Assignment one - Contrasts

A little later than anticipated, here are the images and reflective notes that I've submitted.

The brief for the first assignment was to capture eight pairs of contrasting images from a larger list of paired contrasts, along with a final image that conveys a pair of contrasts in the one frame.

I’d recognised the moment I read the brief that it was intended to be a culmination of the learning I’d gathered during the exercises to date (rather than an exercise itself).  By that I mean that I was conscious of how the focal length, depth of field, crop, horizontal vs. vertical frame etc. could accentuate the impression my images were to give the viewer.  It wouldn’t be enough, for example, to find something curved and capture it.

I felt that it was important for each pair of images to connect to each other, which is why you’ll see contrasting pairs where both include people, or buildings, or modes of transport etc.

I’ve also opted for a cohesive theme – Manchester.  I believe the end results demonstrate that this was a worthwhile approach as opposed sixteen unrelated images.

All post production work was carried out in Adobe Lightroom 3 unless otherwise stated.

Diagonal/Rounded

200mm, 1/200 secs, f/13, ISO 400 

The bright yellow arm of the larger crane dominates the frame (and I’ve emphasised this further by increasing levels of yellow in post production). A vertical frame enables a longer diagonal than a horizontal frame would have.

Only upon closer inspection do you see that the frame is actually comprised of many diagonals – the smaller red crane and the window frames.  Finally, in post production, I altered the horizon ever so slightly to exaggerate the diagonals.

10mm, 1/1600 secs, f/4, ISO 400

Having spotted the possibility of using the spiral entrance to a multi-storey car park, and keen to find an unfamiliar perspective, I headed to the top level and shot downwards.  My first couple of attempts didn’t include the vehicles and as a result lacked a little something.  The final image, with the three cars in shot, is more dynamic because of its sense of movement.

Wishing to fill the entire frame a used a horizontal composition and increased levels of yellow.  This helps to move the viewer from the left hand side of the image down the spiral.

High/Low

18mm, 1/100 secs, f/16, ISO 200    

Choosing an appropriate viewing angle was the first decision, and standing at the foot of the building proved most effective.  Alternative perspectives brought other buildings into the frame that minimised the appearance of height.

I’ve used a wide angle to accentuate the height of the building and chosen a large aperture to keep all of the building in focus.  The diagonal composition, along with the architectural features, draws the viewer along the length of the building.

Finally, a narrower crop in post production gives an even greater sense of height.

20mm, 1/60 secs, f/5.6, ISO 200

This cobbled street in Manchester’s Northern Quarter is in contrast to the surrounding roads.  Shooting extremely low gives the viewer an alternative perspective – even if the scene is familiar to some.

By selecting a narrow depth of field I’ve emphasised the lowest element of the scene (i.e. the foreground).  A wide angle, horizontal composition enabled me to fit more in the frame.

In post production I increased the saturation levels slightly to bring out the bright colours of the yellow lines and the graffiti scene.

Curved/Straight

40mm, 1/80 secs, f/13, ISO 400

Clearly it’s the tram tracks that provide the curved element to this scene.  However, an absence of a tram caused two problems. The curved tracks didn’t sufficiently dominate the scene (the people and the bright shop fronts did) and they lacked clear direction (were they running front to back or vice versa?).

The inclusion of a (predominantly straight) tram gives a greater sense of context and curve to the image.  Notably its inclusion brings direction and solves the tension of which way the tracks are running.

In post production I’ve increased saturation and added a vignette to draw the viewer to the tram in the first instance. The viewer’s eye then follows the curvature of the tracks out of the frame in the bottom left.

70mm, 1/100 secs, f/14, ISO 200    

My first couple of attempts were taken at street level.  This resulted in the lines of the road converging into a triangle; and more fitting of the diagonal brief.  Instead, I headed for higher ground where I could use a longer focal length to prevent the road lines converging; keeping the scene straight.

This straightness is accentuated by the addition of vehicles all heading in the same direction as the viewer’s eye and the fact it’s flanked by the straight facades of the buildings on either side.

Vertically framed, I’ve added a graduated filter along both sides to ‘narrow’ the image and highlight the road further.

Few/Many

75mm, 1/125 secs, f/9, ISO 400

This is a tour party outside of Manchester’s town hall. The strongest component of this image is its composition.  Leaving plenty of space around the group has an isolating effect and makes it clear that they aren’t part of a larger group.

