Exercise 1.2 Point
There are essentially three classes of position [to place a single point]: in the middle, a little off-centre, and close to the edge. (Photography 1: The Art of Photography,
1. Take two or three photographs in which a single point is placed in different parts
of the frame. (A ‘point’ should be small in relationship to the frame; if it’s too large
it becomes a shape.)
How can you evaluate the pictures? How do you know whether you’ve got it
right or not? Is there a right place and a wrong place for the point? For the sake
of argument, let’s say that the right place shouldn’t be too obvious and that
the point should be clear and easy to see. As there’s now a ‘logic’ to it, you can
evaluate your composition according to the logic of the point.
As you look at the pictures you might find that you’re also evaluating the
position of the point by its relationship to the frame.
Reflection on Image One and Two
This was in interesting exercise and one that did tax me as I was uncertain about the nature of a point! I made an educated guess and created the images below.
The first two illustrate an inserting point for me in the second image does not feel right somehow? The eye and the brain make us see some relationships as being more satisfying the others . Although the original and future of that satisfaction are somewhat elusive. Proximity to the edge and the relationship to the farm as a rectangle seems to imply that some images is somehow more balanced than others. Interestingly, to me anyway is the unsatisfying position of the object in the second image? It is near the edge and off centre, the framing is calling me to crop the photograph and also raising questions about why I framed the point in that position? In considering the term ‘crop’ my comment above clarifies crop as a post capture act, where as framing is a choice at the moment the image is taken.
2. Take a number of images in which a point is placed in relationship to the frame.
Can you find any place where the point is not in relationship to the frame? If it’s
in relationship to the frame you can place a point in any part of the picture and
the picture is balanced somewhere within the frame.
I don’t think there are positions where the point is not in a relationship to the farm, however some locations work better than others. the concept of balance is interesting because it is a perceptual rather than an absolute concept. Whilst there are rules of composition, I know some very striking and engaging images are created by breaking the rules of composition, which are at best a set of cultural conventions and not an absolute truth. There is though a fine line I feel between breaking a rule and making an image that challenges or eaven grates on the eye.
I remain uncertain about the motive of this exercise but it has asked me to consider some interesting questions!
Some of the above compositions have a greater sense of balance than others, but all show a set of relationships. the other personal issue for me is coming to terms with a rectangle from, Much of my photography to date has been undertaken with cameras that produce square images. More to reflect on I think?