Structure - Pinterest Board
Task One - Structure In Nature
I will use Ho Lee's work as inspiration, taking a white piece of card out into the natural environment and looking for interesting structures in nature that can be photographed against a white background. Experimenting with having the white page fill the frame and also showing the context around which the photograph is taken.
Myoung Ho Lee
In Myoung's work he separates trees from their natural environment by placing an unnatural white sheet behind the trees this gives the impression the tree is painted onto the canvas. In most of his images there is just one, solitary tree and the background can still be seen around the canvas. This procedure outlines the structure of the trees by highlighting the immense complicated twists and turns throughout their structure independently from the background. Ironically, the tree still blends into the wider natural surrounding, rooted by the point where the white background ends.
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My Response
I went to the local woods with a A3 sheet of white paper to experiment. I found it interesting to see nature, specifically trees, so isolated. Usually, they are seen amidst a mass of leaves, wood and water, making it difficult to see the true structure of the branches and wildlife. I experimented by taking photos mixed between dead and growing wildlife noting the difference between their structure.
Here I tried to capture the shadow which was created by the structure of the branches. I put this image in black and white to amplify the structure of the branches and make it seem gothic. I also applied auto contrast, colour, sharped and the S curve to improve the quality of the image.
With this image I really tried to bring out the contrast in colour between the vibrant green and the brown marks on the leaves by applying auto colour on Photoshop. this shows the structure of an alive thorn branch.
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This was a dead branch from a fallen tree, the curled leafs and absence of vibrant colour here was amplified by applying the S curve. This in turn truly showed how structure in nature can really differ between growing and fallen limbs.
Here again, I showed the change in shape of a a plants structure which can occur when it dies, portrayed by the drooping leaves.
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What Went Well:
I feel I explored nature in microcosm, as well as the structure it presents utilising the completely white backdrop. In addition I feel the colours captured in my images explore how nature is not perfect.
Even Better if:
I would have liked to have explored zooming out on the images, however to do this effectively I feel I would need to use a larger canvas so I could capture a larger structure.
I feel I explored nature in microcosm, as well as the structure it presents utilising the completely white backdrop. In addition I feel the colours captured in my images explore how nature is not perfect.
Even Better if:
I would have liked to have explored zooming out on the images, however to do this effectively I feel I would need to use a larger canvas so I could capture a larger structure.
Task 2 - Sanna Kannisto
Sanna Kannisto worked with lots of different exotic plants, setting them up in different ways and using different apparatus, such as clamps and tape. She used a white backdrop with black sides, focusing our attention onto the plants structure. I took Inspiration from this work and wanted to produce my own interpretation.
My Response
I wanted to produce my images with nothing in the background, just a simple white sheet to really emphasise the structure. Here I took a photo of a solitary rose in a clamp, presenting a juxtaposition between the natural structure of the rose and the harsh, precise, yet still beautiful structure of the clamp.
With this image I was trying to continue my exploration of death within the structure of nature by showing the complexity of the shape with the leaves removed. The dark, unpredictable intertwining shape contrasted well against the light backdrop. In addition, it highlights a similar colour tone between the branches and the clamp.
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With this image I wrapped the ivy around the clamp to develop a natural theme. The intention being to emphasise how ivy would act in nature. In addition, to try and make the plants blend with the harsh metal, I applied auto colour and S curve to show the clamp rusting, adding an impression that the clamp is also subject to nature.
I wanted to develop Sanna's work by taking similar photos from very different angles. In this image I stood on a chair to get a birds eye view of the complex shapes. The rose head is in focus showing the complex petal formation however the rest is out of focus further focusing us on the top of the rose.
What went well: I feel I explored different angles of capturing the flower arrangement, such as the birds eye view. With my arrangements and editing I tried to simplify the image as much as possible.
Even Better if: I would have liked to experiment with decorating the back drop. e.g. drawing and illustrating on the background. |
Gallery Visit - 1
Sir Peter's Cook 80 at 80 exhibition -
This was an exhibition that took place at the UCL Bartlett Architecture building in central London. It focused on an architect whose drawings express the true structure of his building designs. Although these are not photos, I feel these drawings truly portray the structures of buildings in a rather abstract way.
This was an exhibition that took place at the UCL Bartlett Architecture building in central London. It focused on an architect whose drawings express the true structure of his building designs. Although these are not photos, I feel these drawings truly portray the structures of buildings in a rather abstract way.
I love this drawing because it removes the structure from the backdrop and places it onto a solid red backdrop highlighting the structure.
These images of a beautiful town in Italy suit the curved wood building photoshopped into the town.
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The light and shadows portrayed in these images of models work really well with the white structure of these buildings.
These drawings really exemplify the structure of the buildings which have been removed from the background and work extremely well with the colours.
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The top drawing on this board is from a very interesting angle which I feel really highlights of the structure of the building.
