Statement of Intent:
My new theme is 'Landscapes', meaning city buildings, hill/mountains e.t.c. I believe the best time to get landscapes of hill is in the summer time, when there is a gentle sun in the sky, lighting the pictures but not overexposing it. When taking the photos I will use a variety of ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed settings. For my initial research in order to take the best photos possible to get the best final piece I can, I will look into different photographers, how they captured their best images, the locations they were taken in. After researching Thomas Heaton's work, I decided to take pictures of natural landscapes. Heaton enjoys taking pictures of natural sources of water (rivers, streams, oceans) running through mountains and rocks. I believe he also thinks about composition thoroughly before taking the perfect shot, since all of his pictures have a clear centre point/ centre line, such as the direction of the flowing water, or a large rock. Throughout this project, I will be using a variety of camera settings, including ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed, until I find the perfect setting for each location and subject in order to produce the best photos possible. I will also be thinking carefully about the Composition in each photo, as I intend to capture the pictures at angles that make the photo as aesthetically pleasing as I can. During this project, I hope to improve my ability to choose the right settings for the camera, and judge which settings produce which effects within the photo. I see my final format as 3-5 pictures that have been taken from the right angle, had composition considered when the photo was taken, edited in order to make them look as good as they can, with clear subjects in the photos, like water, rocks and hills (natural). I want my photos to represent natural landscape beauty.
Landscape Mindmap
Thomas Heaton Mood Board:
David Noton Mood Board:
Photographers I Researched:
Thomas Heaton:Thomas Heaton is a 35 year-old photographer born in Blackpool. He left his job in 2010 as a video technician to become a full time photographer, and to take beautiful landscape photographs. He mainly likes to take pictures that consist of rocks/mountains with a river running through the centre.
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David Noton:David Noton is a 62 year-old landscape and travel photographer born in Bedfordshire. He likes to take photos that have soft but beautiful light, such as mountains with an orange-pink sunset.
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Analysis of the Image:
Content:
In the picture, I see hills on the horizon, covering a sunset which is colouring the sky a soft, calming yellow. Shallow water runs through the middle of the hills, with one rock in the centre of the whole image, submerged above the water, surrounded by the thin clear ocean. It is hard to tell whether the image is new or not, since everything within the photo is natural, there are no buildings or clothes that would indicate the era. However, from the detail of the photo, I would say the photo is fairly new, since the photographer has a camera that can take clear, crisp images, and can change the shutter speed to improve the pictures aesthetics. The photo is also in colour, which I think helps people see the beauty in this image, as the sea is a calm, clear blue, and the soft yellow in the sky gives off a relaxed tone within the picture. I believe the theme of this image could be 'Natural World', as nothing in this image is man-made, artificial or set up. Everything is exactly how it is supposed to be, yet the image still looks incredible.
Connection:
I believe the theme of this image is 'Natural World', taking fantastic photos using things that are naturally in place, with nothing set up or man-made about the image. This is relevant to my work as I am also going to take landscape photo of natural settings, as I believe they give off a more beautiful, fresh look, when combined with the right camera settings. While there is no clear message shown by the picture, I believe you could take away the message of environment protection, and protecting our earth from pollution, as this shows the natural beauty of the world
Composition:
I see hills on the horizon, covering a sunset which is colouring the sky a soft, calming yellow. Shallow water runs through the middle of the hills, with one rock in the centre of the whole image, submerged above the water, surrounded by the thin clear ocean. This is a clear example of the use of the rule of thirds, with the rock in the middle and land on either side. There are significant leading lines in this photo, determined by the waves of the water. The photographer has purposefully took the picture so that our eyes are immediately drawn to the rock, which has been achieved by ensuring the rock is well lit and in the centre of the picture. I believe there is a medium depth of field in this photo, as the rock and most of the water around it is in focus, however the background and most of the sky isn't focused as well as the rock is.
