try, the subject is clear, the background is bright but still doesn’t take from the subject due to the aperture.
‘Select your longest focal length and compose a portrait shot fairly tightly within the frame in front of a background with depth. Take one photograph. Then walk towards your subject while zooming out to your shortest focal length. Take care to frame the subject in precisely the same way in the viewfinder and take a second shot. Compare the two images’.
Research
This exercise reminded me of a ‘photo genius’ YouTube video I watched before entering on to this course. In it, Paul Farris describes how changing your positioning and zoom effects the perspective within a photograph. He describes us as becoming “lazy” due to zoom lenses.
I used my parents back garden for this exercise. The brief tells us to use a background with depth, which it has. On a bright day, I asked my brother to be my subject. I had previously tried this in a field, but it was a very sunny day, making it difficult to see the viewfinder and having done it before my research, found that I had selected a shallow depth of field and I hadn’t got what I wanted in focus.
My Work
1/250 f4.5 1/200 f4.5
For the first image, I set my lens as wide as possible, at 55mm. I then stepped away from him, and zoomed in. Although both photos are fine, there is an obvious difference in what is seen in the background. Stepping towards the subject and having a wider lens shows more background and gives a feeling of space. Whereas zooming in on the subject seems to bring the background closer too, and the perspective is a little lost.
‘look back at your personal archive of photography and try to find a photograph to illustrate one of the aesthetic codes discussed in project 2. Whether or not you had a similar idea when you took the photograph isn’t important; find a photo with a depth of field that ‘fits’ the code you’ve selected. Add a playful word or title that ‘anchors’ the new meaning’.
‘The ability of photographs to adapt to a range of usages is something we’ll return to later in the course’.
Research
As asked, I read around the photographers mentioned in the exercise. I have posted these separately as I’ve done them – linked through their names below.
As a film theorist and critic, his view was that photography / film should consist of little editing. He advocated true continuity, saying the quality wasn’t the most important thing, it’s what the image portrays and how it came to be.
From ‘What is Cinema?’ André Bazin. Essays selected and translated by Hugh Gray. Volume 1.
“The photographic image is the object itself. The object freed from the conditions of time and space that govern it. No matter how fuzzy, distorted, or discoloured, no matter how lacking in documentary value the image may be, it shares, by virtue of the very process of its becoming, the being of the model of which it is the reproduction; it is the model.”
An American landscape photographer. This was the photographer I found most interesting. I like that he used his photography to influence the things he felt strongly about – environmental conservation.
As he photographed the Yosemite National Park, he showed the natural beauty of the setting, even through black and white photography. Although I personally love Black and white photos, I hadn’t considered that they could portray Landscapes as well as, or even better than colour. When I think of landscapes, I think blue skies, green grass etc. However, Adams’s images capture the scene without a distraction from those bright colours.
Similarly to Bazin, Adams thought photography should be “pure”. As in sharp focus and little editing. He seemed to love the National Park project, which may be why he applied for the funding to continue it, and that is mirrored in how he describes taking a great photograph :
“A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed”.[1]
A British photographer also known for her black and white landscapes. I felt I could relate to how she took to photography. She became interested after photographing her children, and progressed from there. I’ve always loved taking photos of family members on a smart phone, which led me to buying a DSLR camera and starting this degree process.
As with Ansel Adams, She used her photography to influence environmental conservation. Godwin’s photography was influential in changing the laws governing access to the British countryside.
In her documentary – ‘don’t fence me in’, Godwin is seen in a coastal destination, photographing the plastics and rubbish which had washed up on the shores. She then took some of these things to create new images by intertwining them and re arranging until getting an image she thought worked. Plastic waste is currently such a big issue, with many environmentalists still raising the issue through Film, TV programmes and photographs. Whilst taking photos on that beach, she said of macro photography, it is like :
A German filmmaker, director, screenwriter, playwright, author, photographer. He has used his travel while filmmaking to capture images along the way.
Starting out as a painter, he went through a few things which could have been a whole career, but always stuck with something creative. Using photographs and film to tell a story.