I love this drawing as it shows people in different levels and in transparency.
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Task 1 - Brutalist Architecture
The term Brutalism was derived from the French ‘Béton brut’, or raw concrete. It was a term coined for the futurist architecture being created by architects like Le Corbusier. The expression became associated with a movement emerging in postwar British architectural offices. The architecture itself is characterized by the large size of the buildings and the use of raw unfinished concrete. Brutalist buildings also make use of geometric forms in a way to attempt to communicate the buildings function and what the rooms behind the slabs of concrete are used for.
I went to visit both the Barbican centre and Robin Hood Gardens. I captured various images from different angles and uses of light. I especially enjoyed going to Robin Hood because the building is at the end of it's life and there are plans to knock it down, in addition it was one of the first brutalist buildings in London.
With these series of images I tried to capture the entire block within its environment. I feel the sky portrayed in these images has a real continuity with the overall structure. This is because it is combined with the simple boxy shapes and edges which are portrayed in the overall building. In addition the dark concrete is marked by the rain which makes the overall tone darker, further linking it to the sky where these dark spots replicate clouds in the sky.
With this image, I tried to focus on the playground as i felt it was a part of the overall building. The playground has a very unused, old fashioned look which i feel is replicated in the building behind. This elevation is in fact the side of the building which has been closed down, as shown by the broken glass and border windows.
Development 1 - Following the structure
WWW - I feel I captured the structure of the different buildings by angling the camera down the way the building flows.
EBI - These images could have been better if I had visited some different sites such as the Trellick Tower and the Southbank centre.
EBI - These images could have been better if I had visited some different sites such as the Trellick Tower and the Southbank centre.
Development 2
Thomas Danthony
Thomas Danthony experimented with brutalist images by simplifying their structure to an average point. I feel was inspired by the simplistic colours created by the exposed concrete.
My response
Exhibition visit 2 - The Radical Eye
I feel that this image highlights the complexity of human features that can be captured on film. The image is incredibly striking and creates a visual equal to the impact of a painting. The limbs within the image are very defined and frame the poverty of the clothing. The look on the girls face expresses fear, determination, pain and hunger, her eyes are dark yet ambiguous in emotion.
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When looking at this image for the first time, I was trying to distinguish whether if the tears where intended to be real and then I realised they where not because they where too perfect. That idea made me visualise the image without tears and to see that the face would not portray pain and sadness, rather a sense of awe and interest in what she is looking at.
Three strands
Strand 1 - Lifestyles routines
Black Books - Bernard Black
I captured these images from the British comedy series `Black books. Dylan Moran plays a character called Bernard Black who lives in a state of unorganised, structureless mess. I feel I can develop more images like these to portray peoples lives which have no structure, using different settings and stories. I would also like to explore another side of the story where I illustrate peoples lives which do have structure.
My Response
contact sheet
Strand 2 - Typologies
Bernd and Hilla Becher
These images present a series of images of frequently seen structures, for example, oil, gas towers and houses. I feel that the idea was to show the different structures of very similar things and how they can differ. I feel I can replicate this using the area where I live. Whilst the houses differ from place to place, there are different structures which are repeated such as telephone boxes.
My Response
With my typologies I wanted to make them more relevant to London's architecture. I therefore captured a series of photos in front of Tube Stations along the Northern Line. I used the front of the Tube Stations because they are similar in many ways yet have many subtle differences that made the typology effective. Using Photoshop I altered the images by adding grey scale and reducing each photo to a similar size using the free transform tool. To make this process accurate i used the record button to make the process the same each time.
Strand 3 - Colour and Structure
Nick Frank
My response
With these images I tried to capture shots by looking up in order to increase the open space around the structure. I therefore focused on lamp posts, building sides and billboards. I then used Photoshop to select the backdrop and apply a foreground colour which I felt suited the image. Then, with the gradient tool, I applied a gradient across the image. I then selected the rest of the images and applied the same foreground colour with a 5% opacity, ensuring that it fitted in with the background. Finally, with all the images, I put a strip along the bottom and filled it with different colours which fitted well with the whole aesthetic.
Strand Developments
Development One
Structure of a trip
Alex Soloviev
BERLIN - the inner layer from Alex Soloviev on Vimeo.
This artist creates videos of different places around the world through the eyes of a visitor which illustrated different places and their structure of culture society norms and people very well.
My Response
I decided to capture my own trip of a weekend away in Thorpeness. I used many different timing techniques to capture the structure of the trip and lifestyles of the people involved. I started by capturing short clips in the various peoples' rooms so the viewer would see an insight into their lifestyle, offering interpretation throughout. I then tried to capture all the activities of the trip through different angles and different sound effects to enhance the overall video.
Development Two
Artist inspiration - Michael Casker
I was inspired by Michael Caskers video called the Gates. The video captures the lifestyle of the youth in Pittsburgh, a place ridden with urban decay in a post industrial context. I took inspiration from the shots in the bedroom which offered an insight to the persons life, in addition to the shots of what they do during the day and how this heavily linked with the aesthetic of the bedroom.