In the picture, I see hills on the horizon, covering a sunset which is colouring the sky a soft, calming yellow. Shallow water runs through the middle of the hills, with one rock in the centre of the whole image, submerged above the water, surrounded by the thin clear ocean. It is hard to tell whether the image is new or not, since everything within the photo is natural, there are no buildings or clothes that would indicate the era. However, from the detail of the photo, I would say the photo is fairly new, since the photographer has a camera that can take clear, crisp images, and can change the shutter speed to improve the pictures aesthetics. The photo is also in colour, which I think helps people see the beauty in this image, as the sea is a calm, clear blue, and the soft yellow in the sky gives off a relaxed tone within the picture. I believe the theme of this image could be 'Natural World', as nothing in this image is man-made, artificial or set up. Everything is exactly how it is supposed to be, yet the image still looks incredible.
Connection:
I believe the theme of this image is 'Natural World', taking fantastic photos using things that are naturally in place, with nothing set up or man-made about the image. This is relevant to my work as I am also going to take landscape photo of natural settings, as I believe they give off a more beautiful, fresh look, when combined with the right camera settings. While there is no clear message shown by the picture, I believe you could take away the message of environment protection, and protecting our earth from pollution, as this shows the natural beauty of the world
Composition:
I see hills on the horizon, covering a sunset which is colouring the sky a soft, calming yellow. Shallow water runs through the middle of the hills, with one rock in the centre of the whole image, submerged above the water, surrounded by the thin clear ocean. This is a clear example of the use of the rule of thirds, with the rock in the middle and land on either side. There are significant leading lines in this photo, determined by the waves of the water. The photographer has purposefully took the picture so that our eyes are immediately drawn to the rock, which has been achieved by ensuring the rock is well lit and in the centre of the picture. I believe there is a medium depth of field in this photo, as the rock and most of the water around it is in focus, however the background and most of the sky isn't focused as well as the rock is.
Professional Photo:
Hilton Tower Pictures:
These are pictures that were taken from the 23rd floor of the Hilton. I believe the perspective on these images are amazing, since I was able to capture the buildings from a birds eye view. These pictures were taken after I was inspired by the photo above of the city from the 55th floor of the Hilton
Best Image:I believe this image is the best out of my Hilton Photo gallery, since I was able to capture hundreds of buildings, which fade into the horizon, making the picture look very interesting.
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Worst Image:I believe this is the worst image out of my gallery, since most of the image is part of a building. I didn't choose to capture the whole or the top of the building, which was a mistake. I just don't see this photo as interesting or aesthetically pleasing.
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Edited Photo:
Manchester United Stadium:
Old Trafford Stadium:
While around Manchester, I decided it would be a good idea to snap some photos of one of Manchester's biggest and most famous attractions; Old Trafford Stadium. I came to this decision not long after seeing the beautiful image above, which can be found on the daysoutguide website. The following gallery are my pictures of Manchester United's home:
Best Image:This image, in my opinion, is the best out of my gallery as my intention was to capture the beauty and size of Manchester United's home, which I believe I was successful when taking the photo. On top of this, I believe the building can fairly identifiable as the Old Trafford Stadium.
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Worst Image:This image, in my opinion, is the worst out of my gallery, as this photo does not fulfill the purpose of this photoshoot; to capture the beauty of Old Trafford Stadium, however, the angle of the stadium that this photo was taken at prevents the building from being easily identifiable as the famous football ground
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The Journey:
The following gallery of images contain photos that were taken during my journey into the centre of Manchester, as I believe the sights I seen on the journey could be considered just as interesting.
Best Image: |
Worst Image: |
I believe this is my best 'Journey' image, as it is quite experimental but I believe it is successful. The way the picture is taken from a worm's eye view with the architecture all around it makes the picture very aesthetically pleasing.
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I believe this is the worst photo out of this gallery, mainly due to the blurriness of the photo, which is significant in the edges of the picture. The picture's subject (the black pipes) are also quite boring and not unique, which makes the picture almost pointless.
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Manchester Bridges:
Manchester Bridges:
After admiring the photo above, I decided to take advantage of the fact that I was in Salford, Manchester, and took my own photos of bridges in the same location, as I find the canal running through the photo to give the picture quite a relaxing tone.
On the 5th Picture (Black Bridge), I believe it is a brilliant photo, however i also think the fences at the sides of the photo takes the beauty away slightly. So I decided to crop the picture using photoshop.
