Colour Spectrum

Colour Spectrum

Things to improve

- Set my camera white balance for each scenario 
I usually set my  camera to auto white balance and not worry about it then, knowing I shoot in RAW this will be modified in post processing. But I soon realised that for speed or space availability it is sometimes only possible to shoot in JPEG. When this happens I'd better get my settings right from the start to prevent from damaging the JPEG format if processing is required. Plus, having the picture on the LCD screen of the camera the closest possible to reality would help in making adjustments for the next pictures.

Things I have learnt through this module

Not only have I learnt alot from the course content but even more putting in place the projects. Here are a few things I've learnt:

- Don't rely on the weather: Having around 6 months of Winter, short days and cold weather a year in Switzerland I can't just wait for it to improve. I've also discovered the most interesting picture can be taken in those harsh conditions, after all, not so many people are keen on taking pictures in those conditions. By just going out and then dealing with the elements is the only way to do it. I started enjoying it even more, Bad weather can bring unexpected surprises.

- Keep it simple It's very easy to go overboard when trying to make a triangle or any shape look attractive on a picture but in my opinion, trying too hard to make a simple shape look attractive can be too demanding on oneself. I first had many ideas in mind but never put them to plan as it always lead to missing something or wasn't the perfect timing. When planning projects in the future I think it's best to start simple and maybe then grow more complex from then.

- Colour does make a difference  When processing my pictures in black and white it did make me realise how colours can be a total distraction in some cases. That doesn't mean a black and white picture is less complex than a coloured one, it just means both are to be treated in a different manner. In black and white the composition is more essential and I believe contrast has to be looked at carefully.

- I'm not in love with my tripod. Taking my tripod with me to unknown territory is a complete turn off. I've had the occasion to take it with me on several trips but never did. it's too cumbersome, takes away valuable luggage space (important when flying with easy jet) and restricts my mobility. I'm already making restrictions on the lens level, by choosing only one when going out on a spontaneous photo walk or when travelling.

However, I think I should try bringing it more often for night photography and as I understand, handling light will be dealt with in the next courses of TAOP.

- Shapes matter After going through the exercises and assignment it became clearer to what extent shapes can be a very useful tool in controlling or composing a picture. I'm not yet comfortable when using shapes and composing the frame accordingly but now I'll be looking at pictures in a whole different way. By observing the way shapes have been used in images or paintings will help me improve my own understanding on how to effectively use them. I have no doubt that with time it will help my photography alot and come more naturally to me.

Assignment 2: Elements of Design

For this assignment I had to face several challenges. The first was winter and the weather, Darkness in the mornings and night, wind and cold. After attempting to shoot from home I faced other issues like lack of space and interior lighting. I then  realised it was best facing the weather and deal with it.

As suggested in the exercises of the OCA course, Processing the pictures to black and white would allow me to focus more on the design elements of the pictures and not be distracted by colours. Therefore, I've decided to process all my assignment pictures to black and white.

Most of my pics were shot using a wide angle lens, a Tamron 10-24 mm. This meant distorted perspective and getting close to the subject for maximum effect. Using a wide angle lens made sense for this module as it allows me to have more control over shapes, which I can modify by changing my angle of view.

Last but not least, as all my assignment pictures (apart from 1) were shot in the dark, the available light was the threshold to my possibilities. I did not use a tripod, I then boosted the ISO to maximum 1600 and open the lens to maximum aperture. This made it very difficult to focus, I also had to make many attempts not  shaking too much.

Single point dominating the composition

Exif Info: f/8.0, 120mm, 1/400s, ISO 100

Finding the right subject for a single point was quite hard for me. I've tried photographing boats on the lake or the Danube river but I didn't have a high enough view to have water as the only background. Finding an isolated house or object seemed to be virtually impossible in my area. On my last trip to Budapest, when I saw this cross, originally with the Budapest statue of liberty behind (Szabadság-szobor), I thought this would be a good picture for two points of focus in the same frame. As they were both on a big hill and I was looking up on them I was able to isolate both subjects with a fairly even and regular background consisted of bushes or the sky. 

The original picture can be seen here.

By cloning out the statue of liberty it leaves the cross being the main point of focus

Two points

Exif Info: f/4.5, 24mm, 1/15s, ISO 1600

This lamp post caught my attention as it was the only source of light available. This is an obvious point of focus to start with but looking at it from different angles made me see the reflection in the small pond next to it. I tried my best to shoot both points as symmetrical as possible to the frame. I took this shot with an iso of 1600 as the light conditions were very low

Several points in a deliberate shape

Exif Info: f/3.5, 10mm, 1/50s, ISO 1600

When reading the requirement for this one I knew that making a still life composition with movable objects wasn't an option as I haven't been very succesful at it. Instead, I positioned the frame to make shapes with the available scene in front of me. Making the scene as symmetrical as possible I was able to produce triangles, rectangles, curves, vertical and horizontal lines. 

Exif Info: f/3.5, 10mm, 1/13s, ISO 1600

The same approach was used here, this scene is only a few meters away but the lighting conditions weren't so extreme.

Combination of vertical and horizontal lines

Exif Info: f/3.5, 10mm, 1/100s, ISO 1600

I believe both horizontals and vertical lines are equally balanced in this shot. This could probably work for pattern too. The lines show stability and their purpose is none other than dividing spaces in the most efficient way.

Diagonals

Exif Info: f/4.5, 10mm, 1/4s, ISO 640

Staircases are one of the few natural diagonals in street elements. I framed the image in such way that the diagonal starts from the bottom left and extends to the upper right of the frame. I believe the use of diagonals really makes it a more appealing and dynamic picture.

Curves

Exif Info: f/4.5, 10mm, 1/13s, ISO 1600

When looking for curves I was trying to find something else than where you would most expecting to see some. When scouting for the right subject I figured a building with curves would be a nice idea as this is not so common in the city of Lausanne. The freshly built Rolex learning center ticked all the boxes. With it's irregular shapes, designed by Japanese architects (SANAA, Kazuyo Sejima/Ryue Nishizawa), there were plenty curves to be found. 

This was another challenge, framing the image in a pleasing way proved to be difficult, I went for symmetry with the bottom elements of the frame to increase the unusal curve of the top part.. I chose the above picture for its unusual appearance. You may notice the implied cross by seeing the combined shapes of desks in the center window.

Distinct, even if irregular, shapes

Exif Info: f/4.5, 10mm, 1/8s, ISO 640

This wasn't an easy shape to photograph. It's probably meant to resemble a tree but is built with triangles or diagonal lines. 

Two kinds of implied triangle

Exif Info: f/3.5, 10mm, 1/10s, ISO 640

This one was shot in an industrial area in my city. When seeing the vintage car I started taking photos from different angles until choosing a low angle for best results. Using a wide angle lens I was able to change the perspective and create implied triangles. 

Whether it's the building in the background, the shape of the car, the windscreen or the inverted implied triangle from the bumper and extension of the car, triangles can be found heavily in this picture.

Rhythm

Exif Info: f/3.5, 11mm, 1s, ISO 1600

Choosing this picture for "rhythm" is a bit risky at first glance as it could easily fall in the "pattern" category. However, as in music, there is a repetitive sequence with differnt notes and colours implying a beat. I think the out of focus aspect of the picture could imply a sense of movement from right to left as would music on a timeline. In our current digital age many musical beats are created with software by placing dots representing different instruments on a timeline.

Pattern

Exif Info: f/4.5, 10mm, 1/15s, ISO 1600

The repetition of the round shapes and lines make it look like a pattern. The angle was chosen to give a sense of infinity to repetition.