Wenders photographed moments, which he perhaps didn’t understand straight away, that he could learn from and portray his feeling about it through the image. he said of his ‘open-air screen’ – “I came across this mysterious little place. It seemed abandoned. Nobody seemed to know what these chairs were doing there. I liked the emptiness of it.” [5]
In that same article, there is an image called ‘wall with sink’. as with the quote above, the image could be seen as an abandoned space, but he noticed the towel on the sink and assumed it must still be in use. He comments on the monument behind the wall saying “I have no idea what the monument is”. I like his honesty and curiosity. I feel I often do that. I take a photograph of something I find interesting or odd. I take the photo because it caught my attention, but often I could not tell you why. So I like his quote :
“Sometimes that’s a reason for me to photograph something. I think if I look at it long enough I’ll understand”.[5]
I also wanted to research Kim Kirkpatrick, as he is described as photographing abandoned industrial sites, which seems like the kind of thing which would interest me. However, the only reliable link I could find was Wikipedia. With his own website no longer being available and most articles being as basic as the information on wiki, I decided there wasn’t enough credible sources to find my research from. Perhaps this is a photographer I can keep in mind for future exercises and see what books/articles/interviews etc I can find, rather than internet searches.
My Work
‘Now look back at your personal archive of photography and try to find a photograph to illustrate one of the aesthetic codes discussed in project 2. Whether or not you had a similar idea when you took the photograph isn’t important; find a photo with a depth of field that ‘fits’ the code you’ve selected. Add a playful word or title that ‘anchors’ the new meaning’.
After looking through my own images I decided on the photo below. The exercise is to take one of your own images at the same depth of field as ‘the code’. All of the research I have done is photographers who use a deep depth of field, meaning the image is mostly in focus. They all seem to be using photography to show the effect of man on the planet too. Although I haven’t photographed anything for this reason in particular, I have photos where I can see a part which wouldn’t be there unless we, the humans, had been there.
Naturally Grown vs Man Made
The reason I chose this image – it has a deep depth of field. A long focal range. Fits the concept of man being a problem in environmental changes. If we had not built roads and houses, how would this scene differ?
Adams and Bazin both showed a purity to their photographs, as in no editing and no filters. We see so much of this in everyday photographs now with social media getting bigger. For this reason I decided not to edit my choice of image either. To me, this image shows something which has grown so well, I did not want to take away from that view, which you could argue the buildings in the scene have. Or, perhaps if you’re a lover of architecture within a scene like this, maybe the building makes it better.
Before taking any photographs for part 2, I did some research around aperture. As this part of the course is focused on only taking photos in AV mode, I wanted to make sure I had some idea what my settings meant before starting. The research can be found here. I made notes in my notebook so I could take this with me whenever I feel the need, to be able to look back if I feel stuck at all. The image I chose was from a collection of images I took for a post uploaded, also about aperture. This time, however, the post shows my practical work rather than research. Which can be found here.
Reflection
Although not necessarily looking forward to a research project, I actually enjoyed this. I found myself consumed when I found Ansel Adams. Reading of his past and how much he put in to getting the perfect images.
Going forward I know I need to look in to other areas for research. I need to expand the resources I use to get a broader range. I enjoy writing, so this time included some photos of my ‘scrapbook’ rather than all text. I think it works well to have some diversity within my course work.
Within the last couple of months I have tried to take more time out to take photographs. Taking on board one of the things my tutor said after the square mile project- “don’t just photograph it once”. I was told to go out and take photos on different occasions. Even going to the same places, because photos develop – the more you visit, the more you see.
Although I didn’t research all of the photographers mentioned, I did 4. I thought that would give me a variety of views and styles to be able to get the idea for the final part of the exercise – ‘ to find a photograph to illustrate one of the aesthetic codes discussed in project 2’.