THE GATES from Michael Casker on Vimeo.
My response
With these videos I was trying to make a personal representation of peoples lives through capturing an insight into their room to see if the aesthetic mirrors their hobbies. Through the interview I got a personal insight to their hobbies and why they liked them. In addition, I tried to reflect their nature through background music, which I feel is an excellent way to express yourself. I tried to keep the style of interviewing in keeping with the subject matter in order to create a sense of connection between myself as the filmmaker and the people featured.
My Movie 6 from Connor on Vimeo.
Dan's hobby was skating and by looking at the aesthetic of his room i see a clear link to his hobby with posters of rappers he is into and associates with skating. In addition, his music taste is clearly influenced by his desire to skate.
structure dev 1 from Connor on Vimeo.
Daniel's bedroom clearly represents his hobbies of music and photography, with the film images posted around the wall. In addition, his love for guitar is illustrated by his desire to learn some of his most loved songs.
My Movie 5 from Connor on Vimeo.
Cameron's room is more bare which displays his organisation and desire for basketball. His clear interest in basket ball is suggested through his skill and interest when discussing it with him.
With all these videos I edited them so the music flows well with what they are doing. In addition, I added film grain to all of the videos to suggest a more intimate feel in each of their rooms, it also emphasises the different colours.
Development Three - structure in shops
My response
I explored many shop interiors of shops along holloway road which i feel is a very diverse area and therefore allows for a lot of different shop structures and interiors.
With these images I captured the different layouts of different shops. These included a laundrette, tyre shop, junk store and fruit stand. I feel that I have captured very different structures of shops in these images. I then edited them on photoshop by reducing brightness contrast and saturation to make the images appear like they were captured on film. Finally, I added an 'iris blur' to concentrate attention on the key aspects of the shop and each image, leading the eye away from the other objects.
What Went Well - I feel that I selected the shops well, because they where full of life and different structures.
Even Better If - However, I feel I could explore the structure further by including the shop keeper within the photo which would develop the concept of structure in shops even further.
What Went Well - I feel that I selected the shops well, because they where full of life and different structures.
Even Better If - However, I feel I could explore the structure further by including the shop keeper within the photo which would develop the concept of structure in shops even further.
John Londei - shutting up shop
John Londei produced images capturing shopkeepers in their various different environments. I love these images for their use of colours to reflect the different products for sale. The images clearly capture the structure of the shop with the shopkeeper as the central focus of attention.
My response
With this development i was using the idea of capturing peoples life styles in their different environments, I did this by capturing different shop keepers and owners within their shop. I took the decision to stick to independent stores in order to emphasise the connection between the shopkeeper and the shop. I then combined this idea with the typologies by putting the images into a grid.
With all of these images I applied a curve shown below and adjusted the brightness and contrast. Then, I individually adjusted each colour on hue saturation and lightness. Finally, I applied a level of grain appropriate to the image. This was all to make the photos look like had been taken on film.
Final Piece
Lomography
Lomography is style of pop photography based around the quirky cameras by the Austrian camera manufacturer known as Lomo. It was a trend, peaking in the winter of 2011. However, there are still lots of enthusiasts using using lomo cameras and shooting film. There are several camera types that fall under the lomography genre.
I applied a 5 step process to my images in order to apply a tomographic style to them. Firstly, I duplicated the background, then I added a lens correction to introduce a strong vignette. Next, I added a lomography style curve and adjusted the colour tones in the curve to increase the loo effect. Lastly, I added an 'iris blur' depending on the context of the photo.
In this image there is a triangular structure between the sink the fish display centred by the fishmonger in the middle. The vertical stripes on the apron are perpendicular to the lines created by the tile layout. Finally the iris blur draws the attention towards the fishmonger.
The jumper and shelving tones echo those in the audio shop. The eye bounces between the two men laterally which further emphasises the shelving structure. Finally the men seem almost anchored together through their hand positions.
The composition here is drawn left by the balance of the lady and the scales. Her gaze further focuses on the scale which is sharpened in the photo. In addition the retro, or vintage look of the shop is amplified by the scales.
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There is an incredible kindness expressed in the bakers face which reflects the warmth involved in baking bread. Our eyes are directed to the baker's face whose gaze is out toward the street or perhaps, towards a customer, making us almost feel we are in line in the shop with them.
The direct gaze and sharp blue eyes of the man balance the image on the centre where the shelving and the different PA systems draw interest. The cardigan both contrasts with, and compliments the stereo technology. The colour of the cardigan also picks up the shelf colours for structure.
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Throughout these images, the structure of the shops is emphasised through the lateral shelving or tiles. Each shop differs but is bound by the sense of order in their structure and the confidence of the each shopkeeper within their working environment.