Converting the image to black and white removes any colour distractions. In post production I’ve added a vignette to draw the viewer’s attention to the tour party.  I’ve also made the Welcome to Manchester sign more prominent by selectively lowering the brightness. 

70mm, 1/320 secs, f/2.8, ISO 100

I’ve filled the frame with the pigeons to give the impression that there are many more outside the frame (which in fact there weren’t).  I’ve used a narrow depth of field and focussed centrally, adding a vignette to keep the viewer’s eye away from the edges.

In the black and white conversion the distraction of the dirt and grime becomes texture.

Broad/Narrow

10mm, 1/125 secs, f/13, ISO 200

In order to emphasise the breadth of the scene I chose a horizontal frame to give greater distance between the left and tight sides of the image.  To accentuate the sense of breadth even further I used a very wide focal length, just 10mm, and added a graduated filter along the top and bottom (in post production) that has a narrowing effect horizontally.

The composition is further strengthened by the bold triangles of the green grass and blue sky.

60mm, 1/50 secs, f/9, ISO 400

This is a strange Manchester backstreet that is barely wide enough for vehicles to pass.  The people passing the scene not only provide an additional point of interest but also bring a sense of scale.  To prevent them from dominating the frame I’ve chosen a slower shutter speed so as not to render them static.

The scene lacked colour and therefore suited a black and white conversion.  I’ve also opted for a narrow crop in order to create a claustrophobic feel.  Graduated filters along the lengths of the image narrow it further.

Blunt/Sharp

10mm, 1/160 secs, f/5, ISO 200

This pebble is in complete contrast to a city full of straight lines and right angles.  A wide angle not only emphasised its size and bluntness, but it also enabled me to include the MCR sign in the background.

In post production I’ve cropped the image slightly to remove a distracting lamp post leaning into the image on the extreme right hand side.  I exposed for the background originally which meant that I needed to selectively increase the exposure of the pebble too.

30mm, 1/1000 secs, f/2.8, ISO 100

This image shares a similar shape to its counterpart.  It’s very narrow depth of field emphasises the sharpness of the barbed wire and a black and white conversion brings a certain starkness or bleakness.  It’s very suppressive, in fact.

The curvature of the concentric circles is a strong addition to the composition and leads the viewer from left to right.  I’ve cropped the image slightly to eliminate distractions to the right of the original.

Moving/Still

40mm, 1/30 secs, f/8, ISO 100

Nothing says city more than a black cab and I’ve managed get this one pin sharp with plenty of background blur (after only a couple of attempts!).  Composing the shot with the cab to the left of shot accentuates the sense of movement towards the right of the frame.

24mm, 1/320 secs, f/2.8, ISO 100    

The bicycle lock confirms that the subject is stationary – but it’s the absence of its wheels that tells the viewer that its been there for some time.  Additionally, it’s in contrast to the vehicles moving horizontally across the rear of the frame.

With a busy scene to the left, a vertical frame illuminated the clutter and enabled me to include the building at the back of the image.  Adding a vignette isolates the bicycle further.

Strong/Weak

55mm, 1/500 secs, f/5, ISO 100

Choosing an angle beneath the statue is the primary means of accentuating the strength of this powerful figure.  The composition is made more dynamic due to the figure leaning into the frame.

There was a very high dynamic range that blew out the background.  As I shot in RAW, I created two exposures and used HDR software to merge them.  The rich blue sky and, more importantly, the fact that the statue is backlit add a further sense authority.

150mm, 1/80 secs, f/5.6, ISO 100

This image is a contrast in itself.  The primary subject – the homeless man – must possess huge inner strength but it’s his physical frame that is weak.  This is emphasised by his vacant eyes – he’s in his own world as others pass by obliviously in theirs.

Opting for a slower shutter speed results in motion blur and highlights the fact that the other people are merely passing through.

I’ve added a vignette to draw the eye to the centre of the frame.

Dark/Light

26mm, 1.3 secs, f/14, ISO 1600

A vertical frame mirrors the shape of the rectangular block of light, which the viewer is drawn to because of the diagonal lines of the bookshelves.  A large depth of field means the books are also in focus and enables the viewer to explore the scene further.

The black and white conversion removes the colour distraction of the books in the original images.  Also in post production I adjust exposure and brightness to help the viewer recognise the scene without it being immediately obvious.