Editing The Photo:
The Final Image:
Linking Paragraph:
For our trip to Salford, Manchester, we went during the summer so all the buildings were covered in sunlight, allowing us to capture our photos in a different tone and light. In the summer, the light is a lot brighter and harsher, meaning we had to adjust our camera settings to ensure our pictures were not over exposed. However, the sunlight improved some of my photos, making them a bit more beautiful. I feel when I take more pictures in the winter, they will have a different tone due to the softer lighting. This will provide some variety to my portfolio, which I believe will benefit my work. Since my main focus on the trip was to capture the beauty of the buildings in Manchester, which I could do successfully since the sunlight was shining onto the roofs of them. When I next take photos, during the winter, this will not be the case, which will be a problem since I want to capture some more photos of buildings, however I will make sure to take the photos during the day when it is most bright, in order to make sure my photos are usable and good quality. The similarities during these two photoshoots would be that I want to focus on buildings, as I will still be focusing on landscapes, however a difference between these two photoshoots that the lighting will be different, giving the pictures a different tone. I believe the two trips will benefit my photography skills, since the frequent change of lighting will force me to constantly adjust my camera settings.
Journey Through Wales :
Best Image:Out of my Wales gallery, I believe is the best, due to how crisp and clear the photo is with its excellent focus. It is also is a good example of the Rule of Thirds, as the main subject of the photo is on the left and middle (vertical-wise) of the photo, while all the rest of the photo, barring the sky at the top, is the beautiful greenery of the forest.
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Worst Image:I believe out of my Wales gallery, this is my worst photo, due to the fact that it is blurry, the photo exposure was too high, making the photo brighter than it should be. Also my aim for this project was to capture the beauty of 'Landscapes', however you can clearly see multiple cars which I believe ruins the picture.
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Annotating A Photograph:
Composition:
Right off the bat, we see a clear vertical line of symmetry in the centre of the photo. This gives off a sort of magical element to the photo, with the blurred lights created by using a slow shutter speed adding to that feeling. My eyes were drawn straight to the faded blue part of the building at the front, which I believe was the photographers aim taking the angle that the photo was taken into mind. The lampposts that are lined along the street act as a vanishing spot to end our line of view down the two architecturally identical paths. In the foreground, there is quite a bit of empty space, except for the entrance to the building in the centre of the photo. While in the background it is quite chaotic with cars lined all along the road, and lots of small buildings on either side. Also in the picture I think the leading lines are quite clear, starting at the top of the building and leading down the two paths. I think the rule of thirds was considered when taking this picture, as the buildings are in the centre, the very left and the very right, with the sky exposed to the side of the main building.
Content:
In the picture, we see two streets, separated by a row of tall building
Right off the bat, we see a clear vertical line of symmetry in the centre of the photo. This gives off a sort of magical element to the photo, with the blurred lights created by using a slow shutter speed adding to that feeling. My eyes were drawn straight to the faded blue part of the building at the front, which I believe was the photographers aim taking the angle that the photo was taken into mind. The lampposts that are lined along the street act as a vanishing spot to end our line of view down the two architecturally identical paths. In the foreground, there is quite a bit of empty space, except for the entrance to the building in the centre of the photo. While in the background it is quite chaotic with cars lined all along the road, and lots of small buildings on either side. Also in the picture I think the leading lines are quite clear, starting at the top of the building and leading down the two paths. I think the rule of thirds was considered when taking this picture, as the buildings are in the centre, the very left and the very right, with the sky exposed to the side of the main building.
Content:
In the picture, we see two streets, separated by a row of tall building
Composition:
Instantly, my eyes are drawn towards the dark silhouette, as the dark colour of the shadow is very contrasting compared to the rest of the photo's bright grey colour. I believe the triangular shaped shadows created by the steps starting from the middle right of the photo to the bottom left really add something to the photo, and almost creates an almost hypnotising pattern. The horizontal line cutting across the middle of the photo makes it seem like its cutting the photo in half.
Content:
In the picture we see a silhouette of a man, and many shadows created by stairs and pillars. The picture seems to be split into different sections, due to the different levels of the stairs, the floor above it and the wall to the left of the man. With the whole picture being grey, and the shadows, the picture gives off a negative mood, such as despair or gloom.
