Weekly Photo Post #7

I was interested in the unity of color in the photograph; how the cool green and blue colors seemed to bring the photo together as a whole. In addition, the pattern of shadows on the chain link fence gave the subjects more tonal value overall. 

Both shape and repetition were important concepts I was trying to trying to emphasize in this photo; the even repetition of the flower leaves, the small circular shapes of the flower buds, and the larger, jagged shapes of the flagstones in the background. 

I really liked how the thick and thin lines of the telephone pole and traffic pole split the photograph into uneven quadrants in the background. Furthermore, I found the smaller, thinner lines  of the plant stems interesting in silhouette.   

The texture of the bark, and the texture of the individual needles on the pine tree caught my eye; I liked the way the sun filtered through the branches and highlighted some needles, while leaving others in shadow. Also, the natural symmetry of the tree--with branches almost evenly spaced on either side--was a beautiful image I wanted to capture. 

I feel like architectural photographs like this emphasis so many principles of art and design. Among them; shape, line, negative space, the rule of thirds, tonal value, color contrast, and a sense of balance between the two halves of the photograph. 

Weekly Photo Post #6

This photograph caught my eye because of the emphasis of the red 'No Parking At Anytime' sign, contrasted again the more neutral green of the tree growing behind it. Also, I rather liked the shadows cast on the sign by the leaves; the shadows, along with the links in the fence, added a nice bit of texture to the photograph as a whole.  

The simplicity of the subject, as well as the repetition of three objects, was my main focus in this particular photograph. I purposefully decreased the vibrance and saturation so that the only source of color would be the yellow bush. Repetition wise, there are three handprints lined up on the cinderblock wall, and three metal poles receding into the distance. 

Shape was the main element I structured this photograph around; the shape of the tire, the shape of the shattered headlight, and the partial shape of the scraped front bumper. To balance out the photograph, I tried to make the center of the headlight and the center of the tire both focal points to capture the viewer's eye. 

The black radial pattern of the bicycle spokes sharply contrasted with the whiter circular pattern of the gate--and in the middle was the unifying element of the silver lock and chain. I wanted to capture this distinction between subjects, but at the same time use a combination of line and form to draw the elements of the photograph together into one piece. 

I feel form was an important aspect of this photo; because of the position of the sun while I was photographing, a combination of shadows and highlights make both the beetles and the pebbled ground appear three-dimensional.  Contrast is also a key element; the jet-black beetles are entirely noticeable against the brown and green background. 

Weekly Photo Post #5

When I took this photo, the main element I was focusing on was tone; in particular, the contrast of shadows and highlights on the form of the bike. I feel like the dark, bold lines of the bike also add to the diagonal movement of the piece, from the top left corner to the bottom right.

In this photograph, I was striving for unity in color but contrast in shape. The blue and green letters on the tree match the blue and green color of the fence. However, the geometric shape of the fence and window are in sharp contrast to the organic shapes of the tree and its leaves.  

I wanted to create a photograph where space was the main principle depicted, and I tried to accomplish this by placing the subject matter in a corner. But I also wanted the photo to be balanced, so I included a portion of the fence post in the other corner. 

The rectangular shapes, solid lines of the billboard, and textured surface of the grates work together to bring the viewer's eye through the photograph. I liked the color contrast of the cool blue sky and the warmer tan of the metal structure. 

Probably contrast is the most important principle in this photo. On the blue surface, the lettering is black, but on the black cardboard surface the lettering is white. 

Weekly Photo Post #4

Primarily, I wanted to focus on taking pictures of the organic and man-made shapes that existed around the school campus. This photograph in particular featured heavily with man-made shapes; such as the caution cone, the concrete bridge, the metal handrails, and the portables looming in the background. 

I really liked the tunneled perspective shooting through the drainage pipe produced, in addition to the   stark contrast in lighting. The beginning of the pipe was grey and cast in shadow, while the end of the pipe was green (because of the plant growing there) and almost completely illuminated.  

The principle of line is the prominent feature in this photograph; the lines of the chain-link extending in a downward diagonal line through the top left of the picture, the lines of the actual metal bleachers protruding horizontally from the bottom left corner, and finally the vertical fence posts marching into the background. All of these lines add to the movement of the viewers eye throughout the photograph. 

I wanted to capture the texture of the asphalt--with the uneven pebbled surface--as well as the spiny, frond-like texture of the yellow weeds growing. To best capture both of these textures, I set the camera down on the ground, as a parody of the worms' eye view perspective. 

The rows of sprinklers in the baseball field really created a sense of repetition in the photograph, and a sense of unity. This is further emphasized by the vertical fence posts that exist in the background.  

Weekly Photo Post #3

In this photo, my primary focus was to capture the pattern of light and shadow evident in the foliage of the trees. I feel like texture also features heavily; the individual texture of the leaves, in addition to the texture of the fence. 

The tree-like pattern on the can of Arizona Ice Tea caught my attention, as well as the pattern on the bench behind it and the pattern of the shadow on the ground below. More than anything else, though, I wanted emphasis to be the primary principle of art; the Arizona Ice Tea can standing alone. 

I liked the movement of the pole loops as they circled through the photograph, as well as the color contrast of the yellow pole against the brown fence background. Space is also an important aspect; the foreground, middle ground, and background are clearly defined in the photo. 

When I was in the art room, I happened to look in one of the supplies bins and I absolutely loved the color contrast of the oil pastels. Interestingly enough, the haphazard pattern of the oil pastels seems to almost blend together to create a sense of unity in the photograph. At the same time, the individual shape of each pastel is not lost, but rather incorporated into the movement of the piece as a whole.  

There was another supply bin filled with chalk pastels, and while there wasn't an overwhelming sense of unity in this piece, I did like the texture of each chalk pastel, as well as the pattern of the stacked containers.