PART 2: Project: Lines, Exercise: Curves

The above images were taken in the same shoot. The curves of the ship's bows emphasise to me a feeling of gracefulness and support the idea of movement through the water. The curved harbour wall also shows direction and depth but leading the eye in a gradual way. I notice that with all these images, the eye moves slightly slower around the scene than straight lines and the curves in all promote a calmness in the image.

KEY LEARNING POINTS

As with diagonals and straight lines, curves produce a different perception in the image. But this perception is calmer and like diagonals emphasises movement,

PART 2: Project: Lines, Exercise: Diagonals

This image works very well for me, it implies a sense of busyness and strength with the diagonal ropes moving in several directions holding many things in place. The diagonals converge on a single point, I think this balances the dynamics and tensions of the ropes in the image with a point of stability.

These two abstract images of a ploughed field all have a sense of movement / direction. The first image has a slight curve which adds to the feeling of moving over the hill. The second image has a strong sense of movement, the diagonals appear to me like arrow heads on a diagram. Also because the boundaries of the field are not resolved in the image, this gives a perception of space and a large area.

This image is an example of diagonals produced by perspective and in this case, the effect is different. There is still a sense of movement in the image but it is one of moving the eye through the frame creating depth in the image. In this image, I was trying to emphasise the texture of the log but on reflection it could also have been a diagonal pointing to an area of interest in the composition.

Key Learning Points

Diagonals in composition provide a sense of travel and movement more so than horisontal lines, they can also point to something in a composition because the eye will move with them - more so than horiziontals and verticals.

PART 2: Project: Lines, Exercise: Horizontal and Vertical Lines

This image of a wooden reel has been abstracted by excluding all surrounding detail from the picture. The composition becomes graphic and the eye is attracted to the motion of the vertical lines leading it through the textures of the wood.

This image is a repeating pattern of verticals but also forming an implied diagonal through the image, there are also other verticals on the boat itself. Taken with a longer focal length, the compression in the image emphasises the verticals and diagonals. In this image, I think the verticals in a diagonal line provide some depth and dimension to the image.

Although this image shows curves and diagonals, I think the vertical is prominent in the image and shows a clear division of the ships bow and the image. The other lines support rather than dominate this image.

This image has both horizontal and vertical elements but the vertical repeating pattern of the tree trunks are the main element. The horizontal division shows a base for supporting the verticals and I think the horizontal lines of the field emphasise this. 

Again this image has both horizontal and vertical elements but it is the horizontal rung of the ladder and it's shadows which define the graphic qualities of this image.

Despite the prominence of the vertical supporting elements in the frame, I think the horizontals are the strongest element of the image. Perhaps because they are abstracted implying a larger area. This is an example where the lines support the main element of the composition which is the textured wood lying on a third.

This image shows the horizontal supporting lines of an old wall. They indicate strength which is contrasted by the lower line crumbling away and no longer being as strong or supportive.

Key Learning Points

Lines provide a graphical element to a composition but seem to have more visual weight when they are abstracted. Completely abstracted they can be powerful graphic compositions but can also support other compositional elements like textures. Horizontals and verticals seem to imply strength, support and structure but in doing so they also make the subject static.

PART 2: Project: Points, Exercise: Multiple Points

I chose the elements of this still life as cufflinks and a watch. The cufflinks were small enough to be points and the watch was the main subject. I wanted a composition which didn’t look too artificial.

I tried seven arrangements shown above. Looking at the series of images, I prefer the third one and analysing the compositions below shows that there are two curved diagonals leading to the watch and the watch itself is placed diagonally, the dynamics of the diagonals are probably the appeal of the composition to me.

Key Learning Points

Multiple points can be used on a couple of levels. One as interesting compositional shapes themselves but also since the eye/brain interprets a series of points as a line, they can also be used as leading lines.

PART 2: Project: Points, Exercise: The relationship between points

In this first example, the points are the rings on each post, there isn’t much difference between the two but the one on the left seems to take more attention from the eye. As in the single point image, this point is closer to the edge of the frame and perhaps this gives it slightly more visual weight. I also think the interaction of the lines (ropes) leads the eye to the point on the right.

In this example, I feel that both points compete for attention even though they are different in shape. They both have implied lines in different directions, this leads to a composition which never really resolves itself. The eye seems to dart between both implied lines never settling on one.

In this example, the points are equal in the frame but surprisingly for me, the eye seems to go to the point on the right first. I think this is because there is a downward line pointing to it and also perhaps it lies on a third.

Key Learning Points

I found this exercise quite thought provoking as it’s not just the points themselves that make up the composition but the interaction of the points and lines (real and implied) in the image. I suspect that points against a blank background works less well as a composition. In fact I shot such an image recently (below) and wondered why it didn’t work for me, this learning point probably explains why.