Comment:
I believe the photograph gives off a very gloomy, dark and negative tone. With the combination of the plain, grey colours to the multiple shadows creeping along the edges, I believe this photo is successful if taken to try and create a creepy atmosphere. I also find the picture very satisfying, seeing how it seems to be split into different sections by the lines of the stairs, floors and walls. The man we see in the picture is completely covered in shadow, making him stand out due to the contrast in colour of him and his background. We also see that he is alone, further implying a possible negative tone due to his loneliness.
Context:
At first my eyes are drawn to the man, and many shadows created by stairs and pillars. The picture seems to be split into different sections/shapes due to the separate levels of the stairs, the floor above it and the wall to the left of the man. With the whole picture having a plain, dark tone, and the shadows, the picture gives off a negative mood, such as loss or despair.
Connect:
This picture links to my desired photos as I also want my photos to have a clear, certain mood that is trying to be given off to the viewer. I also want my photos to be interesting and satisfying/aesthetically pleasing, otherwise I believe photos are pointless without being interesting or beautiful. I think this picture can also be interpreted in many different ways, depending on who the viewer is, which I believe makes this photo successful, which I desire my photographs to be.
My Chosen Theme:
During my search for a photoshoot theme, I came across the work of Victor Enrich and Rich McCor. Both photographers enjoy visual illusions/playing on what they see. Rich McCor uses everyday sights and makes them seem like something else with the aid of black paper cut outs, while Enrich uses photoshop to twist and manipulate images to make them odd and unique.
Enrich's Work: |
McCor's Work: |
Photoshop Tutorial:
I chose to watch this tutorial as it will help me edit my photos to be in Victor Enrich's style of photography.
Alderley Edge
Berries:
Wooden Signs:
Man-made Structures
Pathways:
Exploring on Photoshop:
Final Outcome:
Final Outcome:
Final Outcome:
Final Outcome:
Final Outcome:
Final Outcome:
Final Gallery:
Mock Exam - Evaluation:
My theme was Landscapes, meaning pictures containing a lot of subjects, such as a city skyline. I enjoyed this project, as it allowed me to explore new places in order to get pictures, while allowing me to explore my creativity when deciding what would make a good picture.
For this project, I looked into both Thomas Heaton and David Noton, both landscape photographers who take amazing photos. I have found that Thomas Heaton prefers pictures that involve rocks/mountains, usually with a river running through the photo, whereas Noton mainly focuses on the lighting of his photos, with a preference towards softer colours, such as an orange-pink sunset.
I feel that the most successful part of my project was my Salford, Manchester galleries, since I got beautiful pictures that were very versatile, and sparked great ideas in my mind on how to manipulate them in order to get the best outcomes possible.
One thing I found difficult within this project is finding a way to manipulate the photos in the best way possible, to get the highest grade outcomes possible. I overcame this hurdle when I discovered the possibilities of my train track photo. The photo itself was very basic, however, once I decided to focus on leading lines in photos, and in one case almost an optical illusion of sorts, I knew I would be able to produce many outcomes using this idea, many outcomes that I would be able to manipulate to ensure a high grade.
For this project, I looked into both Thomas Heaton and David Noton, both landscape photographers who take amazing photos. I have found that Thomas Heaton prefers pictures that involve rocks/mountains, usually with a river running through the photo, whereas Noton mainly focuses on the lighting of his photos, with a preference towards softer colours, such as an orange-pink sunset.
I feel that the most successful part of my project was my Salford, Manchester galleries, since I got beautiful pictures that were very versatile, and sparked great ideas in my mind on how to manipulate them in order to get the best outcomes possible.
One thing I found difficult within this project is finding a way to manipulate the photos in the best way possible, to get the highest grade outcomes possible. I overcame this hurdle when I discovered the possibilities of my train track photo. The photo itself was very basic, however, once I decided to focus on leading lines in photos, and in one case almost an optical illusion of sorts, I knew I would be able to produce many outcomes using this idea, many outcomes that I would be able to manipulate to ensure a high grade.