Walking on Water

Another watery theme.

The way the image is broken up into myriad pieces makes the eye work harder to decypher the picture.

Walking on Water

As mentioned in previous posts our perception filters are tuned to recognise the human form.  here the brian has to work very hard to make sense of this image, however I’ll bet that most people will recognise the shape of a man in blue jeans.

 

Waves

This has a feeling of calm about that I find deeply satisfying.

Waves have been breaking on the seashore long before You and I were around.

They will be doing the same long after we are gone.  Some might find that thought troubling, however I find a sense of peace in that realisation.

Waves

Another painterly quality picture, the breaking waves have the feeling of brushstrokes about them.  I do a bit of oil painting as well and I’ll try to get this effect in my next attempt.

Sunshine and Showers

A Showery day today when we were out walking at Roseberry Topping.  Then the spring sun came out and I took this shot.

Sunshine and Showers

I quite liked the effect created here.  It is all done in camera with minor tweaks to the colour levels in Photoshop.  If you want to know the details just drop me a line via the blog.

Friends

I’m exploring different ways of looking at people.

Friends

I like the contrast of the sharp graphic lines with the softer edges of the figures.

Breaking the rules: Just use the edge of a photograph

For successful pictures, conventional wisdom on composition dictates that you need:

• Foreground, to contain detail
• Middle ground, to convey depth
• Background, to add context

Then you need:

• Lead-in lines to further create depth and guide the eye through the picture
• Colour contrast for interest, if a green landscape, add something red.
• Use the golden section to set the dimensions of the image and place points of interest within it for beauty.

Hmmm..  this is all very nice and will produce pleasing images. However:

• Everyone learns these rules in the same way, from textbooks, magazines and how-to sites
• or..
• We absorb these rules by looking at images that surround us, particularly those that win competitions

So many pictures, and yet isn’t it surprising that so few are memorable?

So much for the words, how about putting into action, I hear you say..

Well, how about this picture:

Using only the edges of a picture IMG_0029b

This follows few, if any of those rules,  It shouldn’t work, but it does.

On another level, I wonder how the photograph he is taking of her came out?

Learn the conventional wisdom or rules, such as they are.  Then you are in an informed position to try something new.

If it works for you, tell me about it, I’d be fascinated to see what you create.

Looking at a Landscape

Our perception is tuned to recognise patterns for priority attention.  Probably a successful survival adaptation.

Take a look at this picture:

Walkers at Buckden

Did you notice the people in the picture?  Just about everyone will.

• The people are the starting point of interest in this landscape.
• They command our attention.
• Then we notice the rest of the landscape
• Then return to the people again.

The people occupy only 0.5% of the picture area. (yes, I measured it)

This means that we place 99.5% of the picture as a lower priority.

We have an automatic editing ability that allows us to focus our attention on a view and make rapid decisions about it.

When we think we are seeing a landscape, are we really looking?  David Hockney has thought deeply about this

So What?…. well we can make assumptions and miss things when we see a view.

Looking is much harder to do and takes time.

Making images that connect with others means that they must be different.   One source of this difference is cultivating the ability to look.  I’m trying harder to look, are you?

Tree House

Trees in the winter can be stark things rather devoid of colour.  This is a different look at a tree.

Tree House

Wintry blue skies can be intense, especially if they are contrasted with warmer colours.

I liked the pattern of lichens on the ancient roof tiles, they are suggestive of foliage when combined with the shadow of the tree.

Fox Joy

It is always dodgy ground assuming animals have human emotions, however when I saw this fox running across a field from a farm in the south downs I’m sure it had a look of pure joy on its face.

Run Fox

My impression at the time, and not altered by reflection, was that here is an animal that is enjoying life to the full.

A Different Perspective on Buckden Trees

Deep blue skies always attract my attention.

Looking up, looking down and behind you when out walking in places you know well is a good habit to acquire.  It makes you see more and challenges your assumptions.

I’m still playing with capturing different perspectives.  Creating a slightly mysterious twist on a familiar landscape really appeals to the iconoclast in me.

Buckden Trees

This picture is another relatively straight shot with minor tweaks in Photoshop to remove spots and specks, and some exposure adjustment.

I like this, hope you do too

Ghosts on the beach

Elements of mystery again, you may need to step back from the screen a little and view this one from a distance and see if that helps your eyes make sense of the image.

Ghosts on the beach

I’m having fun exploring less traditional approaches to photographs.

This one is a straight shot apart from minor adjustments to the colour in Photoshop.

I like the mystery in these images, if you want to know more then contact me I’ll happily tell you all the technical details.

This photograph has a presence for me. It made me stop, look and held my attention.  That’s why I select these picture for the blog.  It is an instinctive process, sometimes I know instantly as I’m taking them.  Other times there is a slow burn and I rediscover them after a break.

This is one of those slow burn pictures. I like it very much and hope you do too.