Working toward final Image choices

For unit 208 need to show

" a structured and reasoned explaination which fully supports the choice of final images."

Personal criteria:

• I actually like the image.
• Clarity of image.
• More than just in focus aim to allow the viewer to see / feel my experience taking the image.
• Link to research undertaken.
• A development of style, technique that can be followed back to reserch on photographers.
• Display a range of skills and techniques including
• Use of "Rule of Thirds".
• Images diplay understanding of use of available light.
• Use of tripod.
• Depth of field.
• Composition, colour and shape.
• Link to the statement of intent

Nature

There is a clear link to the statement of intent to produce a series of images that reflect the changing seasons in South Derbyshire.  The course has run through Autumn into Winter.  The initial choice of images refect both through changes in nature as well as the colour pallete and quality of light.  A range of images from macro to landscape; varying lighting conditions; range of skills required to achieve the images chosen.

Built

The initial Statement of intent identified a focus on community buildings within South Derbyshire.  The available time, weather and opportunity has meant that this has been extended to include the city of Derby.


Demonstration of a range of techniques, inclding post production conversion to B & W.  I feel that there is a demonstrable link to the research that I have undertaken into architectural photography.

Barrow upon Trent

The forecast for the weekend is mixed, best Saturday morning - getting greyer and wetter as the day / weekend progresses. 

The aim is to capture external images images from around the site of the church at Barrow upon Trent.  This church dates back to the 11th century.  The architecture is less ornate than later buildings and is early Norman in style.  There have been some alterations over time, but most are old and form part of the character of the building.

The site has been visited on a number of occasions to gain an understanding of what is there and how colours chnge with differing light conditions.  The site is open with some trip hazards otherwise fairly safe paths. I have spoken with a keyholder for the church and have arranged access at a later date to photograph the inside of the building in exchange for access to any images.  This visit is to capture external images.  Equipment to be used is Olympus EP-1 + standard kit lens, Poloriser and tripod. 

The building is of a pale stone and the aim was to enhance colour, taking advantage of early morning light.  In practice, although the morning was bright it had characteristics of later in the year, being very pale, with none of the autumn gold that I had hoped for.  The cirrus clouds were almost wintry, closely followed by a solid bank of cloud that indicated an approaching weather front.

This first image is taken of a gate that is set into the curtain wall of the cemetery.

Barrow upon Trent i

25mm, 1 sec, F5.6, ISO100

There was a very short window of time where the light added some colour to the stone of the church.

Barrow upon Trent ii

19mm, 1/4th, F11, ISO100

Some of the history is there to be seen by those who have the ability.

Barrow upon Trent iii

33mm, 1/2sec, F8, ISO100

Barrow upon Trent iv

20mm, 1/2sec, F16, ISO100

The sky became wintry.  I was not able to achieve what I had hoped with the building.  It did give an opportunity to attempt photographing silhouettes against the sky.  Used small aperture to increase depth of field and to allow elatively slow exposure without bleaching the sky.

Barrow upon Trent v

14mm, 1/15th, F16, ISO100

Barrow upon Trent vi

22mm, 1/3rd, F16, ISO100

Theme 1 Community Buildings - Hilton Village Hall 30 10 10

Have been reading some stuff about photographing buildings and I will put some of the detail on here, but I figure that while there is still some good weather I should get out and take some photos

14mm, F16, 1/4sec, ISO 100

 Hilton Village Hall,
Half in Shade   

 

Out of the sequence this one stood out for me.  Kit zoom lens set as wide as it will go.  Still early morning so camera supported on a tripod to enable me to use a small aperture - F16 and a longer exposure - 1/4 second while using an ISO of 100.

This was taken from as close as possible to the building while still being able to see it all within the shot.  Unfortunately I was not able to get square on to the shot as the skate ramps were in the way.

I have seen this building many times, usually either early evening or late in the day.  This rear wall usually appears very dull, almost featureless.  It is the external wall of a hall that doubles as a badminton court and a performance space with the traditional village hall stage at one end. The early morning sun changed the colours of the brickwork, emphasising the red.  Long shadows have added a real difference to the appearance, highlighting the shallow buttresses and casting a series of shadows that cover half of the building.  The shadows only struck the top of the window arches for a short time as the sun rose.  Fortunately I was there to see it.

If I have another opportunity I think that it would be possible to improve on this by taking the shot from the top of the skate ramp.  This would put me square on to the building.  The additional height would also improve the image as the whole of the building would appear above the fence line.  All in all not displeased for a first effort.

I have added the images below as they place the wall in context.  The 16:9 image is taken from the north-east of the building.  Early shadows from the east.

 Hilton Village Hall                                                               Hilton Village Hall

Early Autumn Sun                                                                 Early Shadows

14mm, F22, 1/4 sec, ISO 200                                        14mm, F22, 1/2 sec, ISO 200

Hilton Skate Park

14mm, F16, 1/15, ISO 100

The image of the hall was taken while I was stood next to the large ramp on the right. 

If you enlarge the image above you are able to see the edge of a new building that was built for the Scouts.  During the development they had real problems with vandalism on site adding many £1,000's to the cost of the project.  Even after it was built there were a couple of attempts on the storage yard at the back.  One solution is captured below, not everything to do with the community is fluffy.

Warning, razor barbs!

25mm, F11, 1/8th, ISO200

This is the shot as taken.  Having just spent time looking at other walls I wanted to do more with this.  Taking the image on the angle, while focusing on the warning sign.  I tried the shot with a wider angle, which was not as effective - it was just a wall.  Filling the image and cropping in close was far more effective at producing a dramatic image.  Have still used 1/3rds, but on the diagonal.  The edge of the gate brings in another texture and reveals more of the spikes.

One of the filters that Olympus include with its' software is one called 'Grainy Film'.  While reducing the size of the file to upload to blogger I applied the filter, which made the image much more dramatic