Dropped out of university to move to Paris and become a painter
Began working in film
Alongside photography, Wenders used photography to capture landscapes
“pictures from the salt of the earth” was a long running project, spanning over 20 years
“Written in the west” was the initial work within this project
Images were captured travelling across the American west for his filming
Wenders went on to travel the globe, capturing images of moments space and time
Has won many awards over the years for his filmmaking [1]
Quotes
“I came across this mysterious little place. It seemed abandoned. Nobody seemed to know what these chairs were doing there. I liked the emptiness of it.” [2]
“Regarding landscape photography she said ‘a view doesn’t make a picture. You make the picture. You have to work to make the picture if it isn’t there’.
‘Just the sheer discipline of looking at the landscape makes you begin to see things, and see how the light affects the landscape’.” [5]
In her documentary – ‘don’t fence me in’, [4] Godwin says of macro photography, it’s like “finding a whole world in a very tiny area”.
Known for his black & white photos of Yosemite National Park
Photographed the ‘American West’ –Region of western states of USA. –13 states included.
Advocate of environmental conservation
One of the founders of the group f/64 –“pure” photography, –sharp focus and “tonal range” [1]
Developed “the zone system” – continued below
Up to aged 25, Adams considered himself a musician (pianist) over a photographer
In 1926, Albert Bender tasked Adams to photograph 18 images of mountains
He worked for the US department of the interior to photograph National parks
In 1928, Adams married Virginia Best (Virginia Best Adams)
He spent weeks at a time in the mountains to capture the perfects images. This later led to him missing the births of both his children.
Key advisor establishing the photography department in the museum of modern art
co founded the centre for creative photography at the university of Arizona
In 1980, Adams was awarded the “presidential medal of freedom”[2]
Applied for funding from Guggenheim Fellowship to continue his work
Created a book, portfolio and many photographs [3]
The photo that made Ansel Adams Famous?
‘Monolith, the face of half dome, Yosemite National Park, 1927’
Taken 10th April, 1927
Iconic Granite Summit – 5,000 feet from the valleys floor
Used a yellow filter first, later explained it would make the image too grey
Used a red filter, which darkened the blue skies to almost black, allowing the emphasis to be on the white snow
Adams considered this “his ‘first really fine photograph,’ a career-changing image that marked his first successful ‘visualisation’ – Adams’s term for carefully determining all elements of a photograph before ever releasing the shutter. Over a decade later he would institutionalise this idea with the zone system, a photographic technique that is still taught in schools today” [4]
Bazin took part in the Maison des Lettres, for children whose schooling was affected by the war.
Bazin wrote for many popular and specialist magazines, and is thought to have written over 2000 pieces.
Quote
From ‘What is Cinema?’ André Bazin. Essays selected and translated by Hugh Gray. Volume 1.
“The photographic image is the object itself. The object freed from the conditions of time and space that govern it. No matter how fuzzy, distorted, or discoloured, no matter how lacking in documentary value the image may be, it shares, by virtue of the very process of its becoming, the being of the model of which it is the reproduction; it is the model.”
“Find a scene that has depth. From a fixed position, take a sequence of five or six shots at different focal lengths without changing your viewpoint. (You might like to use specific focal lengths indicated on the lens barrel.) as you page through the shots on the preview screen it almost feels as though you’re moving through the scene. So the ability to change the focal lengths has an obvious use: rather than physically move towards or away from your subject, the lens can do it for you. But zooming is also a move towards abstraction, which, as the world itself tells us, is the process of ‘drawing things away’ from their context.”
Research.
Within the exercise, a reference is made to google arts and culture. Saying the site will “offer a digitally immersive exploration of cultural institutions around the world through a combination of very high-resolution images and Google’s own ‘street view’ technology”. after visiting the site, I couldn’t agree more. The images are fascinating and completely immersive. The site allows you to look at individual images and zoom to see the detail within them, which you perhaps don’t notice upon first glance.
Linked above, photo by Marc Ferrez, named as “Central avenue, Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brazil”, shows, as expected, a view down Central avenue. A busy road- lots of pedestrians, that feel of a big city. I was drawn to this photo by the possibility to zoom down the avenue. It isn’t at all like the roads you would expect to find now. There’s a distinct lack of cars in comparison to how we live now. I suppose this is expected as it was taken in 1910. I originally clicked in to the photo because the buildings took my attention. I was surprised by how much more grabbed me when I zoomed in a little to look at the details.
Although not busy with traffic, it is busy with people. It reminds me of a local market in a way. Beautiful buildings, people working on the pavements- piles of dirt next to them, people going about their everyday business, although dressed a lot smarter than people of today (in my opinion!). A striking difference between the men working on the left hand pavement to the men in suits and top hats and suits, front right of the photo – two different meanings to “working” class.
I like that there is nothing posed about this photo. It’s just people doing what they do.
Ferrez’s images show the place he was from, the local area to him and how it changed over the years. Reminding me of the Square mile assignment, although I didn’t come across Ferrez in that research.
From this research on Marc Ferrez, I’ve found myself interested in those “working” shots. I’ve always liked industrial photography. Living within the Black country in the west midlands, there is such a strong working background.
The black country “became one of the most industrialised parts of Britain with coal mines, coking, iron foundries, glass factories, brickworks and steel mills producing a high level of air pollution.” according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Country
My Approach.
When considering where I could get that working industrial feeling within a zoom photo, I spoke with my parents. My dad works, and has always worked, within the manufacturing industry. He manages a factory in a business which has traded since 1983.
I went along to his factory, with my Canon 1300D, a tripod, and my 55-250mm lens. I found an isle within the factory with no obstructions, no staff and a clear view to show the depth within this huge place. I took the photos as suggested, in aperture mode, and at each focal length on the lens barrel.
1/100 – 5.6 – 55mm1/125 – 5.6 – 70mm1/160 – 5.6 – 100mm1/200 – 5.6 – 135mm1/320 – 5.6 – 200mmI’ve put the photographs next to each other here, to show the movement through the photo, although doing this has lost some quality, I really just wanted it to show the zoom, which I think it does.
From here, I went on to look at “blur” within photography. There is a lot of information about background blur and “bokeh”. I found an article about the creative use of blur at http://www.photogeeky.com/2018/05/creative-use-of-blur-in-photography/ which states “There seems to be an obsession with sharpness and clarity in photography, and while that’s not a bad thing, we seem to have forgotten how beautiful a bit of creative blur can be.”
Whilst looking through google images for a good example of what I was thinking of, I came across descriptions of blur, with words such as
loneliness,
defocus
romantic
movement
calm
contrast
shape
soft
unrecognizable
cold
abstract
So it seems the way which focus is used, conveys different emotions within an image. For example, if the colours are bright, it seems to show a romantic/warm image. on black and white images, it can be seen as cold/ lonely.
I like the bokeh, to give a happy/ bright/ pretty feel to a photo. That isn’t what I wanted to do with my own photo though. As it was taken in a working environment, I liked the idea of a darker image as the lighting wasn’t great anyway, I thought it would be good to emphasise that. So, I decided to change my final photo to black and white, lower the exposure for a little extra darkness, and put a total blur over the photo.
Reflection.
I think the photos work well to show the movement throughout the sequence. I am quite aware of perhaps not getting the aperture quite right. The stock on the shelving is in focus, but the stock at the end of the isle seems out of focus on all photos. I could argue that I had done this on purpose to keep the focus on the height of the photo rather than the unappealing pile at the end of the racking. However, that isn’t true. As the brief says, there isn’t always enough quality within the thumbnail images on the camera screen. This is something I will need to work on moving forward. I need to ensure my aperture settings are correct, to get the focus right, and show the photo as I want it.
I’m happy with the final image. I think the black and white gives a darker feel to it, perhaps plays on the loneliness of being in that isle. Which, in turn, perhaps shows how it may feel working within that industry where the staff spend most of their days alone at a work bench with ear defenders on…
I like the total blur of the photo. You can still see the basics of the photo, and the purpose of it, which was to find a scene with depth, but you wouldn’t necessarily know the truth of where it was taken, and the colour change gives a different feel to the overall image.
- Sarah Gough OCA Blog - 